AP Stats AND Calculus with Applications vs. AP Calc AB

[Anonymous]

My non-Stem kid would really prefer AP Stats to AP Calc next year. As a likely social studies major, stats feels more interesting and relevant. But I know colleges want to see Calculus on the plan. The two options being weighed are in subject line - take two math classes (AP stats and calc with applications - which is a lower level calc class for kids not taking honors math) or just one (AP Calc AB). Kid doesn’t like math enough to take both AP Calc and Stats. Is taking Calc AB the best choice for college admissions? Does it matter? Any admissions stories of kids who didn’t take Calc?

[Anonymous]

Take the Calc class, as some schools will require that at a minimum attainment level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take the Calc class, as some schools will require that at a minimum attainment level.

What schools REQUIRE calculus for a non-stem kid?

[Anonymous]

My child is taking both AP AB Calc and AP Stats this year. Stats is very easy, I would not use as a primary math class.

[Anonymous]

Don't think even a STEM kid needs AP Calculus on their transcript. My DC (HS '22) was admitted to 8 engineering programs with Calc with Applications on the transcript, which they took as a senior.

For your non STEM kid, who seems to want a social studies major, I'd definitely recommend AP Stats. The knowledge they gain will go into their future studies and potentially will count for 1 class. Your student could even take Calc with Applications as a 2nd math if you are really concerned about not having calculus.

Not all majors require calculus. If the social studies major does require calculus, it won't be the same degree as Engineering calc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take the Calc class, as some schools will require that at a minimum attainment level.

What schools REQUIRE calculus for a non-stem kid?

wharton is one of them.

[Anonymous]

Why not take AP Stats and use the other period to take something that actually interests DC (instead of either calc option)? Life is too short to make yourself miserable for a speculative "slightly better chance" of admission to a "slightly better school" (by some metric that you probably don't understand and probably wouldn't agree with if you did) that won't alter your life path regardless. Plus, I'm dubious that a transcript with calc offers an admission boost over an authentic transcript, anyway.

[Anonymous]

Where do they want to go? My kid who did not take ANY Calculus in HS but took AP Stats and Stats seminar still got into a good Data Science program with merit - but DC wasn't interested in Ivies or Top 50 USNWR. DC will still have to take Calc in college for major but it didn't prevent them from getting in. It was also helpful that they weren't stressing about Calc during Junior year when they were also taking a full load of other AP classes. FWIW, the kid thought they were going to be liberal arts until they took AP Stats.

[Anonymous]

authentic transcript 😂

[Anonymous]

Selingo’s book says calculus is viewed as one of the strongest signals of preparation for an elite college. One of the most prominent college advisors also says that calculus is an important signal and that AP stats is not viewed as favorably (though that this is changing a bit as stats becomes ever more important).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do they want to go? My kid who did not take ANY Calculus in HS but took AP Stats and Stats seminar still got into a good Data Science program with merit - but DC wasn't interested in Ivies or Top 50 USNWR. DC will still have to take Calc in college for major but it didn't prevent them from getting in. It was also helpful that they weren't stressing about Calc during Junior year when they were also taking a full load of other AP classes. FWIW, the kid thought they were going to be liberal arts until they took AP Stats.

Did not know Data Science works for kids weak at math, is there a lot of statistics? College Statistic has tons of calculus

[Anonymous]

DC is taking AP Stats and AP Calc AB this year and is finding the workload manageable. Loves stats, but the calc is a slog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do they want to go? My kid who did not take ANY Calculus in HS but took AP Stats and Stats seminar still got into a good Data Science program with merit - but DC wasn't interested in Ivies or Top 50 USNWR. DC will still have to take Calc in college for major but it didn't prevent them from getting in. It was also helpful that they weren't stressing about Calc during Junior year when they were also taking a full load of other AP classes. FWIW, the kid thought they were going to be liberal arts until they took AP Stats.

Undecided but as an example - Middlebury might be a reach option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do they want to go? My kid who did not take ANY Calculus in HS but took AP Stats and Stats seminar still got into a good Data Science program with merit - but DC wasn't interested in Ivies or Top 50 USNWR. DC will still have to take Calc in college for major but it didn't prevent them from getting in. It was also helpful that they weren't stressing about Calc during Junior year when they were also taking a full load of other AP classes. FWIW, the kid thought they were going to be liberal arts until they took AP Stats.

Undecided but as an example - Middlebury might be a reach option.

Then calculus would be more important than stars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do they want to go? My kid who did not take ANY Calculus in HS but took AP Stats and Stats seminar still got into a good Data Science program with merit - but DC wasn't interested in Ivies or Top 50 USNWR. DC will still have to take Calc in college for major but it didn't prevent them from getting in. It was also helpful that they weren't stressing about Calc during Junior year when they were also taking a full load of other AP classes. FWIW, the kid thought they were going to be liberal arts until they took AP Stats.

Did not know Data Science works for kids weak at math, is there a lot of statistics? College Statistic has tons of calculus

. DC not weak in math - advanced all the way through - just didn't prefer normal math (thought it was boring) - but loves Stats - and does very well in it.