y2kwizard

Hello, everyone. I've got a very quick question about AP credit in college. I'm planning on becoming an engineer (hope to go to Rose-Hulman), and I'm currently taking BC Calculus in high school. I anticipate a 5 on the exam, because my class is quite good, and we're moving very quickly and thoroughly through all the subject matter. I'm currently pulling an A- in the class, hoping to pull up to an A.

Here's my question: even if I make a 5 on the AP exam, should I consider retaking calculus Freshman year? I hear that many people do retake it because college calculus goes a lot farther than does high school calc, and people who use their BC credit can get behind, especially in engineering. I know that I'll have time to sort this out with academic counselors and whatnot, but I thought I would get your opinions on it. Thanks!

GuitarShredder05

That's a question I'm pondering too. The only difference is I'm doing AB Calc. Would I be prepared for second semester calc (presuming I got a 4 or a 5)?

over30

Most colleges will have information on their site about what they do with AP credit. Some will give you credit and let you move to the next level, some won't. Some schools will make you take a placement exam which determines what class you'll be in.

The student tour guide at Princeton (engineering) told my son that he recommends retaking all math and science subjects because Princeton expects you to know certain things and you may not have learned it in your high school class. He said the students who had a hard time freshman year (flunking or almost flunking a math, physics or chemistry class) were mostly those who used their AP credit to move into a higher level class.

Look on the college site or call or email and ask this question.

celebrian25

that's the problem, it's hard to know if you should follow the ap credit thingy, or retake the same level. I think retake for engineering since you'll be taught things in engineering that probably directly branch off of what the uni's math classes teach, and you might miss out on crucial stuff. I'd talk to some present students and see how they handled it.

harpgirl27

At a tough college it never hurts to have one class that's review material. I retook calc AB after taking the AP last year. I would have had to take a placement test to get out of it, and just elected not to. As a result calculus, which had the potential to be one of my hardest classes, was one of my easiest. However there were several things addressed in the college class that we didn't cover in HS so I was glad I retook it.

texas137

I would get advice from the college you will be attending. Sometimes they have a special honors section of calculus for people who made a high score on the ap, which would provide review but cover additional material, or which might cover calculus in a more theoretical way. Anyway, the math dept you will be in will have the best advice on where people with a 5 on the ap exam should be placed.

august

I think you should look at what is covered in the class you are thinking of skipping. These days so many instructors put the majority of their course material on the web, you could probably seek out the web site right now and see whether you think you have a good handle on the material. If you get a 5 on the AP Calculus exam, you are well prepared. An AP Calculus course can be more rigorous than a college course, depending. My own experience was that I got 5s on the AP Calculus AB and BC exams, then went to college and not only did I skip the first two calculus courses, but also I found the next few courses pretty easy because my background in the basics of calculus was so much better than the background that most of the other students had gotten by taking the first two calculus courses in college.

SnP2k

August...that may also have do deal with who taught your AP calculus classes.

Everyone else: I'm going into the Engineering field and taking AP calc as well. Think of it this way. When you go off to graduate school (or work), the college/work you go to will be looking at your college transcripts...they don't give two hoots about your HS transcript. Therefore, it is better to retake the courses and get an easy A that'll boost your GPA and make yourself look good to others.

Sort of a real-life example. My dad graduated HS with 2 years of spanish under his belt. He went to college and instead of taking the 1st year spanish again, he just decided to take the 2nd year over again. He had to really work hard, his grade started in the low D range, then through a lot of perserverence, he pulled it up to a C. This is because (as said in previous posts) college is totally different from HS, different teaching methods, different curricula, etc.

You can obviously tell what I am going to say, and that is that I highly recommend taking it again in college as a "BS" course. It sure helps to have a few BS courses in there when you're trying to learn more difficult stuff in other classes, it will sure give you more time to study for those hard classes.

Regardless of my AP scores and whether or not I receive credit for them, I am only going to use them to get out of classes like "History" and other stuff that's not related to my major in order to free up some elective blocks.

mlf

I think you should talk to an advisor where you are attending, or talk to students who have placed out of calculus. I placed out of two semesters of calculus with a 5 on the BC exam, and I have not regretted it. Retaking calc seemed like a waste of two classes, when there are so many more interesting classes. I actually found that skipping two semesters of calc helped me more in the long run, because I was able to take multivariable calc and differential equations earlier. I placed out of physics also, but I decided to retake physics, one semester at a more advanced level, because I felt like AP physics was not close to equivalent, and that I would not have adequate physics background.

bjs1234

As a freshmen engineering major who just finished with Calc 1 after taking AP Calc (AB) and getting a 4, I would strongly recommend taking calculus again in college, even if you do well on the exam. There are a few reasons:

1) The content covered in AP Calculus is in no way equivalent to the calculus taught to engineering majors. At the college level you're going to be seeing things from a physics perspective, something most likely lacking from your AP Calc class.

2) You may have crazy professors (like I did) who expect you to do calculus without the aid of a calculator. This is extremely difficult if you were taught in the AP style of using calculators for at least half of the time. If you started out in Calc 2 or 3 and had to do this without practicing in Calc 1, it'd be a nightmare.

3) It should be an easy grade. It is, for the most part, a review with some add ons and perhaps a different, more formal perspective on solving problems.

Yeah, so definitely take it again unless you're a genious and think you can handle it.

Ben

Harvard_gov

Calculus for engineering is absolutely nothing like calc BC. You might not need to take a basic calc class--differentiation and integration--but you will definitely have to take multivar calc and diff eq.

bjs1234

Harvard, I agree, except BC will only cover up to Calc 2 which doesn't have multi-variable or diff eq. I recommend taking calc 1 and 2 and not taking AP credit because it'll make your life easier overall, especially once you get into Calc 3 and diff eq...

Ben