High School Math That Meets College Requirements

Different colleges and universities have very different expectations for high school preparation in math. An engineering school like MIT will expect more preparation than a predominantly liberal arts college like Smith. However, preparing for college gets confusing because the recommendations for high school preparation in math are often unclear, particularly when youre trying to distinguish between what is required and what is recommended. High School Preparation   If youre applying to highly selective colleges, schools will generally want to see three or more years of math that include algebra and geometry. Keep in mind that this is a minimum, and four years of math makes for a stronger college application. The strongest applicants will have taken calculus. At places like MIT and Caltech, youll be at a significant disadvantage if you havent taken calculus. This is also true when applying to engineering programs at comprehensive universities like Cornell or the University of California at Berkeley. If youre going into a STEM field  (science, technology, engineering, and math) thats going to require math expertise, colleges want to see that you have both the college preparation and the aptitude to succeed in higher-level mathematics. When students enter  an engineering program with weak math skills or poor preparation, they face an uphill battle to make it to graduation. My High School Doesnt Offer Calculus Options for classes in math vary widely from high school to high school. Many smaller, rural schools simply dont have calculus as an option, and the same is true even for large schools in some regions. If you find that youre in a situation where calculus simply isnt an option, dont panic. Colleges receive information on the course offerings at your school, and they will be looking to see that you have taken the most challenging courses available to you. If your school offers AP calculus and you choose a remedial course on the mathematics of money instead, you clearly arent challenging yourself. This will be a strike against you in the admissions process. On the flip side, if a second year of algebra is the highest level math offered at your school and you complete the course successfully, colleges shouldnt penalize you. That said, students interest in STEM fields (as well as fields such as business and architecture) will be strongest when they have taken calculus. Calculus may be an option, even if your high school doesnt offer it. Talk to your guidance counselor about your options, which may include: Taking calculus at a local college. You may even find that some community colleges and state universities offer evening or weekend courses that wont conflict with your high school classes. Your high school is likely to give you credit towards graduation for college calculus, and youll also have college credits that are likely to transfer.Taking AP calculus online. Here again, talk with your guidance counselor about options. You may find courses through your state university system, a private university, or even a for-profit educational company. Be sure to read reviews, as online courses can range from excellent to terrible, and its not worth your time and money to take a course that isnt likely to lead to success on the AP exam. Also, keep in mind that online courses require lots of discipline and self-motivation.  Self-study for the AP calculus exam. If youre a motivated student with a  strong aptitude for math, its possible to self-study for the AP exam. Taking an AP course isn t a requirement for taking an AP exam, and colleges will be impressed if you earn a 4 or 5 on the AP exam after self-study. Do Colleges Like Advanced Math Topics? Success on an AP calculus course is one of the best ways to demonstrate your college readiness in mathematics. There are, however, two AP calculus courses: AB and BC. According to the College Board, the AB course is equivalent to the first year of college calculus, and the BC course is equivalent to the first two semesters. The BC course introduces topics of sequences and series, in addition to the general coverage of integral and differential calculus found on the AB exam. For most colleges, the admissions folks will be happy with the very fact that youve studied calculus. While the BC course is more impressive, you wont be hurting yourself with AB calculus. Note that far more college applicants take AB, rather than BC, calculus. At schools with strong engineering programs, however, you may find that BC calculus is strongly preferred and that you wont earn calculus placement credit for the AB exam. This is because,  at a school like MIT, the content of the BC exam is covered in a single semester. The second semester of calculus is multi-variable calculus, something not covered in the AP curriculum. The AB exam, in other words, covers a half-semester of college calculus  and isnt sufficient for placement credit. Taking AP Calculus AB is still a big plus in the application process, but you wont always earn course credit for a high score on the exam. What Does This All Mean? Very few colleges have a definite requirement regarding calculus or four years of math. A college doesnt want to be in a position where it has to reject an otherwise well-qualified applicant due to a lack of calculus classwork. That said, take the strongly recommended guidelines seriously. For most colleges, your high school record is the single most important component of your application. It should show that youve taken the most challenging courses possible, and your success in upper-level math courses is a great indicator that you can succeed in college. A 4 or 5 on one of the AP calculus exams is about the best evidence you can provide of your math readiness, but most students dont have that score available at the time applications are due. The table below sums up the math recommendations for a range of colleges and universities. College Math Requirement Auburn 3 years required: Algebra I and II, and either geometry, trig, calc, or analysis Carleton Minimum 2 years algebra, one year geometry, 3 or more years math recommended Centre College 4 years recommended Harvard Be well-versed in algebra, functions, and graphing, calculus good but not required Johns Hopkins 4 years recommended MIT Math through calculus recommended NYU 3 years recommended Pomona 4 years expected, calculus highly recommended Smith College 3 years recommended UT Austin 3 years required, 4 years recommended