mibsprincess

Our school doesn't have much of an advanced selection. For AP we have statistics, Calculas 2, and Math, and I think only one class is held in each. Our class sizes are from around 275 - 450 students. I guess there is a big difference in all the schools. I'm not too bad in math but not great either. Now, I do have a cousin (my dad's cousin actually) who is really good at math. He is a professor and has a part of algebra named after him.

ShadowMist

I know! I'm taking Calc as a senior and it makes me feel kind of stupid to see people taking Pre-calc during their freshmen year. Our school JUST got Calc BC this year. I'm not even taking AP Calc (just regular Calc) and it's like... damn.

ibworldstudent

wait, is it not normal to take take calc before senior year?
everyone at my school takes it sophomore or junior year.
except if you're really dumb, then you take like intermediate algebra or liberal arts math or some bs

JuniorMint

True, I am taking the dual-enrollment Calc series up to Multivariate but will still have to take it all over again.

Descuff

Pre-cal is more normal for senior year than Cal. Because I know my schools and other in this state follow this format:
Algebra-9th Grade
Geometry- 10th Grade
Algebra 2- 11th Grade
Pre-Cal- 12th Grade
Sometime students take Geometry and Algebra 2 at the same time so they can graduate.

If you're honor:
H Algebra - 8th grade
H Geometry- 9th/10th grade
H Algebra 2- 10th/11th grade
H Pre-Cal- 11th/12th
AP Cal- 12th (I never heard of any non-seniors taking AP Cal.)

eaglesx22

Lol im on track to take BC calc in 12th grade and I feel dumb here... lol

To imagine that i had trouble with fractions all the way back in 7th grade, while half the people here at CC were finishing with Pre Calc

tacoburrito

I'm a sophomore taking Pre Calc and I have to say that some of the freshman in my school are in Pre Calc. LOL. I feel so behind. Then they're going to take AP Calculus BC the following year...UG!

aomame

Well, CC isn't the most accurate representation ever.

Except for the 2 or 3 child prodigies that sped through schooling here (one took calc in 8th grade, the kid just graduated last year and is at MIT...except he's been taking classes there for years), we have 1 AP Calc BC class (which has <10 students), 1 "normal" Calc class of ~20 kids (and they take the AB exam at the end of the year), and everyone else is either in Pre-Calc, Trig/Stats, or Personal Finance.

Basically, you either end up on the normal Calc track or the Pre-Calc/Trig-Stats/Personal Finance track. I would've been on the former, but my fate was decided by the fact that my middle school conveniently neglected to teach me pre-algebra in 7th grade, so I ended up bombing Algebra I and re-taking it freshman year.

I think there's nothing wrong with being a senior in pre-calc.

TinnyT

That's true, but it can be annoying to be a junior in Algebra 2/Trig. I'm suppose to be taking the SAT Subject Test Math II in June but I will have not learned any of the pre-calc that is on the test. It makes me feel behind.

aomame

Meh, I skipped out on the subject tests, but otherwise i'd be feeling that pain.

For me, the frustrating part was constantly being stuck in a math class with kids a grade younger than me. Except for Algebra I, all of my classes have been predominantly 2014'ers, and there are like four sophomores in my pre-calc class. Luckily none of them ever get wise with me about being a year behind, but it's a drag when my pre-calc teacher feels the need to do tons of SAT I practice questions (and in my algebra II class, it was the standardized tests, which us juniors were done with forever), even though a junior in pre-calc really doesn't need it...

tangentline

Sure, there are a handful of students that have taken Calculus as a freshman or sophomore at my school, but I do give credit to the seniors in Calculus AB.
---A lot of people don't push through their math sequence far enough to reach Calculus in the end, or they opt out to take AP Statistics instead. That leaves 10-15% of the seniors in Calculus... Now roughly 1/5 of these seniors get A's. These are the smart people of the bunch.

MIThopeful16

Take the what year you take "Insert Upper Level math course here" with a grain of salt. At my HS, we had 2 different levels of Calc. IB Math HL, IB Math SL. I took HL my senior year, because my parents made me retake Calc though I finished Sophomore year. It all honesty, it depends on what you're ready to take and handle. As a math major, I've learned everyone has different levels of mathematical maturity, and their ability to handle taking upper level math courses.


In other words, DO YOU. You're not going to be far behind or too far ahead.

sarcasmrules

For the past couple of years at my HS, Juniors mostly take AP AB/BC Calc or Precalc, occasionally a few seniors(like me!) in BC Calc. Though the smart kids usually do MVC. I do know one freshman who will be taking MV next year and will probably end up doing a year of Math at UMD, at least he is motivated and good at math, so props.

DraconicSheep

Well, to be fair, Kypdurron, I see what you're saying, but, at the same time, if you're going for competitive schools and are at the top of the curve (and your school offers rigorous coursework for students at this percentile), it doesn't really matter how poorly the rest of the school is doing.

Just like the US despite its lagging primary/ secondary school system still has the best universities and attracts international students, we can look at what a high school offers for our own percentile (however high it is) and ignore the other 95% of the student body.

Deblerg

Our school has the IB program, so you have to be a junior to do any IB/AP classes.