Bad for students, who apply for CS or engineering, to take AP Calc AB and then BC?

[Anonymous]

DC took AP Comp Sci sophomore year, BC Calc junior year, Physics C, Multi as a senior. DC got into all of the top CS schools except MIT. FWIW, DC didn’t go to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's totally fine to do AB+BC, that's the most common path for advanced math students at DS's HS and I know several admitted UVA and VT for engineering last year. DS also did that and is at VT in a math-heavy major. IMO, it's better to do that than jump to BC. No reason to rush through calculus vs. learning it at a slower and more thorough pace.

I know kids at TJ that did this as well.. AB in 10th, BC in 11th, multivar in 12th, etc. and are at top CS schools like UIUC and Michigan.

They are URMs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's totally fine to do AB+BC, that's the most common path for advanced math students at DS's HS and I know several admitted UVA and VT for engineering last year. DS also did that and is at VT in a math-heavy major. IMO, it's better to do that than jump to BC. No reason to rush through calculus vs. learning it at a slower and more thorough pace.

And you want your engineers and physicists to be fluent in math. My kid (a billion APs, high GPA, 1550+ SAT) is going into a stem field and I insisted she take AB and then BC. I wasn’t convinced that pre-calc was firm because of COVID even though she did fine in the class. I thought that the fundamentals need to be strong so she can really use math as a tool well into the future. Oh and I taught math heavy grad classes as a prof. It’s better that kids really understand this stuff rather than trying to show off to some college counselor.

This 1000x!

I never understood the rush to advance kids in math at a crazy rate. My kid did AB in 11 and BC in 12. That's how our HS does it, except for the rare kid who took algebra in 6th grade and does calc AB in 10 (or BC if incredibly smart). My kid did AB and then BC, got 5s on both, and did really well in Calc 3 (except for the fact of no curve, as half the class already did multivariable calc and was just taking it in college to get credit, so no curve). They were prepared for the class and that's good because as a chem eng, they will actually use this stuff. A weak foundation would mean they'd struggle with the higher level courses and that's not useful.

If other kids do it it's rushing and if your kid does it, well it's rigorous course load.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In another thread (and here) people said strong math students don't do that sequence. They cut out Calc AB. And colleges would look at that sequence as weak and not rigorous.

It isn't weak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's totally fine to do AB+BC, that's the most common path for advanced math students at DS's HS and I know several admitted UVA and VT for engineering last year. DS also did that and is at VT in a math-heavy major. IMO, it's better to do that than jump to BC. No reason to rush through calculus vs. learning it at a slower and more thorough pace.

And you want your engineers and physicists to be fluent in math. My kid (a billion APs, high GPA, 1550+ SAT) is going into a stem field and I insisted she take AB and then BC. I wasn’t convinced that pre-calc was firm because of COVID even though she did fine in the class. I thought that the fundamentals need to be strong so she can really use math as a tool well into the future. Oh and I taught math heavy grad classes as a prof. It’s better that kids really understand this stuff rather than trying to show off to some college counselor.

This is my mindset too, but is it the mindset of people in college admissions at non-MIT/Ivy type schools?

AD will tell you they want to see calculus. The CS department will tell you they want them to retake whatever calc classes they took in high school anyway. They want students with an aptitude for math, not the the ones who took the most math classes at the youngest age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A thread on another board brought me here to ask: Do college admissions look down on kids, who apply for CS or engineering, that took AP Calc AB and then AP Calc BC?

I understand that those who skip AB and jump right to BC will be looked upon more favorably. But my question is, is it bad or a red flag for a student who wants to major in CS or engineering to do AB junior year and BC senior year? I'm not asking from an MIT or Ivy perspective, but what about good school like UVA? VA Tech? What about schools good schools not as highly ranked as those, like JMU, VCU, or GMU?

It will depend on the college but I would think it would be fine as long as the child finishes BC. The most important thing is that they learn the math. It does no good to push them into BC and have them do poorly in college because they didn't have a good math foundation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes stem kids take Calc BC only, same for physics, kids jump right to AP physics C

I never heard of anyone jumping straight to AP Physics C, which is calculus-based. Even my magnet student, who took calculus as a sophomore, too algebra-based physics first. A few years ago, someone I knew got their child into MIT with Calculus AB, but the student was female, and MIT has a higher admission percentage for females.

It's hard to know what colleges are looking for.

[Anonymous]

AB and then BC is fine for W&M, VCU, or GMU CS. Your kid will probably even be offered some $

[Anonymous]

I think this is very school dependent. When I was in HS, ids tracked for highest math did not do AB. But, everything, was a little later then, so if a kid did AM, they wouldn't get to BC. My kid's school strongly encourages AB then BC, even in magnet. Having taken BC myself, I thought that path is fine but not necessary. BC teacher was the better teacher, so I told id to skip AB and take BC. Worked out great. Getting As and loving teacher.

