Applying to selective schools- AP Calc?

[Anonymous]

My kid took AP Calc AB in 11th grade. That was the only B kid got last year. It was a roller coaster of a year and many kids actually switched to Applied Calc. Kid scored a 5 on the exam though.

[Anonymous]

Wondering this also. DS is a jr, taking precalc honors and he’s prefer to take AB next year. He’s good at math and likes it but he thinks BC may be a stretch.

He’s hoping for W&M or maybe something like Davidson or Kenyon. Possibly an Econ major but not definite, maybe something like environmental science.

Is he okay without BC? (Competitive public with a lot of advanced math kids)

[Anonymous]

AB sounds like the apropriate course, no one is going to ding her for it. Even with a good score, she'll probably have to take more calc in college, but that's for the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think most take AB before BC. I could be wrong about that. Is "pre-med" an actual major? Or a list of recommended classes?

usually pick one only, not both

[Anonymous]

Not sure how kids not to taking Calc BC going for engineering major. DD got 5 on Calc BC and SAT math 800 thinks engineering may be to hard for her 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering this also. DS is a jr, taking precalc honors and he’s prefer to take AB next year. He’s good at math and likes it but he thinks BC may be a stretch.

He’s hoping for W&M or maybe something like Davidson or Kenyon. Possibly an Econ major but not definite, maybe something like environmental science.

Is he okay without BC? (Competitive public with a lot of advanced math kids)

AB should be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how kids not to taking Calc BC going for engineering major. DD got 5 on Calc BC and SAT math 800 thinks engineering may be to hard for her 🙄

.....what

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering this also. DS is a jr, taking precalc honors and he’s prefer to take AB next year. He’s good at math and likes it but he thinks BC may be a stretch.

He’s hoping for W&M or maybe something like Davidson or Kenyon. Possibly an Econ major but not definite, maybe something like environmental science.

Is he okay without BC? (Competitive public with a lot of advanced math kids)

My son is a junior in honors precalc too. Not sure- he might just take Honors calculus since he will have many other APs next year and zero plans to major in science or math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how kids not to taking Calc BC going for engineering major. DD got 5 on Calc BC and SAT math 800 thinks engineering may be to hard for her 🙄

Plenty of kids manage to become engineers without Calc BC. Taking Calc AB senior year is still One grade level ahead of normal. Many schools recommend taking AB first, then BC the next year.

Just remember, that 30 years ago, very few kids took Calculus at all in HS, let alone AP calculus. Yet somehow we still have engineers from that time and doctors/STEM PHD students.
And 10-12 years ago, I know someone who only took regular Calculus in HS. Somehow this kid managed to attend JHU and get a BME major, got full scholarship to do BME MS at jHU and got into a PHD/MD program at another top school---7 year programs with full tuition and a stipend provided----there are not many slots available, something like 200-300 spaces each year, it is incredibly challenging to get into.
It is really possible to succeed as a SteM/Engineer major without even taking AP calc in HS. Much better to go at a pace where the kid actually learns the material, rather than rushing thru it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how kids not to taking Calc BC going for engineering major. DD got 5 on Calc BC and SAT math 800 thinks engineering may be to hard for her 🙄

.....what

Yeah, this person is a bit naive. Plenty of kids become engineers without having ever taken AP calc in HS, because AP classes were not as readily available. Just think back to when we were in HS. In my HS class of 500, there were 13 of us in regular Calculus. AP calc wasn't a thing. Yet somehow many of my HS class went on to become engineers/doctors/STEM PHDs/StEM majors who did not even have Calculus in HS.

Plenty of kids attend STEM Schools (WPI/Colorado school of mines are just a few I can think of, there are plenty more), who start in Calc 1 (which means then did not score a 4 or 5 on AP Calc AB or BC) and go on to be successful engineers. AP classes cover college material---many kids are not ready for the material until they are at college and that is really just fine