AP Calculus AB vs BC: A Comprehensive Guide for High School Students

High school students often wonder whether they can or should tackle both AP Calculus AB and BC over their academic journey. This article aims to clarify the best approach and provide guidance on the AP Calculus exams.

Understanding AP Calculus AB and BC

The key to understanding the choice between AP Calculus AB and BC lies in their content and structure. AP Calculus AB covers the first semester of college-level calculus, while AP Calculus BC is a full year course that includes both AB content and additional advanced topics. The College Board specifically recommends taking only one calculus course at a time.

Following the Recommendations

The best way to approach this is to follow the College Board's recommendations. For most students, these are:

Take AP Calculus AB as a junior year and AP Calculus BC as a senior year. Alternatively, you could take AP Calculus AB as a junior year and another course such as multivariable calculus or statistics as a senior year.

College Board Policies on Testing

The College Board strictly prohibits taking both the AB and BC tests in the same year. The tests are scheduled at the same time and are often taken in the same room. This is due to the overlap in the content of both courses. If you take both in a given year, you will only be able to take one of the tests, typically the one you registered for first.

Overlap in Content

A significant overlap exists between the AB and BC courses. AP Calculus AB covers the foundational concepts of calculus, while AP Calculus BC builds upon this with additional topics such as polar, parametric, and vector functions, and infinite series. Some students find that knowing the AB content alone is sufficient to achieve a 5 on the BC test due to the extensive overlap.

Alternative Scenarios

While the typical recommendation is to take both courses in sequence, there are alternative scenarios:

You can take AP Calculus AB as a junior year and then look to enroll in a second-semester college calculus course over the summer. In some cases, your school may treat the classes as sequential, meaning you can take AB in junior year and BC in senior year. Another option is to self-study the BC content so you can take the BC test in junior year.

Final Thoughts

The decision on whether to take AP Calculus AB and/or BC in your high school years should be made in consultation with your guidance counselor and with an understanding of the overlap in course content. Remember, the goal is to showcase your academic capabilities effectively while avoiding unnecessary repetition.

For more detailed advice and resources, consider visiting the College Board’s website or reaching out to your school’s math department.