College Algebra or Precalc for BS/MD
I’m a junior looking to get into a BS/MD program and I was wondering what math route for me is better. Should I take a college dual enrollment math class that is college algebra and trig or should I just stick with Precalc and do AP calc my senior year?
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Hi, thank you for asking your question! When applying to BS/MD programs it is important to have a strong STEM course load. This means having AP/IB-HL/honors courses in chemistry, biology, and physics, at the minimum (ideally AP/IB-HL level). In most high schools, to take these advanced courses, you may be required to have a pre-requisite level of math (pre-calculus at the least). In my high school it used to be that to take AP Physics B/C and AP Chemistry, students would need pre-calculus or sign a waiver to take the course.
That being said, if you feel confident that you can succeed in your higher level science courses without pre-calculus then by all means go for it. Additionally, in terms of college admissions, pre-calculus and AP calculus are more rigorous courses than algebra and trigonometry.
For more information regarding BS/MD programs, check out these resources!
https://www.collegevine.com/livestreams/506/the-ultimate-guide-to-bs-md-programs
https://blog.collegevine.com/a-complete-introduction-to-bsmd-programs/
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My high school does not provide ap chem ap bio or ap physics, it only has ap environmental science and it doesn’t have honors classes what so ever. I’m taking a course that is a health sciences course where we can get a license our senior year. Do you think I can still get in without those ap classes since my school doesn’t have them?