I’m thinking about trying to skip precalc, as I’ve been rocketing through Trig and Precalc on Khan Academy. I’ve heard from a friend that it’s not a hard class. My current plan is to take AP Lang, AP Physics 1, AP Chem, APUSH, AP Lang, Honors Orchestra, Honors Precalc, and a study hall. (I read fast & am hoping for the best, lol.) Any thoughts?
also @darkskies I heard that that exam was crazy hard!
@awesomepolyglot If you are taking AP Physics, I believe you need at least Calculus level math as a prerequisite, though i may be wrong and it’s just Precalculus. At any rate, it’s much easier to do WELL in that class if you have Calc as your math level.
Anyways, to answer your question, I attempted to also skip precal, as did many of my friends, but many upperclassmen told me that skipping would definitely lower your grade in Calculus (assuming you will take that in place of Precalculus). My friend who got accepted into an early college program had a B due to skipping Precal. Also, I dont think KA is a good indicator for how adept you are at math since it provides pretty basic concepts of math (definitely not an honors level). So my advice? Breeze through precal and ensure you do great in all your other classes.
@awesomepolyglot I’m taking similar courses next year. I signed up for AP Lang, AP Physics, AP US, AP Stats, AP Euro, a CE drawing class, an honors math class, and a study period. and also I didn’t think it was very hard, my essays were kinda just all over the place, and it only bothered me because I got two 5s last year but I’m completely cool with a 4 now (:
@anan16, I skipped precalculus.
I had the highest grade in my calculus class and made a five on the AP exam.
@anan16 It’s AP Physics 1, which only requires Algebra 2 at my school.
@IrrationalPepsi Great job, I guess my friend just had a hard time comprehending Calculus. Also, looking at previous threads (stalker lol) I see you took Calc AB. Definitely still hard, but my friend took BC. Probably the reason he did worse than you.
@awesomepolyglot Ok I somehow assumed you meant AP Physics C. If you feel comfortable, skip it. Again, just my opinion.
From my experience calculus would have helped just to understand some concepts (like what an integral is and kinematics graphs) but it is not necessary and algebra 2 will be fine. The only real math you have to do in the class is use right triangle trigonometry, BASIC sine functions, and manipulate variables but that is all!
Is anyone taking AP Stats here?
@kimclan1, I signed up for AP Stats, but the class didn’t make it! I think I might “self-study” it with guidance from the Stats teacher.
I have worked my summer away so far. It’s nice not having to work after school anymore, but I’d like to be lazy some days. Working 40 hours a week during school as a part-time employee was definitely trying. I had to manage three AP classes, but it wasn’t hard. Next year, though, the real fun starts haha.
Has anyone here taken Calc 1 over the summer? My school requires you to take AP calc AB before BC, so I will only be in AB as a senior. I would like to be in BC, because I am planning a computer science/math double major. Is it worth it? (This would be the summer after junior year.)
Also, I am really interested in self-studying for the AMC 12. I was going to take the AMC 10 this year, but the math club was not accommodating and told me I could not take the test most likely with accommodations, and didn’t really look into it for me. (I have bad eyesight.) This teacher in charge of the club happens to be my pre-calc teacher next year, LOL.
so jealous cause you all got good scores on your AP exams! I underestimated ap gov and only got a 3 but IB is the move so I didnt really get mad over it. Somehow made it to my states SMOB Advisory Council. should be fun and ill actually get to make or contribute to decisions that will impact education in my state ! great for college applications but i have to travel an hour away to all the meetings so :/. Finally took Health and I’m almost done with my summer course but my summers been pretty boring so far.
@IrrationalPepsi May I ask how many AP classes you are taking this year? I want to prove to my parents that I can hold a part time job (literally 7 hours a week… LOL) by saying that my friends are in an even harder stance than me. Amazing how you can do 40 hours per week. Your work ethic must be rock solid!
whoa @giovuhnn long time no see
I have so much respect for people like @irrationalpepsi who work 40 hours/week during the summer… I’m bushed after working 4 hours/day.
SAT scores tomorrow morning! Who’s excited?
Same. I am only working 15 hours a week and I have one class three times a week and I use that as an excuse to not do summer hw/not study for the ACT, so I, too, have immense respect for people who work more than I do in addition to keeping up with school work.
Oh no, summer homework…
The kids at work today kept saying “It’s only three and a half weeks until schools starts!” and I was like “nooooo, I like school but I have homework”
What date do you guys go back to school? Mine is Aug 21. Seems so far away yet approaching ever so fast…
@anan16, I have five next year haha. I will also have a DE Calculus II class.
Working with school is NOT fun. If I had the choice, I wouldn’t work, but the finances support my family.
@IrrationalPepsi Wow, much respect! All that hard work will definitely pay off in the future.
Just curious, do you guys get your schedules before the school year ends? We don’t get them till the end of the summer which sucks because I’d like to plan/get ahead.
And what are y’all up to this summer?
I go back the second Friday in August. Too lazy to figure out when that is… LOL! @shaneyboy123 My school has a back-to-school day in which we get our schedules, books, and lockers. It’s in about two weeks, I think.
I’m working a lot, climbing a lot, procrastinating a lot… I have two summer assignments I’m trying not to think about.
I go back August 28th but get my schedule August 11th. How long do you guys have to drop classes? At my school we have one month.