Is Pre-cal an AP class?

[Anonymous]

Just a bit confused. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

If your school offers it as an option, then it can be. My DD is in AP pre-calc this year. It is the first year that the HS is offering it.

[Anonymous]

There are several Pre-Calc options, not all of which are available to every student.

There's plain old Pre-Calc, Honors Pre-Calc, AP Pre-Calc and then the magnet program classes -- Magnet Pre-Calc (basically Algebra 2 & Pre-Calc together over 3 semesters, with additional depth/enrichment) & Magnet Functions (basically the same over 2 semesters -- this is really difficult for nearly all 9th-graders, even those in the magnets; there's a number of magnet students each year who pull back to Magnet Pre-Calc).

I would guess that most high schools offering AP Pre-Calc (a newer addition to the AP beastiary) would do it in lieu of Honors Pre-Calc to manage teaching assignments/class sizes, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was someplace with both. I don't know if the AP version is considered more rigorous or not, but it would offer college credit. Wouldn't mind hearing others' experiences, there.

[Anonymous]

At my son's school, it'll be their first year in offering AP Pre-Calc, though he is enrolled in Calc BC right now.

While yes, the College Board has already launched the AP Pre-Calc course since last year, I assume most schools still don't have the course launched yet. I think the idea of having AP Pre-Calc on the other hand as a college-level class for high school doesn't seem to make any sense, and they only should've kept the 2 AP Calc courses that are available.

Still, good going I guess CB?

[Anonymous]

Not CB's fault. It's colleges who drive this AP nonsense.

Ask any IB parent.

[Anonymous]

At our HS they got rid of honors pre calc and replaced it with AP. Then admit they will have to cover a lot after AP test since otherwise kids wont be prepared for AP Calc. Make it make sense.

[Anonymous]

The AP board just made precal an ap class a year ago. Some schools have it as an AP, others don't. Last year we only had the option of honors.

[Anonymous]

When I was a high school student AP courses were only available to seniors and the most talented juniors. Herding freshman into AP is such a disservice to the students

[Anonymous]

Not necessarily. My DD is in Honors Precalc. AP Precalc is not offered at her school. I think there's also a regular Precalc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was a high school student AP courses were only available to seniors and the most talented juniors. Herding freshman into AP is such a disservice to the students

That was a long time ago, oldie. High schools have been offering AP US Government & Politics and/or AP US History to freshmen for years. Both my kids took AP US Gov and AP Computer Science Principles in 9th grade. Not all APs are created equal. Those two aren't very hard. I wouldn't recommend AP English Lit or AP Spanish Lit to freshmen, however! Or AP Physics C, for that matter, given that you need a solid grasp of calculus to understand it.

[Anonymous]

AP precalc is generally considered less rigorous than honors precalc but more rigorous than on level precalc. Several threads discuss this in detail.

The big question for me is “what colleges give college credit for precalc?” If the answer is none, I’m not sure an AP class makes sense here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are several Pre-Calc options, not all of which are available to every student.

There's plain old Pre-Calc, Honors Pre-Calc, AP Pre-Calc and then the magnet program classes -- Magnet Pre-Calc (basically Algebra 2 & Pre-Calc together over 3 semesters, with additional depth/enrichment) & Magnet Functions (basically the same over 2 semesters -- this is really difficult for nearly all 9th-graders, even those in the magnets; there's a number of magnet students each year who pull back to Magnet Pre-Calc).

I would guess that most high schools offering AP Pre-Calc (a newer addition to the AP beastiary) would do it in lieu of Honors Pre-Calc to manage teaching assignments/class sizes, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was someplace with both. I don't know if the AP version is considered more rigorous or not, but it would offer college credit. Wouldn't mind hearing others' experiences, there.

AP precalc is easier than honors. It should be offered in lieu of on-level precalc,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP precalc is generally considered less rigorous than honors precalc but more rigorous than on level precalc. Several threads discuss this in detail.

The big question for me is “what colleges give college credit for precalc?” If the answer is none, I’m not sure an AP class makes sense here.

It's a sop to the kids who take it in senior year. Serves no purpose for the 9th graders taking honors precalc and who will go on to AP Calc BC, then multivariable then whatever else in dual enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP precalc is generally considered less rigorous than honors precalc but more rigorous than on level precalc. Several threads discuss this in detail.

The big question for me is “what colleges give college credit for precalc?” If the answer is none, I’m not sure an AP class makes sense here.

It's a sop to the kids who take it in senior year. Serves no purpose for the 9th graders taking honors precalc and who will go on to AP Calc BC, then multivariable then whatever else in dual enrollment.

No purpose to who? My child is doing it. They enjoy math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP precalc is generally considered less rigorous than honors precalc but more rigorous than on level precalc. Several threads discuss this in detail.

The big question for me is “what colleges give college credit for precalc?” If the answer is none, I’m not sure an AP class makes sense here.

It's a sop to the kids who take it in senior year. Serves no purpose for the 9th graders taking honors precalc and who will go on to AP Calc BC, then multivariable then whatever else in dual enrollment.

No purpose to who? My child is doing it. They enjoy math.

Because if you're not a senior, Honors Precalc is more comprehensive and prepares you better for AP Calc BC (or Ap Calc AB).
If you're a senior, and only at precalc level, it's nice to be able to say you took an AP in math.
If your school doesn't offer Honors Precalc, then ask for it to be reinstated.