AP Calc AB vs BC

[HowBoutThemApples]

I am currently in PreCalculus( I'm a Junior), which includes trig and an intro to limits. My school could be offering a Calc BC course this year and I noticed that Calc BC is essentially Calc AB + 2 more units. Do you think it is possible that I could teach myself the Calc AB curriculum over the summer? My buddy and I want to make the jump to calc BC but we don't know if it will end up being a huge mistake. Any experiences learning AB over the summer?

 

[THmom]

I am currently in PreCalculus( I'm a Junior), which includes trig and an intro to limits. My school could be offering a Calc BC course this year and I noticed that Calc BC is essentially Calc AB + 2 more units. Do you think it is possible that I could teach myself the Calc AB curriculum over the summer? My buddy and I want to make the jump to calc BC but we don't know if it will end up being a huge mistake. Any experiences learning AB over the summer?

Have you asked the recommendations of your current teacher and the one you’d have next year?

 

[unkown1961]

Maybe a summer online class would be a better idea. I’m guessing your school would want to see a graded class completed before allowing you to take b/c.

 

[unkown1961]

Also your school counselor will know better than any of us in this forum.

 

[spatti33]

I am currently in PreCalculus( I'm a Junior), which includes trig and an intro to limits. My school could be offering a Calc BC course this year and I noticed that Calc BC is essentially Calc AB + 2 more units. Do you think it is possible that I could teach myself the Calc AB curriculum over the summer? My buddy and I want to make the jump to calc BC but we don't know if it will end up being a huge mistake. Any experiences learning AB over the summer?

I dont know if this is anything you would be interested in, but I have a friend who took calc AB in school and then taught himself the rest of calc BC using CLEP test prep books and then sat for BC test. The BC test is comprised of both an AB subscore and a BC subscore so if you sit for the BC test, you could fail the BC test but still get a 5 for the AB part. He has done similar things with all of his classes during highschool and was able to cut 2 years off of his college by doing so. He said it was easy so I figured I'd mention it.

 

[Small_Goose]

Take BC if you are doing very well in precal right now, and are willing to put in the work over the summer. The academy values strong foundations in algebra/precal over exposure to calculus. In terms of placement in math classes, the academy will consider your AP test scores, but mostly rely on the placement tests that they give you during the spring of your senior year (hopefully you get in!) There are 3 placement test covering precalculus, differential calculus (calc AB), and integral calculus (calc BC). If you don't take calc BC, you will still be able to shoot for validating precal and differential.

Note: Validating classes in core subjects will not mean that you will have a lighter workload at the academy, you will simply be placed in a higher level class.

 

[crymsonwynters]

Calc BC will cover everything that is in Calc AB, just with more stuff. I don't know if your school is going to do it how I did, but if you're okay with a very accelerated math pace for a year, then I think it is more than worth it to take BC.

 

[Sargon]

My DS said it's possible using Khan Academy if you are math inclined, (he took AB as a sophomore and BC as a junior) but I don't think it would give you any advantage. I think that you should take AB and do well. There will be plenty of opportunities for more calculus at the collegiate level.

 

[cache]

I took precalculus as a junior and jumped to BC as a senior this year. I am doing very well in the class without having done anything extra over the summer but I know some people that did the same thing and are close to failing the class. You should ask yourself if you truly understand the how AND the why of the material in your current math class before making your decision.

If you feel like you are "good at math" because you are able to easily memorize trig identities and formulas, I would suggest you do not make the jump to BC. On the other hand, if you are able to intuitively make connections between what you are learning and what you already know from previous math classes, and can go through the process of deriving those identities and equations yourself, you could consider making the jump.

 

[ArmyAFMom]

Have you asked the recommendations of your current teacher and the one you’d have next year?

Couldn't agree more. Those two individuals will have a better handle on your abilities than anyone here. My son's calc teacher (who has a 98% pass rate!) offers the option to BC students to jump ship and move down to AB during the first semester if they find BC more than they can handle. That being said, getting an A in AB will always be a better option than getting a B or worse in BC.

 

[Casey]

Couldn't agree more. Those two individuals will have a better handle on your abilities than anyone here. My son's calc teacher (who has a 98% pass rate!) offers the option to BC students to jump ship and move down to AB during the first semester if they find BC more than they can handle. That being said, getting an A in AB will always be a better option than getting a B or worse in BC.

This was how my school operated as well. I can't think of anyone who actually took AB before they took BC calculus. We all went straight from pre-calculus and then folks dropped down if the pace was too fast. BC started at the same place as AB. The pace was just much quicker so that it could get to additional topics AB didn't cover prior to the AP tests.

 

[hornetguy]

I am currently in PreCalculus( I'm a Junior), which includes trig and an intro to limits. My school could be offering a Calc BC course this year and I noticed that Calc BC is essentially Calc AB + 2 more units. Do you think it is possible that I could teach myself the Calc AB curriculum over the summer? My buddy and I want to make the jump to calc BC but we don't know if it will end up being a huge mistake. Any experiences learning AB over the summer?

Back many years ago in high school, I faced the same situation. I was in Pre-calc as a Junior and wanted to take the BC course rather than AB course. I lobbied the school and a few of us successfully went straight to Calc BC from trig - and we were all successful in the course. The first semester of BC is essentially a recap of AB. Go for it if you can!