<p>Calculus AB isn't very good for a science major (except maybe biology). Calculus BC at least, plus maybe AP Statistics (a little lightweight) is the standard background at many top schools. Many freshmen will have had some Multivarible Calculus and Linear Algebra, perhaps at a CC or by distance learning.</p>
<p>i think that's ok, especially if you school doesn't offer anything higher than AP Calc. Our school doesn't really, unless you want to pay 1000 bucks to take calc 2 from a community college. still, i don't know much about the math/science side of things...</p>
<p>
[quote]
Many freshmen will have had some Multivarible Calculus and Linear Algebra, perhaps at a CC or by distance learning.
[/quote]
What? Where are you getting this information and what colleges are you looking at? The term "many" is misleading. Though yes I agree that BC is good prep for science majors... The MC/LA/DQ is not the norm. </p>
<p>I think it's more appropriate to say that if he is taking the maximum APs available or near it he will be fine. He seems to have a good reason (I can't say this with complete confidence since I don't know his academic history) for taking this path and I hope his reasons were addressed in his counselor report and in his essays so that it does have some reason behind it (that he wasn't lazy or whatever to do BC or MC/LA/DQ if given the opportunity afterwards). </p>
<p>It's already a given that one might not be able to take every single AP a school offers due to schedule problems or a variety of other reasons. The situation may or may not be exaggerated at more technical universities.</p>
<p>Not taking math at all, in any form, for two years in high school and stopping short of Calculus BC (which a good student could even self-teach after Calculus AB) is a joke for a physical science major at competitive schools.</p>
<p>Alright Eulen - you do make more sense than me.</p>
<p>I was just hoping BingCold would define the person further and the AP pathways the student took. Instead I provided unnecessary digressions into the general process of how someone with APs is evaluated for the quelling of any anxieties. The concerned student has already applied and is probably worried enough.</p>
<p>yea sorry for the delayed response... he took (counting this year) four ap scienes (bio, phys c, chem, and environmental bio: all 5's), ap calc ab, ap us and euro hist, ap eng, and ap gov. hes indeed interested in bio, chem, or biochem.</p>
<p>Physics C is impressive and almost a math course! This is a very impressive start for bio and not so bad for chem. Still, if he is not a senior, doing something math-like would be good. It's not too late to self-study Calculus BC. For a senior, never mind.</p>
<p>ok thanks, i'll let him know. any other feedback?</p>
<p>I think it is impressive for him to have taken four AP sciences where two are math-based. </p>
<p>Physics C is offered at few high schools. Wish him good luck.</p>
<p>you don't need to pay 1000 at a community college. you only need to pay like 20 bucks.</p>
<p>From the Washington Post:</p>
<p>More than 500 students in the Montgomery and Fairfax school systems, the region's two largest, are taking multivariable calculus.</p>
<p>they don't even offer calc BC at my school...</p>
<p>Those statistics are due to two schools:
Montogomery Blair (Montogomery) and Thomas Jefferson (Fairfax)</p>
<p>there are a few at the non-TJ fairfax schools, actually - I know there are students at Westfield, Chantilly, Centreville, and Oakton who are taking Multivariable.</p>
<p>But TJ is the only school where it's not too uncommon to find freshmen taking BC Calc. I'd say about half of TJ grads have MultiVar/Linear experience, and a good number have taken even higher classes (Differential Equations, Complex Variables, and Numerical Analysis).</p>
<p>I'm betting that without TJ's numbers, Fairfax schools wouldn't stand out.</p>
<p>I know in Montgomery County there are over 30 people this year taking multivariable calculus at both Wootton and Whitman. I assume numbers for other schools in the area such as Churchill and WJ are similar. It is not just Blair and TJ.</p>
<p>Not just, but the vast majority.</p>
<p>might i suggest ap stat or ap calc bc...</p>
<p>colleges want you to be good all around, not just in one field.</p>
<p>thanks for posts!</p>
<p>Stanford has decided to require economics majors to take multivariable calculus / linear algebra as a prerequisite to economics courses after the beginning two quarter sequence. This includes the econ policy types, not just the mathematical economics types.</p>
<p>Of course, its possible to take the BC-level course as a first term freshman and not be behind, except that you may be in a course with sandbaggers who have already been exposed to BC or didn't get a high enough grade on the AP exam.</p>