"Institutions are looking for a simple gatekeeper," the Just Equations report said.
Even so, for busy admissions officers trying to narrow down a stack of applications, calculus is an easy benchmark to look for. Few colleges explicitly require calculus for admission. Most learners who want to take high school calculus must forge an accelerated pathway starting in seventh or eighth grade.Ĭalculus is not part of any state's high school math standards. Otherwise, students who progress through high school math at a standard rate may never get a chance to take calculus. Middle school math placement often determines which students will make it to calculus by 12th grade. Paul Tough, author of "The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us", called first-year college calculus "an important gatekeeper for college success… If you don’t do well in freshman calculus it’s very hard to go on to earn a STEM degree." The Movement Away From Gatekeeping Leads to Another GateĪccording to Just Equations, the "race to calculus" starts in middle school.
The pressure to succeed in calculus is even greater in college than in high school. Most STEM majors take calculus their first year of college, though over 75% of students enrolled in an introductory college calculus course took the subject in high school as well. If you are STEM-bound but may not take calculus in high school, don't despair. The school seeks out students who show "proficient readiness to study math topics beyond calculus." At STEM-focused schools like Caltech, for example, applicants who did not take calculus could be at a real disadvantage.
Incoming students who have already tackled calculus may have more classes open to them and more flexibility in their class schedule.įor some schools, high school calculus is required for admission. In majors like computer science, economics, engineering, math, and chemistry, the coursework is highly sequential. Students who plan to work in STEM may benefit from high school calculus, however. The Just Equations report criticizes calculus as a generic benchmark for college preparedness.Īccording to Just Equations, “calculus is rarely required for university admission outside of specific majors, such as engineering, physical science, and math." High School Calculus Matters Most for STEM Majors These students are also more likely to lack the resources that enable wealthier students to succeed in calculus. Calculus is less frequently available to Black, Latino/a, and rural students. Broken down by socioeconomic status, however, 38% of learners in the top quartile take high school calculus, compared to 7% of those in the bottom quartile.Ī recent report from Just Equations and the National Association for College Admission Counseling argues that emphasizing calculus in admissions limits college access. Overall, some 20% of high school students take calculus. However, the most selective schools tend to reward students who completed calculus in high school.Ĭritics say this bias is problematic since high school calculus is more popular among wealthier students. high schoolers take calculus.ĭifferent colleges and universities set different expectations for high school preparation in math. For example, of students admitted to Wesleyan University in fall 2021, 86% had taken calculus. Prestigious liberal arts institutions build their first-year classes out of applicants who took calculus in high school. This can make any college application more competitive, no matter the learner's intended course of study. Strong performance in high school calculus demonstrates readiness for college mathematics. Passing this class - or better yet, acing it - can set your transcript apart from other college applicants', signaling your academic chops to top schools.Ĭalculus, and particularly AP calculus, is considered a must-have for students aiming for competitive STEM colleges or majors.
Acing calculus gives your college app a competitive edge, but colleges' reliance on calc is problematic.Ĭalculus is often the highest-level course offered in high schools.Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT have lost importance, making calculus even more important for some admission officers.Elite colleges often filter applications by a single high school course: calculus.The Public Ivies, Little Ivies, and Other Ivy League EquivalentsĮDUARD MUZHEVSKYI / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images.
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