High school course choice/college implications

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he can pull off an A-. Math is strong suit.

What level math do competitive colleges want to see? Beyond calculus??

Yes.

Not true. If stem, yes. If anything else, reaching calculus by 12th is fine (even AB Calculus).

This is highly high school dependent. From the top public and the top 2 privates, UVA in state takes students with calc AB as a senior, but all schools more selective never take from that math level unless a recruited athlete or some other big hook. Legacy alone is not enough of a boost: they are all from the top math group, even humanities kids, and alum advisors spell it out to parents that the top levels are expected . These schools have 30% or more taking Calc BC (or multivariable calc) in 12th. Calc AB in 12th is middle of the pack. Parents need to understand how each high school works and what is common and doable from specific math paths.

This is totally bull shit. I hope no parent on this board reads these crazy responses and actually believes them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he can pull off an A-. Math is strong suit.

What level math do competitive colleges want to see? Beyond calculus??

Yes.

Not true. If stem, yes. If anything else, reaching calculus by 12th is fine (even AB Calculus).

This is true.

[Anonymous]

A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he can pull off an A-. Math is strong suit.

What level math do competitive colleges want to see? Beyond calculus??

Yes.

Not true. If stem, yes. If anything else, reaching calculus by 12th is fine (even AB Calculus).

This is true.

Even for STEM, AB Calc as a senior is fine so long as it’s the highest math offered at your high school and you have a high SAT math score.

[Anonymous]

Getting all As in the hardest classes. You don’t need to take every single AP or the highest math if you aren’t STEM, but APs in all core subjects.

Uw gpa means more than the weighted one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he can pull off an A-. Math is strong suit.

What level math do competitive colleges want to see? Beyond calculus??

Yes.

Not true. If stem, yes. If anything else, reaching calculus by 12th is fine (even AB Calculus).

This is true.

Even for STEM, AB Calc as a senior is fine so long as it’s the highest math offered at your high school and you have a high SAT math score.

My kid only went up to AN and higher math was offered. He got into two ivies and Hopkins unhooked. Also several T 20s, UVA.

[Anonymous]

^ AB

[Anonymous]

Unless he wants to do STEM, there is no admissions advantage beyond calculus.

As others have said, don’t push a harder math class if his earlier math foundation is shaky. Math builds on itself and gets complicated quickly. A kid who doesn’t understand the lessons will quickly get overwhelmed, and it’s a downward trajectory from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

There are exceptions. MIT, Cal Tech. for given majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

There are exceptions. MIT, Cal Tech. for given majors.

Wrong again. Our high school offers calculus 3 and I know a kid matriculating to MIT this fall as a physics or math major who did not take it.

Those of you saying that XX elite university REQUIRES applicants to take XX level of math if it's offered are just wishing this was true because it gives you some sense of superiority. however, It just isn't the case!! Colleges (even MIT) don't admit according to an algorithm. They take who they want to take and it varies by student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

There are exceptions. MIT, Cal Tech. for given majors.

No it doesn't. My friend is currently at Caltech and only took AB...Hell, Harvey Mudd has one of the most rigorous stem admissions processes and it only requires a
"year of calculus" to begin its core. STEM colleges have students who have never even heard of a partial derivative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

There are exceptions. MIT, Cal Tech. for given majors.

No it doesn't. My friend is currently at Caltech and only took AB...Hell, Harvey Mudd has one of the most rigorous stem admissions processes and it only requires a
"year of calculus" to begin its core. STEM colleges have students who have never even heard of a partial derivative.

Your friend is in college?
How old are you?

Did your friend's school offer a higher class? Did your friend to other non-calculus advanced math in school or EC? Or post-AP in any science? (Science Bowl, Olympiads, FIRST)

Is your friend's background and interest in mathematical science, or in lab/field engineering?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

There are exceptions. MIT, Cal Tech. for given majors.

Wrong again. Our high school offers calculus 3 and I know a kid matriculating to MIT this fall as a physics or math major who did not take it.

Those of you saying that XX elite university REQUIRES applicants to take XX level of math if it's offered are just wishing this was true because it gives you some sense of superiority. however, It just isn't the case!! Colleges (even MIT) don't admit according to an algorithm. They take who they want to take and it varies by student.

It is not wrong. You have a very limited perspective. You only have to look at the website for Cal Tech to see Math is everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he can pull off an A-. Math is strong suit.

What level math do competitive colleges want to see? Beyond calculus??

Yes.

Not true. If stem, yes. If anything else, reaching calculus by 12th is fine (even AB Calculus).

Agree with this from our private....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few people here are horrifically wrong. It’s best to take some calculus by graduation, but no college is seriously requiring Calc 3 (most high schools have very poor, non-proof based calc classes, so you’ll have to retake anyway in college). Math majors will be expected some BC calc, but I have math major friends from prep schools who only did Calc 1 or no Calc. Colleges can handle a person with limited math experience and work them through a math major, but you do need rigor throughout their four years.

There are exceptions. MIT, Cal Tech. for given majors.

No it doesn't. My friend is currently at Caltech and only took AB...Hell, Harvey Mudd has one of the most rigorous stem admissions processes and it only requires a
"year of calculus" to begin its core. STEM colleges have students who have never even heard of a partial derivative.

Your friend is in college?
How old are you?

Did your friend's school offer a higher class? Did your friend to other non-calculus advanced math in school or EC? Or post-AP in any science? (Science Bowl, Olympiads, FIRST)

Is your friend's background and interest in mathematical science, or in lab/field engineering?

Current student, come to the thread sometimes because of how often parents are flat out wrong about mine and my friends colleges. Friend is a math major from IMSA- he had options way beyond calc 3, but saw no reason to rush and is doing fine at Caltech. Didn’t compete in math ECs at all, he had really interesting extracurriculars as an archivist and was a humanities buff, very strange admit to Caltech but they took him. I also didn’t have stem ECs as a math admit. Your extracurriculars just need to indicate you have passion for something and STEM is pretty applicable to almost anything.