So, knowing that nowadays more schools are pushing AB first, I don't think it means a ton to go to BC, since the AB kids will get there. It is nice to be able to take MVC, though (if Calc decision is for Jr year). Frankly, I would go with whichever class has the better teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes stem kids take Calc BC only, same for physics, kids jump right to AP physics C

I never heard of anyone jumping straight to AP Physics C, which is calculus-based. Even my magnet student, who took calculus as a sophomore, too algebra-based physics first. A few years ago, someone I knew got their child into MIT with Calculus AB, but the student was female, and MIT has a higher admission percentage for females.

It's hard to know what colleges are looking for.

I did, but this was in the 80s. We all took only 1 Physics class as seniors. Either regular or A or C. Those of us in Calc BC all pretty much took C, but we hadn't had a previous class. But, I think this would be unusual now. And, I think doing Honors and then AP makes much more sense. I did fine but never really got what we were doing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AB and then BC is fine for W&M, VCU, or GMU CS. Your kid will probably even be offered some $

Is your point that UVA and Tech would want BC only? No AB to BC for STEM students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A thread on another board brought me here to ask: Do college admissions look down on kids, who apply for CS or engineering, that took AP Calc AB and then AP Calc BC?

I understand that those who skip AB and jump right to BC will be looked upon more favorably. But my question is, is it bad or a red flag for a student who wants to major in CS or engineering to do AB junior year and BC senior year? I'm not asking from an MIT or Ivy perspective, but what about good school like UVA? VA Tech? What about schools good schools not as highly ranked as those, like JMU, VCU, or GMU?

It will depend on the college but I would think it would be fine as long as the child finishes BC. The most important thing is that they learn the math. It does no good to push them into BC and have them do poorly in college because they didn't have a good math foundation.

+1, as long as the students end up taking the most rigorous math offered at the school and exhaust all math courses (whether it is Calc BC or MVC that is offered as the most advanced math) it doesn't matter what they took before it and when.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's totally fine to do AB+BC, that's the most common path for advanced math students at DS's HS and I know several admitted UVA and VT for engineering last year. DS also did that and is at VT in a math-heavy major. IMO, it's better to do that than jump to BC. No reason to rush through calculus vs. learning it at a slower and more thorough pace.

And you want your engineers and physicists to be fluent in math. My kid (a billion APs, high GPA, 1550+ SAT) is going into a stem field and I insisted she take AB and then BC. I wasn’t convinced that pre-calc was firm because of COVID even though she did fine in the class. I thought that the fundamentals need to be strong so she can really use math as a tool well into the future. Oh and I taught math heavy grad classes as a prof. It’s better that kids really understand this stuff rather than trying to show off to some college counselor.

This 1000x!

I never understood the rush to advance kids in math at a crazy rate. My kid did AB in 11 and BC in 12. That's how our HS does it, except for the rare kid who took algebra in 6th grade and does calc AB in 10 (or BC if incredibly smart). My kid did AB and then BC, got 5s on both, and did really well in Calc 3 (except for the fact of no curve, as half the class already did multivariable calc and was just taking it in college to get credit, so no curve). They were prepared for the class and that's good because as a chem eng, they will actually use this stuff. A weak foundation would mean they'd struggle with the higher level courses and that's not useful.

If other kids do it it's rushing and if your kid does it, well it's rigorous course load.

Well said!

I just remember back in ES when HCPSS split kids into 1 grade ahead in math. So many parents would contact school and push to have their kid placed in the "one grade ahead" despite them not testing into it. I never got why they were so obsessed with doing that, as math is essential to our kid's future, why would you want them to rush ahead, struggle and possibly hate it due to the struggle. Instead let them learn at the right pace

I say this as a parent who had one on grade level and one who went 2 grades ahead---all without any tutoring, just naturally advanced at math. They were both where they belonged. The advanced one is in college as engineering major, taking Calc 3 fall of freshman year. The other one eventually went to one grade ahead in MS when HCPSS decided everyone should be at least 1 grade level ahead---note: my kid did well with this push ahead (they had been held back by ADHD/processing issues/reading, not actual math skills, turns out they were slightly advanced at math), and eventually took regular Calculus in senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AB and then BC is fine for W&M, VCU, or GMU CS. Your kid will probably even be offered some $

Is your point that UVA and Tech would want BC only? No AB to BC for STEM students.

My point is that what OP's kid is planning is fine for what OP says kid wants.

I know it's not DCUM tradition to answer the question that's asked, but I thought I'd give it a whirl and see what happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AB and then BC is fine for W&M, VCU, or GMU CS. Your kid will probably even be offered some $

Is your point that UVA and Tech would want BC only? No AB to BC for STEM students.

My point is that what OP's kid is planning is fine for what OP says kid wants.

I know it's not DCUM tradition to answer the question that's asked, but I thought I'd give it a whirl and see what happened.

OP asked about UVA and VaTech too. Didn't he/she? That is what I read.