Which AP Calculus Exam Should I Take: AB or BC?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the decision between taking the AP Calculus AB or BC exam. Participants recommend the BC exam for students planning to pursue mathematics or related fields, as it offers more credit potential. It is noted that students can still receive AB credit by taking the BC exam. To prepare, students should assess their readiness by taking AB practice tests and aim for a score in the 5s range before tackling BC material.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of AP Calculus AB and BC curriculum
  • Familiarity with College Board resources for AP exams
  • Ability to take and analyze practice tests
  • Basic knowledge of scoring systems for AP exams
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the College Board AP Calculus BC syllabus
  • Take AP Calculus AB practice tests to gauge readiness
  • Study advanced calculus topics covered in AP Calculus BC
  • Explore strategies for managing study loads for AP exams
USEFUL FOR

High school students considering AP Calculus exams, educators advising students on exam choices, and anyone interested in maximizing AP credit for college mathematics programs.

jacksonpeeble
Gold Member
Messages
118
Reaction score
2
I've recently started thinking about which exam I want to take for AP Calculus, and I'm wondering from those of you who have taken it or know details - is the AB or BC exam recommended? I've taken all of the AB and BC material, but I'm not sure if I can handle that quantity of material or want to risk taking it and scoring lower than I would in the AB; however, it's worth a lot more points. What exactly do I need to know (with more specifics that the College Board gives at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_calbc.html?calcbc")?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
Well, you should know that you can still get AB credit if you take the BC test. If you're going to be focusing on mathematics or some variant (mathematical sciences) in the future, I highly recommend you take BC. In fact, I recommend BC always. If you don't think you can handle the BC courseload, try taking a few AB practice tests right now. You should know all of the AB material right now, and you should be within the 5s range. Then you'll have plenty of time to go over the BC material. If you don't score very well, that just means you have to try a bit harder and work more during the next few months. It really depends on whether you can handle the load I guess.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
5K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
7K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
4K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
5K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
3K
Replies
13
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K