High school math and admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid took Pre-Calc as a senior (Private School thought he should be on a slower track for math). Ended up getting 750 on the Math portion of the LSAT. No problem getting into a number of very competitive schools. Different paths for different kids - for a great HS experience, find courses that are enough of a challenge to be interesting, but where they can also get an A. I hate that I say that, but what some parents do not realize is how much top schools look at class rank and compare you to peers. US News does not care about what classes you take - they want the high GPAs and AP 5s.

US news does not include GPAs or AP scores. Class rank, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whether stat is "useful" in practice is irrelevant in college admissions. College is assessing whether you have taken a rigorous course load. AP stat at HS level is not a difficult class. AP Calc BC is. If you want to apply to competitive schools you need Calc BC on your transcript.

If the HS offers calc BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid took Pre-Calc as a senior (Private School thought he should be on a slower track for math). Ended up getting 750 on the Math portion of the LSAT. No problem getting into a number of very competitive schools. Different paths for different kids - for a great HS experience, find courses that are enough of a challenge to be interesting, but where they can also get an A. I hate that I say that, but what some parents do not realize is how much top schools look at class rank and compare you to peers. US News does not care about what classes you take - they want the high GPAs and AP 5s.

But when comparing you to your peers they compare the rigor in the classes you have taken. I completely agree that some very smart and successful kids do not take AP Calc and for most schools that is fine - most will never use it. But a top school is going to look unfavorably on an applicant that HS offers AP Calc AB and BC and he only has Calc with Apps or AP Stats. Maybe there will be something else that stands out enough to overcome but this is one case where a B in AP Calc is better than an A in Calc with Apps. Usually, go with the the higher grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid took Pre-Calc as a senior (Private School thought he should be on a slower track for math). Ended up getting 750 on the Math portion of the LSAT. No problem getting into a number of very competitive schools. Different paths for different kids - for a great HS experience, find courses that are enough of a challenge to be interesting, but where they can also get an A. I hate that I say that, but what some parents do not realize is how much top schools look at class rank and compare you to peers. US News does not care about what classes you take - they want the high GPAs and AP 5s.

But when comparing you to your peers they compare the rigor in the classes you have taken. I completely agree that some very smart and successful kids do not take AP Calc and for most schools that is fine - most will never use it. But a top school is going to look unfavorably on an applicant that HS offers AP Calc AB and BC and he only has Calc with Apps or AP Stats. Maybe there will be something else that stands out enough to overcome but this is one case where a B in AP Calc is better than an A in Calc with Apps. Usually, go with the the higher grade.

What if he takes Calc with Applications this year (11th) and AP Calc in 12th?

[Anonymous]

With a top 20 SLAC, you are taking your chances with either calc class if your son goes in saying that he wants a humanities major.

I have seen Calc AB/ AP Stats students with an interest in humanities majors waitlisted at my top 20 SLAC. He will want to go into his interview with something to say/ an EC about that humanities interest that demonstrates that he is not a political extremist. SLACs are scanning male DC hs grads for this and waitlisting them due to campus frat/bullying issues and they will make that assumption about your son without a reason not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are high level math classes OP. I think your kid, if non-STEM should be absolutely fine doing this.

Totally agree. Don't stress him out