should I take the AP calc test?

DLKeeper1 · #1 05-08-2007, 06:24 PM

I think I want to be premed in college next year so my thinking is that if I take Calc again next year it will be an easy A and boost my GPA. Then again, if I place out with the AP test, then I don't have to take the course. But, I would have to take a harder course.

Thoughts?

Dan. · #2 05-08-2007, 06:42 PM

Yes. AP Calc tests (both AB and BC) were the best 8 hours of standardized testing of my life.

Edit: you'll probably want to kill yourself not long into retaking calc if you actually understand it. It'd be so dull. Advanced math is much more enjoyable (for me anyhow. I'm a math major)

DLKeeper1 · #3 05-08-2007, 06:44 PM

agreed are you the one who goes to nu?

Dan. · #4 05-09-2007, 02:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
agreed are you the one who goes to nu?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I do. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about NU, or the math department specifically. Having taken the AP tests, I really can't answer first hand about the calc sequence, but I know lots of people who have done it.

LBJ · #5 05-09-2007, 03:48 PM

Just took this test today. The extended problems were hard as balls, multiple choice was easy.

I do see where you're coming from though, which I was I don't really mind either way if I pass (which I'm sure I will) because taking in college would be good for a slacker such as myself.

tabako · #6 05-09-2007, 05:53 PM

Take it for sure.

Calc 1/2 are the most failed/dropped classes here and not something you want to take if you can avoid it (though this probably varies widely).

Whoever said that AP credits are bad because you will "have to graduate early" is wrong. I was a junior by standing after my first freshman semester (50ish AP credits, took a few university classes while in high school). I basically can take whatever that interests me for now, and will be able to double major (triple, maybe) in totally unrelated fields if I so desire.

ChromePony · #7 05-09-2007, 10:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
agreed are you the one who goes to nu?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I do. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about NU, or the math department specifically. Having taken the AP tests, I really can't answer first hand about the calc sequence, but I know lots of people who have done it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just graduated from NU myself and used to tutor in the math department for the first year calc sequence, happy to answer any questions as well. You going there for sure or were you just curious about the school?

Big Poppa Smurf · #8 05-10-2007, 12:15 AM

Keeper,

you made the right decision.

Fels krone · #9 05-08-2007, 06:47 PM

I would say it depends on what you are planning to do. I took it and passed, but in reality we did not cover the second half of the material very well. So I took Cal I in college and it was absolute cake. Cal II was somewhat challenging, because that material was not covered well in high school.

I could have skipped Cal I, but it really turned out to not be a big deal. Starting off with an easy course was kind of a good thing when I look back on it.

Regardless, you should take the AP exam to keep your options open. Some Universities will try to stick you in pre-cal coming out of high school, and that IS a waste of time. When they see you passed the AP, there is a better chance they'll let you do what you want to do.

CheckRaise · #10 05-08-2007, 09:53 PM

What do you plan on majoring in? If you go the Chemistry route you will need at least two semesters of calc and one semester of Diff EQ so I would take the AP test and just get it out of the way. That way you can take Calc II 1st semester and Diff EQ 2nd semester and be done with math after your freshman year. Biology doesn't require as much math, Calc I is all that is required at my school so either way it doesn't make a big difference.