Already taking Pre-calc, now school is requiring the new AP Pre-calc as prereq for AP Calc AB
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Anonymous
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My DS (a junior) is taking regular Pre-Calculus this semester. He then planned to take AP Calculus AB next fall.
He graduates in Spring 2025, and plans to study Comp Sci or Engineering in college. His school just added AP Pre-Calculus and is now requiring that to be taken prior to AP Calculus AB. DS now says he wants to take AP Pre-Calc next semester so he can take AP Calculus AB next fall. This means he'd be taking another Pre-Calc class right after finishing one. Is there a difference between these 2 classes? Does AP Pre-Calc cover anything that's not already in regular Pre-Calc? My thoughts are that taking 2 of the same course is unnecessary and a waste of his time, but DS is really digging in his heels about this. Wat is your advice, and what would you advise your child to do? Is AP Calculus AB even necessary for him to get into a good Comp Sci program, or will he be fine with just Honors Calculus (in case he ends up not taking the AP Pre-Calculus)? |
Anonymous
| Will also add that DS's other option for next semester is to take AP Physics 2, if I convince him to not take AP Pre-Calc. |
Anonymous
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That's a ridiculous policy. Did your son even know he could sign up for AP precalc, or that it would be a prerequisite for AP Calc? Seems crazy to spring this policy in the first year and not give some leeway for kids who didn't know about or weren't sure about AP precalc in its first year. My kid had to seek it out--they did not advertise it or encourage even the top performing math kids to take it.
I would be talking with the school, assuming your son has already done some follow up and hit a wall. If he's doing well in pre calc, he should be able to take AP Calc AB next year. |
Anonymous
| Reach out to his counselor. I suspect something is getting lost in translation or there will be a grace period for next year. |
Anonymous
| AP PreCal is brand new this year. Most schools don't have it. Silly. |
Anonymous
| Isn't pre-calc a two-semester course anyway? |
Anonymous
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AP Pre-calc is designed as a year-long course.
The same is true for most pre-calc courses I'm aware of in our area, which often include trig and/or are "honors" level, etc. |
Anonymous
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OP, ask the school for the reason behind the policy. It is likely that the spring semester AP Precalc course will add in whatever was not included in the fall precalc course your son is currently taking.
Alternatively, suggest your son take the AP Precalc exam, though again, I might suspect that a single semester of "precalc" will be missing topics that will show up on the exam. |
Anonymous
A coworker of mine has a kid in HS in Fredrick County (MD). His kid's HS does only 4 classes a semester and it is a full year class in a semester. So this is possible depending on where they are located. |
Anonymous
Good point. We don't know if OP's high school has a block schedule with year-long classes in a semester. |
Anonymous
| I'd talk to the school counselor about options. Maybe the kid could take the AP PreCalc test as proof of readiness? |
Anonymous
| WTF is "AP" Pre-Calc? There is no AP course for Pre-Calc |
Anonymous
There is now. This is the first year there will be an exam for AP Precalc. Yes, it's a money grab by college board. On the bright side, for some students, it's another weighted course for the wGPA. |
Anonymous
Google works https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-precalculus |
Anonymous
Yes, there is Grandma. |