Highest math level

[Anonymous]

It matters for the Top Engineering schools for sure. They will want to see the student has taken all the top Math classes offered at their respective school by the time they graduate. If not interested in Engineering or similar STEM, then it doesn't matter for the most part.

[Anonymous]

AP Physics C is the only AP that requires any calculus, and even there you only have to be taking calc concurrently; it’s not a pre-requisite. AP Physics 1 is algebra-based. Neither AP Chem nor AP Bio require any calc. And for AP Physics C, you can be taking any calculus class, it doesn’t have to be AP AB or BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It matters for the Top Engineering schools for sure. They will want to see the student has taken all the top Math classes offered at their respective school by the time they graduate. If not interested in Engineering or similar STEM, then it doesn't matter for the most part.

This is why that PP said “magnet schools and high-performing publics and privates are curses for all but the most gifted kids.”

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:With FCPS having an accelerated math track for some (Algebra in 6th, Calc in 10th) does this matter for college applications?

Assuming the question is for a stem major, yes, the accelerated math does matter.

Not necessarily on its own but also what you do with that acceleration. Top stem school like Caltech and MIT are clear they want to see Calculus, Physics, Chemistry and to a lesser degree Biology.

To take the highest level like both AP Physics C, the more math the better, taking Multivariable is not required but extremely useful for both Mechanics and Electromagnetism. AP Chemistry is fine with only Calculus BC. Same with linear algebra for computer science.

Not to say that you’re screwed if you don’t have the advanced math, just that it makes life easier for many topics in other math adjacent subjects that competitive colleges want to see taken at the most rigorous level.

Wow, you know nothing. AP Chem and AP bio do not require calc. Many students don't even take them at the same time as Calc - they take them before.

People come here to get information then consistently get misinformed by people who know nothing but write with lots of confidence. Fake it till you make it.

You didn’t read carefully. I didn’t say Calculus BC is a prerequisite, just that it’s very helpful for some topics for example reaction kinetics and thermo.

Curious when was the last time you opened a chemistry book. You’re just talking to repeat what you read last week on the college board website.

Of course there are students that do fine in chemistry jumping right in, but having background knowledge in math and physics is invaluable.

Believe it or not, doing well in Chemistry is highly correlated with how well you do in other stem subjects. Shocker!

I did read carefully. AP bio and chem are very specifically designed so that a student can be successful without Calc. And I don't think having the calc will make it materially easier.

My child just started an AP-type chem class right now. So I am very familiar. They will be taking physics next year so have virtually no background in it. They go to a private school that does not have AP classes and does not do super acceleration (though they accommodate kids who transfer in already accelerated). And guess what - they get lots of kids into top schools.

You are conflating several different issues. Perhaps you should take less science and more English. Everyone here is so STEM-focused but the ability to write really well is also an incredibly valuable skill. It is just harder to measure.

Lol at “very specifically”, clearly English is not your strong suit either. If your familiarity with chemistry is mostly because your kid is one month into an AP-type chemistry class in high school, then you’re better off not wading into this conversation.

Good luck taking AP Physics C with no prior exposure to any kind of physics, I’m sure it’s going to work just fine. Although let’s not forget we’re not talking about an AP class, but an AP-type, whatever tf that means. Report back on how they do on the AP exam, not the AP-type exam.

You don’t think “having the Calc” will make it materially easier? Lol again at the elevated English. I know it will make it easier for kinetics since the exponential growth and decay and logistic differential equation describing chemical kinetics are covered in depth in AP Calculus BC.

What ability to write well are you talking about? For stem majors you need to know how to write a lab report. It’s not that hard.

DP. Knowing that reaction kinetics follows a logistic diffy q will not help you on the AP chem exam (and differential equations are not even covered in calc BC). If you disagree, link a past AP chem exam with a question you believe would be easier for a kid who took calc BC

Basic separable differential equations are covered in AP Calculus BC, look it up on the syllabus. A titration curve is a sigmoid, it results from a logistic equation solution.

