Advice on course selection [math in high school for prospective business major]

Parents Forum
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We moved from a less rigorous school (and state) to a highly rigorous private school this year. DS is in 9th and is doubling up on Math with Geometry and Algebra II and is doing fine. The private school offers lot of Math classes: Precalc, Calc AB, BC, AP Stat, Differential Equations, and Calc III. Probability and Number Theory are offered as electives.

DS wants to be a business major so I know he needs to maximize on Math. If he doubles up on Math one more year, he will finish the Math sequence by 12th but not the electives.
My question is should he take Math electives along with regular Math next year or take an AP course which will likely not be a Math one?

While typing this, I guess I sort of know which direction to proceed but some perspectives are welcome. Thanks.

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I would take other classes of interest over the higher level math. My business major went through Calc AB/BC and AP Stats.

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Most business majors at most colleges do not need math beyond calculus* and introductory statistics, so there is no need to maximize on math in high school for a student who is already on track to take calculus in high school. The ones who need to maximize on math would be the quant finance types (who may be in some other major like applied math, statistics, operations research, quantitative economics, etc.), but even they do not need to maximize math in high school beyond calculus and perhaps statistics.

So it seems that planning the schedule to complete calculus and statistics (and perhaps the optional probability course if it is calculus-based and the student is interested in quant finance or some such) would be sufficient for a business-intending high school student. Other subjects like English, social studies (various, including economics, psychology, sociology, etc.), and foreign language (if interested in international business, or domestic business in language-minority areas) can also be useful for someone in business. A good background in science can help with business areas that involve science and technology.

*Single variable calculus and perhaps a very basic introduction to differential equations and multivariable calculus that may be included in a calculus-for-business-majors course that is typically less rigorous than the regular calculus course.

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One of the values of an independent school is the advising they can provide to you and your student. I would punt this question to the college advisor team at your child’s school - as they know the history and math rigor for past successful college applicants and also what is and isn’t possible to allow your child to have a well rounded hs experience.

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I am sort of torn between two pieces of advice.

One is to agree with @coffeeat3. The advisors at your child’s high school are likely to be able to give you very good advice.

On the other hand, I was a math major in university. My master’s degree is in a sub-field of applied math that often overlaps with business degrees (specifically in Operations Research, which includes applying mathematical solution techniques to various business / operations / networking / statistical problems.

My general recommendation is that math is an area where what you learn today is based on what you learned last year and the year before. What you are going to learn next year is very likely to depend upon what you are learning now. Thus it pays to learn each step very well. As one example in my experience if you are very strong on all of the prerequisites then Calculus is relatively straightforward. However, I have consistently heard that if you are shaky on any of the prerequisites then calculus can be very difficult. Calculus and differential equations are also things that are used a lot in more advanced math classes, as well as in physics (and some other areas). This makes me cautious about jumping ahead in math, and instead inclines me towards being careful about not going too far too fast.

Also, I attended a high school that did not even offer calculus as an option. That did not stop me from majoring in mathematics in university. I understand that taking calculus in high school is more ubiquitous today than it was multiple decades ago, but I still think that getting to calculus in high school is sufficient.

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Calc AB would be more than enough for most any school.

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Yes, Calc AB is more than enough to get into a good undergrad business school. In fact, to graduate with the BBA or BSBA, undergraduate b-schools only require 1-2 business Calc classes for business students, Stats, and Econ 1, plus Micro and Macro and of course whatever business classes that are foundational and required for that particular program. And you may not even be allowed to pass out of certain of these classes even if your child gets a 5 on the AP exam.

Take a look at some of these course requirements I found:

https://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_degree_planner.php?catoid=7&poid=6188&print

https://undergrad-inside.wharton.upenn.edu/download/academic-planning-worksheet-2017/?wpdmdl=3785

https://up.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2024-2025/bulletin/dr-robert-b-pamplin-jr-school-of-business/programs-of-study/

MIT seems to have the most Quant classes required of course since it’s MIT!

So, in other words, maxing out on all these high level math classes in high school seems like overkill. Have him take a variety of classes that interest him, that are challenging and rigorous, and that he can excel in.

Depending on what area of business your child would like to practice, most business graduates do not need or require high level math classes beyond Calc and Stats.

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15 posts were split to a new thread: Course Selection Advice

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You mention that she took Chem H and Bio H, but what about Physics H? All three sciences (they don’t have to be AP) are typically recommended. My S recently graduated a top business school, and that’s what the admissions officer told him.

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You’re smart to be looking ahead to where you want to end up --especially with something sequential like math --, but don’t be too rigid about this. Exposure to something new could change that direction. Make sure your child gets exposed to as much as possible. Most high school curricula require this, but just putting that out there.

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Agree! A marketing career may mean majoring in stats. A career in human resources may be better served with a psych major. Most HS kids think accounting or finance but “business” is a lot more diverse than that…and keeping an open mind is the way to go…

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ASU and U of A both have really solid business schools. Just throwing it out there in case their auto merit awards put either of those in the realm of possibility.

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What other classes would he double up on? Does he have to take AP Calc AB before BC? I agree with others that AP AB or BC will be enough for business school. No need for MV or DiffEQ. What does his HS counselor recommend?

@mom2024class You should start your own thread, this thread is confusing now, I’m not sure if some posters are talking to you or OP.

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I split mom2024class’s question and replies to its own thread.

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Thanks a bunch! very insightful.

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I think everyone is going overboard with math. Either you get it or you don’t… Business school is not just math. There’s Marketing, Management, MIS, Entrepreneurship… and my degree Business Econ, Which is a BA is mostly history in psychology, And a BSB math intensive econometrics and game theory.

If child is in a complete oddball genius,off the charts intelligent but can’t tie their own shoes, Game theory in econometrics is a viable path.

The other 80% don’t need to worry about math you need everything, Not much Business is actually math. A lot writing, reading and people skills.

Here’s the thing everyone should know is you need to get good grades so you can major whatever you want. You gotta have the grades subject does not matter.

After you graduate, you get an MBA or go to law school. This is the path to high finance.

And I wouldn’t worry so much about schooling, Worry about the alumni network. Certain school, you get a job just walking in the building because half the building went to your school.

USC entertainment

Duke & Notre Dame investment
management

Harvard management

Stanford entrepreneurship into tech

UofAz Commercial real estate

Alumni network is far more important than the prestige of school that you think is hard to get into.

Saying you’re going to major in business in high school is ridiculous.

I was a TA for a weed out class business school, macro economics 202

If you can’t pass the weed out classes, you won’t get a degree in that college

Best to focus on what you’re good at not what you want… Get the degree then focus on what you want

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P.S. I was weeded out of the Pre Med path by Organic Chemistry, not by choice it just didn’t click… Found economics interesting and noticed I was In the 5% of students who actually understood what the professors were talking about, Thought the weed out glasses were easy, then chose my path within the college

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One last thing, this is will turn your brain inside out, especially after Witnessing it over and over in the past 20 years.

The most successful people in business never went to college or dropped out of college!

Millionaires by the time they were 21, Can’t do that if you’re in school in your teens and 20s