I was wondering how important it would be to graduate high school with calculus. As of now i would have to take pre-calculus over the summer (intro pre calc this year) to get to calculus by senior year. Im debating between a summer internship at a bank or taking pre calculus over the summer. So should I intern this summer and take pre-calc senior year or should I just do pre-calc this summer and take calculus senior year? Ps. I plan on applying to undergrad business school and majoring in finance.
If you are expected to take Calculus in college for your major, I would definitely take it in HS. Otherwise you are competing against others who have taken Calculus in HS.
I would make sure to take Calc if going into an engineering program. For business or finance you should be OK without.
So looking at a random college for Finance…I picked Penn State Finance Major and they show students taking Calculus Freshman year.
https://rap.psu.edu/recommended-academic-plan-fin-university-park-program-year-2015
It depends on which type of college you want to apply to. It is pretty normal for kids applying to highly selective schools to have taken Honors or AP Calculus in high school.
Im applying to decently selective schools like Fordham University, NYU, and Manhattan College. No Ivies. @2019Parent I’m just not sure if all of those incoming freshman have calc on there transcript already.
If you’re going to have to take Calc in college, you don’t want that to be the first time you see it. Look at your schools’ requirements.
Im pretty sure that the schools that I’m applying too have Calc as a requirement
Besides seeing it for the first time in college, you will be at an admissions disadvantage at those schools especially NYU. Kids applying to the business program will have calculus on their transcript.
I think taking Calc is a good idea, but with the intention of retaking it in college.
It’s going to be a big part of your major. You want to make sure you get all the nuances of the course, not just a good grade on an AP exam.
@bopper That is not a good indication. Even at UMich CoE, they put Calc1 in their freshmen schedule while many (if not most) students got credits for Calc1 & 2 from AP already.
My boys placed into Calc 2 as freshman.
My D started Calc 3 as freshmen with credits for Calc1/2 from AP.
I could really use what ever will help me get into these schools so I’m definitely considering taking it.
@LordJeanPierre Given the schools you mentioned you probably live in the NY area. You should consider applying to Rutgers and TCNJ. Next to NYU and Columbia, TCNJ has the best business program in the area. Rutgers is great too.
Yep i do live in NY. Thank you, ill definitely check those schools out!
How strong is your math? I would not rush through pre-calc in a summer course if math is not a strong subject for you. Are you taking honors-level math? Do you catch on quickly to new math concepts? Are you getting high A’s in algebra 2?
If not, take the summer internship and take pre calc as a senior. FWIW, I’ve heard several math college professors bemoan incoming freshman calculus knowledge, or lack thereof. They have to “unteach” the high school calculus and prefer students coming in with a strong precalc base over poorly taught/learned calculus.
Very few colleges, probably none you are considering, expect calculus in high school, although many applicants have had it.
@SlackerMomMD Im relatively good with math. Clearly I’m not a superstar or else i would be in Pre - calc right now. As of now in Intro to Pre calc I’m maintaining an A- to A so I’m fairly strong. It does make me a bit nervous having to learn a fairly rigorous pre calc in 6 weeks.
Is this regular calculus or AP calculus?