Example of a past AP Chem exam since you couldn’t find it easily on your own.
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/apc/ap10_chemistry_form_b_q5.pdf

Reaction rate is the rate of change (aka time derivative) of a concentration, the rates are intimately connected to logarithmic differentiation.

One can take AP chemistry with Algebra 2 only, and some students do just fine, but they’ll have to rely heavily on memorization. Advanced math helps with a deeper understanding of the material, this is not even controversial. Same with physics, knowing about gas laws and energy is helpful.

Just to be clear, it helps a lot, but it’s not required.

To the point of the OP question, accelerating in math doesn’t help with admissions on its own, but it helps setting up and succeeding in rigorous stem academics.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:With FCPS having an accelerated math track for some (Algebra in 6th, Calc in 10th) does this matter for college applications?

Assuming the question is for a stem major, yes, the accelerated math does matter.

Not necessarily on its own but also what you do with that acceleration. Top stem school like Caltech and MIT are clear they want to see Calculus, Physics, Chemistry and to a lesser degree Biology.

To take the highest level like both AP Physics C, the more math the better, taking Multivariable is not required but extremely useful for both Mechanics and Electromagnetism. AP Chemistry is fine with only Calculus BC. Same with linear algebra for computer science.

Not to say that you’re screwed if you don’t have the advanced math, just that it makes life easier for many topics in other math adjacent subjects that competitive colleges want to see taken at the most rigorous level.

Wow, you know nothing. AP Chem and AP bio do not require calc. Many students don't even take them at the same time as Calc - they take them before.

People come here to get information then consistently get misinformed by people who know nothing but write with lots of confidence. Fake it till you make it.

You didn’t read carefully. I didn’t say Calculus BC is a prerequisite, just that it’s very helpful for some topics for example reaction kinetics and thermo.

Curious when was the last time you opened a chemistry book. You’re just talking to repeat what you read last week on the college board website.

Of course there are students that do fine in chemistry jumping right in, but having background knowledge in math and physics is invaluable.

Believe it or not, doing well in Chemistry is highly correlated with how well you do in other stem subjects. Shocker!

I did read carefully. AP bio and chem are very specifically designed so that a student can be successful without Calc. And I don't think having the calc will make it materially easier.

My child just started an AP-type chem class right now. So I am very familiar. They will be taking physics next year so have virtually no background in it. They go to a private school that does not have AP classes and does not do super acceleration (though they accommodate kids who transfer in already accelerated). And guess what - they get lots of kids into top schools.

You are conflating several different issues. Perhaps you should take less science and more English. Everyone here is so STEM-focused but the ability to write really well is also an incredibly valuable skill. It is just harder to measure.

Lol at “very specifically”, clearly English is not your strong suit either. If your familiarity with chemistry is mostly because your kid is one month into an AP-type chemistry class in high school, then you’re better off not wading into this conversation.

Good luck taking AP Physics C with no prior exposure to any kind of physics, I’m sure it’s going to work just fine. Although let’s not forget we’re not talking about an AP class, but an AP-type, whatever tf that means. Report back on how they do on the AP exam, not the AP-type exam.

You don’t think “having the Calc” will make it materially easier? Lol again at the elevated English. I know it will make it easier for kinetics since the exponential growth and decay and logistic differential equation describing chemical kinetics are covered in depth in AP Calculus BC.

What ability to write well are you talking about? For stem majors you need to know how to write a lab report. It’s not that hard.

DP. Knowing that reaction kinetics follows a logistic diffy q will not help you on the AP chem exam (and differential equations are not even covered in calc BC). If you disagree, link a past AP chem exam with a question you believe would be easier for a kid who took calc BC

Basic separable differential equations are covered in AP Calculus BC, look it up on the syllabus. A titration curve is a sigmoid, it results from a logistic equation solution.

Example of a past AP Chem exam since you couldn’t find it easily on your own.
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/apc/ap10_chemistry_form_b_q5.pdf

Reaction rate is the rate of change (aka time derivative) of a concentration, the rates are intimately connected to logarithmic differentiation.

