Is Pre-Calc Enough?

[Anonymous]

Is Pre-Calculus enough if you are applying to top 30 schools? Is it ok to take AP Statistics or AB, OR statistics instead of AB? DC not applying for a STEM major. Thanks for any and all advice.

[Anonymous]

I don't think so, unfortunately. Colleges routinely ask whether the student has taken "the most difficult" courseload available. That's why DD took AP calc despite no plans to major in STEM.

[Anonymous]

Maybe if there is a documented math disability. Otherwise I think it would look odd.

Worth discussing with your child's college counselor.

[Anonymous]

Smart students applying to "top 30" schools are smart at everything, including math. Look at Williams. The average math SAT score is over 700 and it's a SLAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe if there is a documented math disability. Otherwise I think it would look odd.

Worth discussing with your child's college counselor.

WTF? Is this a thing?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thanks for all the advice. I think I trust this board more than counselor. Do you think AB is much better than AP Statistics? DC's mock SAT is 1450 and ACT is 32. Planning to take tests in December after prep this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Smart students applying to "top 30" schools are smart at everything, including math. Look at Williams. The average math SAT score is over 700 and it's a SLAC.

That is because it has a math institute and 10% of the school are math majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe if there is a documented math disability. Otherwise I think it would look odd.

Worth discussing with your child's college counselor.

WTF? Is this a thing?

Dyscalculia

[Anonymous]

My DS was accepted to a couple top 20 SLAC having taken only honors pre calculus. He did take 10-12 AP and IB classes though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe if there is a documented math disability. Otherwise I think it would look odd.

Worth discussing with your child's college counselor.

WTF? Is this a thing?

Dyscalculia

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia/understanding-dyscalculia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks for all the advice. I think I trust this board more than counselor. Do you think AB is much better than AP Statistics? DC's mock SAT is 1450 and ACT is 32. Planning to take tests in December after prep this fall.

Why does you child want to avoid Calc AB?

[Anonymous]

She doesn't. I'm just trying to think things through and better understand the lay of the land. (I only made it through Algebra 2.) Since I don't think she'll go for BC it just made me wonder what's enough.

[Anonymous]

I know class of 2020 kids with Pre Calculus as highest math that were admitted to William and Mary, UVA, USC , Wake Forest. Tulane, Middlebury, Northeastern, Villanova, U of Richmond, Colgate, Boston College,, UNC, wash U, Bucknell and Cornell and lots of other schools. Our counselor told DC not to worry and it was not an issue for DC or classmates. I am responding to this post because attitudes such as those reflected in previous posts used to keep me up at night and it turned out to be a non issue for DC or classmates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know class of 2020 kids with Pre Calculus as highest math that were admitted to William and Mary, UVA, USC , Wake Forest. Tulane, Middlebury, Northeastern, Villanova, U of Richmond, Colgate, Boston College,, UNC, wash U, Bucknell and Cornell and lots of other schools. Our counselor told DC not to worry and it was not an issue for DC or classmates. I am responding to this post because attitudes such as those reflected in previous posts used to keep me up at night and it turned out to be a non issue for DC or classmates.

Thank you, PP! I can second this from the experiences of two kids and their classmates. Stop the insanity. Colleges don't turn away, bright accomplished kids because they didn't take the highest math class offered at their school.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both!