Calculus ab or bc should i take

Click here for more information about upcoming offerings! Derivatives and Integrals with parametric equations, polar equations, as well as vector functions. Applications covered in AB such as areas, arc lengths, etc. Infinite sequences and series. Methods for determining convergence or divergence of sequences and series plus functions as power series such as Taylor or Maclaurin series.

Which course and exam should you take? However, Calculus BC also includes content related to polynomial approximations and serieses of constants. After completing Calc BC, students should be able to apply calculus concepts and make connections among various mathematical representations.

For example, students who hope to major in math, engineering, or science may want to devote the extra time and effort to the BC class. It also provides students with a more solid foundation for succeeding in college math classes. Worried that Calc BC might be too big of a challenge given your coursework and extracurricular commitments? Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

These high school kids are taking 7 classes at a time vs maybe 4 for a college student. Not to mention, any math teacher is likely to argue that a longer intro to calc can be more thorough and accordingly lead to better preparation. Not that I necessarily agree entirely, but they do have a point.

All Rights Reserved. Any credit received for BC will supercede credit for AB. It is if AB is a prereq. Covered in my earlier post: So they tell the school what topics must be covered.

Please enter a valid email address. Thanks for subscribing! Be on the lookout for our next newsletter. You probably noticed that most of the concepts are the same in both courses. This could be especially good if you want to study engineering or natural science in college. Taking Calculus BC shows motivation and drive when it comes to math , and you'll need strong math skills as an engineering or science major. If you're big on math, you could take an even more advanced calculus course at a local university or community college as a senior that is if you take AP Calculus BC junior year.

It's also important to note that at some schools, you can drop down to the AB Calculus course if you find that BC is too challenging. This might be a good option if you're pretty sure you want to take BC Calculus but aren't positive you will be able to keep up. Of course, check with your guidance counselor before you sign up to make sure this is possible.

Finally, taking and passing the BC Calculus exam gives you more math credit in college in the vast majority of cases. This is helpful for future engineering and natural science majors since you can jump into required math courses sooner. To give just one example, at the University of Michigan College of Engineering , getting a 5 on AB Calculus gets you 4 credit hours, but getting a 5 on BC Calculus gets you 8 credit hours.

To look up the credit policy at any university, check out the AP's college database. You will still get a calculus background that'll set you up for college math. Although you won't get to the extra topics that BC Calculus covers, you'll still learn core calculus concepts like limits, derivatives, and integrals. This will give you the fundamentals you need for tougher college math courses. You'll definitely know what this is by the end of AB Calculus!

You're less likely to be overwhelmed and burn out in AB Calculus , as well. Since BC Calculus has to cover more material in one year, at many schools it has more frequent and harder assignments. AB Calculus is definitely challenging, but it doesn't move as fast, so it's less likely you'll fall behind.

Taking AB Calculus might free up your schedule for an additional class. Since some schools teach BC over two class periods, you might not be able to fit in a different AP class or extracurricular.

But AB Calculus will just be one class period, which could leave you room for another class. And finally, in some cases, you'll get the same math placement as you would for BC Calculus if you get a very good AP Exam score.

Read more about AP Exam scoring here. For example, at my alma mater Stanford, if you had a 5 on AB Calculus, you would get placed in the same math course as students who had gotten a 4 or 5 on BC Calculus.

Again, check the credit policy at the schools you're interested in to see how much of a difference there is between AB and BC credit.

Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Get matched with a top tutor who got a high score on the exam you're studying for!