One can take AP chemistry with Algebra 2 only, and some students do just fine, but they’ll have to rely heavily on memorization. Advanced math helps with a deeper understanding of the material, this is not even controversial. Same with physics, knowing about gas laws and energy is helpful.

Just to be clear, it helps a lot, but it’s not required.

To the point of the OP question, accelerating in math doesn’t help with admissions on its own, but it helps setting up and succeeding in rigorous stem academics.

Nearly all AP exams/courses are written to be accessible without any calculus, with the exception of physics C. As the teacher of one such course, the kids who have calculus before coming to me historically do no better than the ones who come from precalc. Algebra 2 only tends to be weaker because they are weaker math students to begin with (students who took A2 as juniors and are taking my AP course as a senior). When I have a sophomore coming out of algebra 2, they do just fine.

My own child is hyper accelerated and will take calculus in early high school, but it's not going to be helpful for AP Chem/Stats/Econ.

You can argue that this is a flaw in the AP course design (and I might agree with you in some aspects), but trying to apply calculus to something that course designers are intending to be approached with algebra or technology is just going to bog you down.

[Anonymous]

It matters for HYPSM. If your school district offers it and your kid is unhooked, it’s really important to do the accelerated math if the goal is HYPSM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It matters for HYPSM. If your school district offers it and your kid is unhooked, it’s really important to do the accelerated math if the goal is HYPSM.

As long as can you get to Calc BC by 12th grade, it does not matter. Accelerated math is not a differentiator. There are a ton of other things that are vastly more important.

DC is at one of HYPSM and only did BC. When talking about course selection and if any friends are in the classes, DC mentioned that vast majority are in the same course for math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it can help, but it’s neither necessary nor sufficient.

It’s not sufficient, but it helps. The degree of necessity depends on the student and their background. Calculus BC for top 20 stem majors is necessary. If you don’t have good extracurriculars, volunteering and work experience, then you need to compensate with academics. Advanced math is one of the many ways to show it, along with grades, AP scores etc.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:With FCPS having an accelerated math track for some (Algebra in 6th, Calc in 10th) does this matter for college applications?

Assuming the question is for a stem major, yes, the accelerated math does matter.

Not necessarily on its own but also what you do with that acceleration. Top stem school like Caltech and MIT are clear they want to see Calculus, Physics, Chemistry and to a lesser degree Biology.

To take the highest level like both AP Physics C, the more math the better, taking Multivariable is not required but extremely useful for both Mechanics and Electromagnetism. AP Chemistry is fine with only Calculus BC. Same with linear algebra for computer science.

Not to say that you’re screwed if you don’t have the advanced math, just that it makes life easier for many topics in other math adjacent subjects that competitive colleges want to see taken at the most rigorous level.

Wow, you know nothing. AP Chem and AP bio do not require calc. Many students don't even take them at the same time as Calc - they take them before.

People come here to get information then consistently get misinformed by people who know nothing but write with lots of confidence. Fake it till you make it.

You didn’t read carefully. I didn’t say Calculus BC is a prerequisite, just that it’s very helpful for some topics for example reaction kinetics and thermo.

Curious when was the last time you opened a chemistry book. You’re just talking to repeat what you read last week on the college board website.

Of course there are students that do fine in chemistry jumping right in, but having background knowledge in math and physics is invaluable.

Believe it or not, doing well in Chemistry is highly correlated with how well you do in other stem subjects. Shocker!

I did read carefully. AP bio and chem are very specifically designed so that a student can be successful without Calc. And I don't think having the calc will make it materially easier.

My child just started an AP-type chem class right now. So I am very familiar. They will be taking physics next year so have virtually no background in it. They go to a private school that does not have AP classes and does not do super acceleration (though they accommodate kids who transfer in already accelerated). And guess what - they get lots of kids into top schools.

You are conflating several different issues. Perhaps you should take less science and more English. Everyone here is so STEM-focused but the ability to write really well is also an incredibly valuable skill. It is just harder to measure.

