Math mavens, what's your recommendation?

misssassyinct
Wed, 22 Jan 2020 16:38:06 +0000

So appreciate all the input, thank you! I wasn’t even thinking about the long term, so reading all the replies makes me think this is more complicated than I thought.

I have always just followed the school’s recommendations but like @dreambig55 has experienced, too often he’s sent off to another school or stuck in the library somewhere and so I was looking at this more from a social point of view. The high school has a number of kids taking multivariable calc as seniors and I thought it would be nice for him to be with friends.

So I guess here are my questions:

I heard/read that while colleges give you credit for BC Calc or multi-variable calc, they would still want you to take their course. So that’s not true? @homerdog sounds like your son did not have to repeat anything.

@momofsenior1 also brings up a point that I hadn’t known about, that it would be a drop in rigor if he took AP Stats his senior year. I had not even thought about that! I was hoping to get it in earlier because it’s so useful to have a good understanding of statistics when reading critically and because it would bring him in line to take his classes with kids in his grade. Would it really be viewed as a step down if he takes it his senior year? I had not thought about it in context of college admissions, since that seems so far off.

And yes, he probably won’t major in math or engineeering, but a friend who teaches at the college level said he should always have those math skills in his back pocket if he’s interested in economics or political science. Apparently, the math courses that are required for kids interested in econ sometimes weeds them out. I’d hate for him to limit his options.

Thank you again, everyone, for the insights. You all know so much!