Take Pre-Calc (high success probability) or Calc? (lower success probability)

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Oct 11, 2022
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Hello everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

I am currently a re-applicant to USAFA for the class of '28. I will be attending a local state school in the fall, and I'm in the process of selecting my courses. I didn't take many advanced math courses in high school, and when speaking with USNA admissions about how to improve my application they said that my STEM high school course load was a large weakness, particularly in that I never took calc. The only AP stem class I took was Stats, and it was my lowest grade of high school.

Right now I'm facing a bit of a conundrum. I have the choice of either taking pre-calc this fall, or possibly getting into regular calc-1. I have received a brief course overview from a math professor at the school I will be attending and I'm familiar with almost nothing that he went over (logs, derivatives, rational functions, etc.) I'm not usually an anxious or self-doubting person, but I really don't know if I'll be able to get an A if I take regular calculus this fall, and I know that all A's on first semester college grades are what USAFA admissions is looking for.

So, I ask this: Is it hypothetically better in the eyes of USAFA to get a lower grade in calculus, or a higher grade in pre-calc? Let's for the sake of argument just say B- for calc and A+ for pre-calc are my capabilities. (I obviously have no idea, that's just a guess.) I'm willing to put in however much work it takes to get a good grade, I just want to do what will give me the best chance at getting into USAFA.

I plan on doing more research about this and also consulting with USAFA admissions if possible. Currently I'm leaning towards trying to get into regular calculus-1. I just thought it would be good to run my thoughts by the forum first, since this place always has some great thinkers.

For background info: I will also be taking AFROTC classes, Chemistry, English Comp, Physics (possibly).
18M, turned down last year for weak CFA, poor HS STEM course load, bad essay, not enough ECA's. Action taken so far: consistent improvements in the gym, 34 ACT score, volunteer work, job experience.
 
I suggest that you take pre-Calculus (plus, it is typically required before taking Calculus especially in light of your mathematical 'skill set'). Your re-application, including AFROTC, along with doing college-level academic work will impress the SAs. I also recommend joining the Arnold Air Society as an AFROTC member. Keep up the good work!
 
I agree with several of my esteemed colleagues above...pre-calc first...learn it, live it, forget loving it....but MASTER it!! Then calc 1 if you can in the spring.


Math ensured I was in the Class of '83 and not '82.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA "83
 
Just chiming in to agree with the pre-calc recommendation as a high school math teacher. If you had a solid 4 years of high school math with an honors algebra 2 plus trig class then Calc would be okay but even then, not my first choice. USAFA does state in their website that they'd rather have applicants have a solid Agebra foundation rather than rushing to calculus.
 
My son, C2C, never took Calc either, but he did have pre-calc and statistics, so I would think having both those would help you app. That and the tenacity to reapply. Good for you!
 
Sage guidance above. Overall, create a plan to walk before running and to excel.

Would recommend you utilize the following resources to gain a solid foundation and then continue solid support in excelling in an academic area that you aren't yet familiar or confident in:
1. Explore free foundational courses like through the Khan academy to baseline your skills/ gap and to begin to shore those up. Start now, and head to college with a few weeks of progress to gage where you are.
2. Leverage your university Math Lab - ask for help, and work with a tutor over the course of the fall semester (and through the spring semester) to gain confidence and comfort with these math areas.
3. Based on your comfort level you can also audit Calc I this fall (no tests, no grades, and take that syllabus and your learnings and get comfortable with the calc concepts before actually taking the course in the spring.

Good luck and keep at it - make this a priority and it might even end up being an interview topic with USAFA or an essay response on you adapted, owned, overcame, and achieved results. Thanks for your willingness to serve - keep an open mind too that AFROTC or ROTC might end up being a good path with you.
 
What was your HS math class progression, Freshman thru Senior year?
Freshman year: started Integrated-Math-1 (integrated math is my schools version of algebra/geometry combined into one class) but was moved online due to covid.

Sophomore year: was supposed to take integrated math 2 and 3, but the whole schoolyear was online so my school made those of us which only took IM1 as freshmen (including me) take IM2 as a full-year class (both semesters were IM2.)

Junior year: IM3

Senior year: AP stats

That's it. I maxed out on the humanities in highschool pretty much. Would've done it the other way around had I known as a freshman that I'd be applying to USAFA, but I had never even heard of the academy until my junior year.
 
I suggest that you take pre-Calculus (plus, it is typically required before taking Calculus especially in light of your mathematical 'skill set'). Your re-application, including AFROTC, along with doing college-level academic work will impress the SAs. I also recommend joining the Arnold Air Society as an AFROTC member. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
 
Most freshmen here ended up taking Calc I anyways, which covers limits, derivatives, integrals, and all that sorts of stuff. It's recommended that you have some exposure to calculus in high school, but it's not required. If it's a B in calc 1 as opposed to an A in pre-calc, then take calc 1. But as Falcon74 mentioned in the previous post, a C in Calc would not look the best. In that case, rather take pre-calc. Take what you think you would best do in honestly.
 
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