Lol at “very specifically”, clearly English is not your strong suit either. If your familiarity with chemistry is mostly because your kid is one month into an AP-type chemistry class in high school, then you’re better off not wading into this conversation.

Good luck taking AP Physics C with no prior exposure to any kind of physics, I’m sure it’s going to work just fine. Although let’s not forget we’re not talking about an AP class, but an AP-type, whatever tf that means. Report back on how they do on the AP exam, not the AP-type exam.

You don’t think “having the Calc” will make it materially easier? Lol again at the elevated English. I know it will make it easier for kinetics since the exponential growth and decay and logistic differential equation describing chemical kinetics are covered in depth in AP Calculus BC.

What ability to write well are you talking about? For stem majors you need to know how to write a lab report. It’s not that hard.

DP. Knowing that reaction kinetics follows a logistic diffy q will not help you on the AP chem exam (and differential equations are not even covered in calc BC). If you disagree, link a past AP chem exam with a question you believe would be easier for a kid who took calc BC

Basic separable differential equations are covered in AP Calculus BC, look it up on the syllabus. A titration curve is a sigmoid, it results from a logistic equation solution.

Example of a past AP Chem exam since you couldn’t find it easily on your own.
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/apc/ap10_chemistry_form_b_q5.pdf

Reaction rate is the rate of change (aka time derivative) of a concentration, the rates are intimately connected to logarithmic differentiation.

One can take AP chemistry with Algebra 2 only, and some students do just fine, but they’ll have to rely heavily on memorization. Advanced math helps with a deeper understanding of the material, this is not even controversial. Same with physics, knowing about gas laws and energy is helpful.

Just to be clear, it helps a lot, but it’s not required.

To the point of the OP question, accelerating in math doesn’t help with admissions on its own, but it helps setting up and succeeding in rigorous stem academics.

Nearly all AP exams/courses are written to be accessible without any calculus, with the exception of physics C. As the teacher of one such course, the kids who have calculus before coming to me historically do no better than the ones who come from precalc. Algebra 2 only tends to be weaker because they are weaker math students to begin with (students who took A2 as juniors and are taking my AP course as a senior). When I have a sophomore coming out of algebra 2, they do just fine.

My own child is hyper accelerated and will take calculus in early high school, but it's not going to be helpful for AP Chem/Stats/Econ.

You can argue that this is a flaw in the AP course design (and I might agree with you in some aspects), but trying to apply calculus to something that course designers are intending to be approached with algebra or technology is just going to bog you down.

Nobody said you can’t do AP Chem and Stats with algebra 2 only, just that advanced math like Calculus and Multivariable helps with Physics, Chemistry, Statistics, all classes that are recommended by top stem schools.

College board does say you don’t need calculus in AP statistics, but type any kind of basic statistics question in ChatGPT and you’ll get an answer with integrals. If you think calculus is going to bog you down in Statistics when you can button frantically on your TI-84, then no comment.

Unfortunately high school staff teach AP stem classes with degrees outside of those fields and a master and certificate in education. They’ll just follow a rigid script, because themselves they don’t understand the material in depth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It matters for HYPSM. If your school district offers it and your kid is unhooked, it’s really important to do the accelerated math if the goal is HYPSM.

As long as can you get to Calc BC by 12th grade, it does not matter. Accelerated math is not a differentiator. There are a ton of other things that are vastly more important.

DC is at one of HYPSM and only did BC. When talking about course selection and if any friends are in the classes, DC mentioned that vast majority are in the same course for math.

What’s their major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With FCPS having an accelerated math track for some (Algebra in 6th, Calc in 10th) does this matter for college applications?

For the very top schools it can matter if a lot of students are on that track and yours is not. But be honest why would you want to push them on a track the school didnt think they should do? Even if it might help a little at super elites, it is not the right path for your kid! Love the kid you have there are hundreds of great schools that will admit kids who took algebra 1 in 7th, 8th and yes even the regular track of 9th grade algebra