I took Calculus this year and I honestly learned nothing except derivates. Part of this is due to the fact that I had several (literally 7) different calculus teachers so the class was just an overall fail. Another part of this was that I was absent a lot because my college classes conflicted with my high school schedule, and another part of this is because I did not take pre-calculus (long story). I am just wondering, would colleges look down on me taking the math I SAT Subject Test instead of the Math II one (which, from what I understand, is precalculus/trig + the basic math), seeing that I took calculus?
Highly technical schools might not like the Math 1 vs 2, but most schools probably won’t care.
Not having a strong precalculus background will be disadvantageous if you have to take calculus in college (as it apparently was when you took calculus in high school).
What schools? Engineering schools will care. Most LACs won’t care.
Some schools/majors require Math II so do some research on their websites.
@ucbalumnus (as a dual enrolled student) I just took precalculus algebra last semester, im taking precalculus trigonometry next semester, and I’ll take Calculus the spring semester so I think I’ll do fine in terms of college calc! I hope lol.
@lr4550 I’m shooting for some of the Ivy League schools though it’s a huge stretch…but not to the engineering path. Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Princeton (my #1), and NYU are my current top choices, but I do have more schools I’m interested in.
And thank you! @“Erin’s Dad” & @dsi411 I’ll be sure to check!
Math1 is useless -basically just SAT Reasoning again. If you took precalculus and calculus, you should be able to handle Math2. Note that the curve is tougher for Math1, so you may well be better off with Math2 anyway.
I don’t understand, you took calculus this year and will take precalculus next semester then calculus?
Why did you take calculus before precalc, and what grade did you get?
I don’t agree that math1 is worthless, especially for students not applying strictly STEM. If you get a 700+ it is a great score to have since everyone knows there is a harsh curve. Some kids test better on the one hour subject test format vs the 4 hour marathons of the ACT/SAT. I think math1 helps a student who can score well (on the math1) and who has a good grade in math in school, but perhaps has a harder time scoring well on the math SAT/ACT.
^ but why would students not applying for STEM choose a math when they can take a history, a foreign language, and Literature?
I agree that a 700 in Math1 is great, but it’s still not as good as for a stronger subject (math is the only subject where there’s a “low level” test) and, more importantly, very few students who are/feel weak at math achieve that score. Other subjects make much more sense for a non-stem kid.
@MYOS1634 I take classes at both the community college and high school. In terms of high school, I took geometry (9th grade), algebra 2 (10th grade), then calculus (11th grade). The reason I skipped precalculus is because I moved to a new state and the scheduling was different. The kids took both geometry and alg 2 in 9th grade (they had a block schedule) so by 10th grade, they were already taking precalculus (while I took algebra 2 online). Since my new school is so small, all of the 11th graders move together in a big class like kindergarten, so my only option was Calculus for this year. My dean said I didn’t necessarily need precalculus to take calculus, so I was okay with it.
When I talk about precalculus algebra > precalculus trig > calculus, I am referring to my community college schedule.
@lr4550 thank you! I did pretty good on the sat math section (710), but since I didn’t take precalculus and didn’t learn anything in calculus, i don’t think I wanna try math 2
Argh, poor you. Why in the world did the Dean say you didn’t need precalculus for calculus? That’s one of the most nonsensical things I’ve heard from an educator… s/he was surely trying to fob you off to another person so that you didn’t mess up their schedule by requesting Precalc with the 10th graders. :s Math is sequential up to multivariable calculus or so, you need each step.
Will the calc grade be “counted” or factored into your GPA?
Dual enrollment = good idea.
Do you have to take a Math Subject test though? Or can’t you wait till you’ve taken precalc algebra and Precalculus trig to take SAT Math2? (Math2 doesn’t have any calculus.)
You could, of course, take Math1 and another subject on one date, then Math2 and another subject on another date. This way you’d be covered no matter what. 
Before about 15 years ago I never heard of precalc. I know they didn’t have it when I was in school.
Thank you! I was thinking that, but the only problem is that I’m gonna apply to some schools early, so the only opportunity I’ll have to take the subject tests is October. I’m not really good in anything but math so I think that’s the best test for me to take! (Also gonna take Spanish)
Yes, it will be. I have an A because our current teacher does all the work and we just copy it down and turn it in…but I really didn’t learn anything.
I think I will take the Math 2 in December once the college class is over so I know everything, and to send to the colleges I apply to RD if I don’t get into my ED schools. Thanks for the advice! @MYOS1634
Experience from one who got 800 on Math II:
Even if you haven’t learned calculus, go straight ahead and take Math II. It doesn’t have much, if anything, to do with precalculus. So you can still get 800 on Math II. And if you can do so, you won’t have to worry about what you are asking now.
Meanwhile, Math II curve is much more lenient than Math I. Even if you skip several questions on Math II while you answer all questions on Math I, it is still quite probable that your Math II score is higher. (an 800 on Math II usually corresponds to -5 wrong or so)
Stanford prefers Math2 over Math1 if you do take SAT2.
Agree with Math 2 over Math 1 if you are aiming for Ivy’s and such. Barron’s is a great study review, it actually overprepares for this exam, but you know your math inside and out.
^ thanks you guys! I think I’ll get the Math 2 book and just practice until the October SAT date approaches. @rubberfall where can I buy the Barron’s book (Walmart, online, etc)?
check out your local library first.