What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

What's the hardest math class in high school?

Hey guys, I think I want to major in something related to STEM and I’m trying to figure out how to prepare best. From your experience, what's the toughest high school math class? And what makes it so challenging? Is it the concepts, the workload, or something else?

9 months ago

Hello there! I'm glad to hear you're aiming high and preparing for a STEM major. The toughest high school math course often varies by school, but many students find Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC to be a significant challenge. This is because it covers both the content of AP Calculus AB (an already rigorous course) and additional concepts like series and polar functions. It's the pace, depth of material, and the need for a strong foundation in pre-calculus that make it tough for many students.

I would recommend getting comfortable with pre-calculus concepts before taking on Calculus BC. Moreover, if your school offers it, AP Statistics is also conceptually demanding but in a different way; it involves a lot of data interpretation and less of the algebraic manipulation found in calculus. To succeed, focus on truly understanding the material, not just memorizing procedures, and practice consistently. Good luck, and don't hesitate to reach out for help when you need it!

9 months ago

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.