Anonymous
06/19/2025 12:54
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Class of 24 male senior, Michigan in-state, LSA Poli Sci/possible Public Policy major.
Classes relevant to this discussion:
AP Calc AB - 12th
AP Stats - 12th
AP Environmental Science - 11th (only science AP)
Intended to take AP Bio senior year but due to schedule conflicts, it didn't work out so took AP Stats instead.
One of top males in graduating class. Top 10% skewed 75% female. Admits matched that gender split.
Classes relevant to this discussion:
AP Calc AB - 12th
AP Stats - 12th
AP Environmental Science - 11th (only science AP)
Intended to take AP Bio senior year but due to schedule conflicts, it didn't work out so took AP Stats instead.
One of top males in graduating class. Top 10% skewed 75% female. Admits matched that gender split.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 12:44
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
DD rejected UVA. Instate, APCalc BC. Also APPhysicsC, APChem. President Science Honor Society. Two varsity sports. 3.8 uw, 720 math. Applied Engineering. Female.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 12:39
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Anonymous wrote:My ND/ UVA-accepted DC did take BC.
I think all these schools want to see that applicants have opted to take the most rigorous courses available to them.
If Calc BC is offered at your DC's school, and the DC chooses a lower level course, it won't look great.
If BC is not offered, that is another story.
For a non-STEM kid, we were told by a private counselor that is true only if your kid cannot show the extra rigor in their area of interest. If your kid is able to take multiple electives showing the extra rigor in non-STEM, then AB is fine.
I'd ask your school to be honest. With AI, they now compare transcripts to others who've applied and been admitted from YOUR school. So what works across town, state or country is irrelevant given the scoring based on your school's historic applicants and admits.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 12:36
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
My ND/ UVA-accepted DC did take BC.
I think all these schools want to see that applicants have opted to take the most rigorous courses available to them.
If Calc BC is offered at your DC's school, and the DC chooses a lower level course, it won't look great.
If BC is not offered, that is another story.
I think all these schools want to see that applicants have opted to take the most rigorous courses available to them.
If Calc BC is offered at your DC's school, and the DC chooses a lower level course, it won't look great.
If BC is not offered, that is another story.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 11:33
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Anonymous wrote:I get the OP question and want to understand this better, too.
It’s understood that anyone interested in the “TEM” part of STEM at a top school ought to take BC where offered.
It’s also understood that a humanities major may not need BC for a top school (although it is an indicator of overall academic rigor).
The grey area is the “S” part of STEM, or at least the more biology focused track (or something like a psychology major with a pre-med track) versus the chemistry/physics track where BC is understood to be more important. This is where there seems to be a lot of conflicting information. At least that’s where I personally want to understand the realistic lay of the land better.
Humanities major in at multiple T10/T20 schools. No BC (though offered at school).
For your last question, I'd ask on Reddit where there are former AO present who can answer. No one here can answer that.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 10:53
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
I get the OP question and want to understand this better, too.
It’s understood that anyone interested in the “TEM” part of STEM at a top school ought to take BC where offered.
It’s also understood that a humanities major may not need BC for a top school (although it is an indicator of overall academic rigor).
The grey area is the “S” part of STEM, or at least the more biology focused track (or something like a psychology major with a pre-med track) versus the chemistry/physics track where BC is understood to be more important. This is where there seems to be a lot of conflicting information. At least that’s where I personally want to understand the realistic lay of the land better.
It’s understood that anyone interested in the “TEM” part of STEM at a top school ought to take BC where offered.
It’s also understood that a humanities major may not need BC for a top school (although it is an indicator of overall academic rigor).
The grey area is the “S” part of STEM, or at least the more biology focused track (or something like a psychology major with a pre-med track) versus the chemistry/physics track where BC is understood to be more important. This is where there seems to be a lot of conflicting information. At least that’s where I personally want to understand the realistic lay of the land better.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 10:27
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Anonymous wrote:Take the hugest level the student can be successful in. Being unsuccessful is worse than being at a lower level.
And to be clear, by this, you mean the student needs an A. A “B” would be considered unsuccessful?
Anonymous
06/19/2025 10:26
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, which DMV county/locale do you live in, is your kid at public or private, what is their unweighted GPA, and what is intended major.?We'll chance them. Your question is disingenious, makes me think you don't understand the process. Tons of kids get into these schools without Calc BC. Will your kid? We won't know without extra information.
That would be ingenuous , not "disingenious".
Your reply is "disingenious" 😉
OP here. Just looking for data points. I didn’t ask if my kid will get in. He is a rising sophomore. I am deciding on his math track and wanted some data. He would have to take certain classes this summer to be able to take calculus bc later at his HS.
Obviously a lot goes into whether my kid will get accepted.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 09:30
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Anonymous wrote:OP, which DMV county/locale do you live in, is your kid at public or private, what is their unweighted GPA, and what is intended major.?We'll chance them. Your question is disingenious, makes me think you don't understand the process. Tons of kids get into these schools without Calc BC. Will your kid? We won't know without extra information.
That would be ingenuous , not "disingenious".
Your reply is "disingenious" 😉
Anonymous
06/19/2025 09:28
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Take the hugest level the student can be successful in. Being unsuccessful is worse than being at a lower level.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 06:04
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Anonymous wrote:Notre Dame Mendoza
Took AP Calc AB and AP Statistics.
No BC
Oh of course got in UVA as well.
Not applied to UMics or Vanderbilt.
Fairfax Co public.
Anonymous
06/19/2025 06:00
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Notre Dame Mendoza
Took AP Calc AB and AP Statistics.
No BC
Took AP Calc AB and AP Statistics.
No BC
Anonymous
06/19/2025 04:24
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
My DD took AP Calc AB and applied to a college in the UK that said for her intended course, they would only consider candidates who had AP Calc BC. It made no difference and she was offered a place anyway.
Anonymous
06/18/2025 12:15
Subject: Re:Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
Kid took BC as a senior, denied Vanderbilt, W/L Michigan, in UVA (in state).
AFAIK, no one accepted to Vandy from the class took BC.
AFAIK, no one accepted to Vandy from the class took BC.
Anonymous
06/18/2025 10:43
Subject: Did your DC take Calc BC? Notre Dame, Michigan, UVA, Vanderbilt
OP, which DMV county/locale do you live in, is your kid at public or private, what is their unweighted GPA, and what is intended major.?We'll chance them. Your question is disingenious, makes me think you don't understand the process. Tons of kids get into these schools without Calc BC. Will your kid? We won't know without extra information.