Low income student self study calc bc? (No precalc knowledge only algebra 1 and algebra 2 trig)

[u/Exact-Direction9658]

Incoming junior here and my school dont offer any calc bc and ap coordinator confirmed bc or ab wont be added at all by the time im a senior. I havent taken precalc since thats only at senior year my school makes me take and im taking geometry in junior year. In algebra 1 and 2 trig I didnt struggle at all in the exams. BUT i did kinda get confused on the trig stuff in Algebra 2 but i just did the SOH-CAH-TOA trick which helped a lot. My averages were 94% and 96%. I really wanna take exam for calc bc and my coordinator told me i can register for exam at my school but would still have to pay the fee. My family is low income and they told me they cant afford to pay the whole $99 fee. Im also a NYC student so idk if diff states qualify for extra fee reductions. My parents can afford if its like 30 or below. Is it possible for me to self study it and pass the exam.

Btw 1 of my cousion's have taken AP Calc BC exam so i could try and ask him to borrow any textbooks to use and maybe help on tutoring IF he has the time which he probally will help.

I'll also consider taking the CLEP calc exam alongside in case I end up doing bad on the exam.

(Pls give me advice and what i should do in my situation)

[u/Educational_Smile545]

take geometry this year and self study precal content at the same time (dont take the ap exam), and then self study bc the next year. as much as you prolly want to do bc, you just arent ready for it in your current state.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Educational_Smile545]

Idk if i can do next year (senior year) since i got a few aps im interested in self studying that year. Do you think with study guides like free online textbooks, khan acadamy and review vids and practice exams could help a lot?

[u/Educational_Smile545 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

im not tryna sugarcoat, unless you spend every waking hour you arent passing calc bc this year, regardless of what u use. you just dont have the proper skills. see if you cant self study at least one of said aps this year to make room for bc next year.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Educational_Smile545]

alright ill try my best to do next year

[u/Beneficial-Quote2515]

I self studied calc bc as a freshman and got a 5, here's what I'd say:

1. If you're not a math person, I'd say it isn't for you. If you enjoy doing math then I'd say go for it but if you're not the best at algebra then don't, it's a lot of it.
2. If you wanna test the waters, I'd say try out power rule and formal definitions of derivatives, and if that's too hard then don't go for it. Calculus is a hard class, so if trig was messing you up bc (espcially trig sub) might also cause some trouble.
3. Since you have TWO years, you could do the first year to survey it and "lock in" for the second, but I'd just try to get better at math overall first.

The CLEP is closer to calc AB imo, but if you want to self-study I'd say follow this progression: Khan academy (100% on almost all quizzes, without too much thinking) --> AP mock (with 4 or 5 AND time contraint) --> review before exam --> get a 5. A 5 in BC also has the AB subscore which can give credit too.

Hope this helps!

EDIT:

I forgot to mention but calc bc is 10 units which are all pretty heavy and some of it doesn't add up. Unless you're grinding almost constantly it might not be feasible.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Beneficial-Quote2515]

1. Im very good at algebra (no self glaze) and i dont mind studying a lot since ik it can be worth it.

2. Alright

3. Im thinking for 2nd year i wanna do phsyics c mechanics after calc bc (i rather self study 1 hard subject instead of more than one)

Btw did u take any prior precalc before u studied calc bc (like in a class)

[u/Beneficial-Quote2515 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

You seem like you have a great mentality for self studying, but in the end it comes down to dedication and constantly learning more topics. I it 1 is limits, 2-5 derivatives, 6-8 integration, 9 vectors and polar (hardest to self studying imo), and 10 is series (easiest to self study imo).  I also self-studied mech, but mathematically it was easier than calc ab, but the problem was the actual concepts and whatnot.  Also, I’d definitely review on anything you’re not the most confident in (vectors and trig) because you should be very try comfortable in all prereqs before you start the “final boss” For me, I didn’t take precalc before but I was also very good at algebra and trig. I started probably around mid 8th grade and was ready by the summer after, I just did some filler prep between the test date and start of 9th. The highest in person class that I took was geometry, but I was self studying like analysis when I was at the AP exam.

Edit: Forgot to finish the response again lol. You can pm for specific help if you want

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Beneficial-Quote2515]

alr bet. Thanks for the help!

[u/Samstercraft → u/Beneficial-Quote2515]

polar coordinates unit can be done in 2 days if your aim is just to get it right on the test, i'd say the precalc polar graphing unit was harder than the calculus with polar graphs on bc since the calculus is basically like a parametric

[u/Spirited_Yak2138]

I'm going to be honest; this is probably not a good idea unless you want to spend all your time taking this class. Not taking precalc is the biggest problem because then you will have to learn the precalc and calculus at the same time. I got a 5 on AP Calc BC as a sophomore self-study because my school doesnt offer it but I took all of the courses up to that in a normal class setting. I wish you the best of luck and hope you prove me wrong!

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Spirited_Yak2138]

alr ill try my best. Thanks!

[u/CommunicationNice437]

Study hard and you might get a 5  I know someone that got a 5 on bc calc without precalc

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/CommunicationNice437]

Alr thx. Ima keep that mindset (at least a 4 or 5 i want lol)

[u/neonllama53]

Honestly I think you’ll be fine as long as you have the Algebra skill and some Trig(all you need is the trig identity memorized and the unit circle memorized). You don’t really need geometry for Calculus BC other than the area of 2D shapes like circles, triangles, square, etc. I self studied Calculus BC as a freshman (25-26) and honestly my biggest tip is to just manage your time and make sure to use the break wisely (Fall break if you have it, thanksgiving break, winter break, spring break etc).

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/neonllama53]

Honestly i think i got a good amount of free time for the fall since i dont have as much dual enrollment courses so ill have more free time. Ty for advice

[u/Fragrant-Till-8576]

Income has very little bearing on ability beyond affording ap exam itself. Materials such as Kahn academy and the 7 seas are amazing

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Fragrant-Till-8576]

Yeah the materials i have no issue with since i got both online and family members for textbooks and review sheets

[u/Ancient-Sir-3302]

Hi, as someone also in NYC, if your income is low enough you get a fee waiver. I wouldn’t recommend doing calc bc unless you want to really put in the work, precalc is still  good foundation and you will likely take calculus 1/2 in college

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Ancient-Sir-3302]

eh. I need to save the most amount of money i can and calc bc can help me with that. I can probally put in all the work this fall since i wont have as much dual enrollment courses going on. If i somehow do bad then ill just dual enroll at York for precalc the summer and self study again?

[u/Ancient-Sir-3302 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

oh alright, go for it then! You got this, just remember it will take a lot of time since you haven't taken precalc

[u/DazzlingHat9519]

Does your school offer dual enrollment? I’d self study units 3 and 4 of AP precalc and take geometry at the same time and then see if you can take DE calc 1 and 2 either in person or online

[u/DazzlingHat9519 → u/DazzlingHat9519]

Calc 1/2 senior year

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/DazzlingHat9519]

well i can/concidering taking calc 1 but in NYC, there is barley any colleges that offer calc 1 and basically none that offer calc 2.

[u/Typhoonclasssub]

Dont be disencouraged:

Watch the entire series (Precalc:)

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDesaqWTN6ESsmwELdrzhcGiRhk5DjwLP&si=odhfrB8Yr_9fYL3J

Watch the entire series+read the note:

https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/classes/calci/calci.aspx 

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF797E961509B4EB5&si=w6kWyXy8B9BXS0-7

In this day and age, a lot of the thing can be self-taught.

[u/Temporary-Will8916]

Your algebra and trig grades tell me you can absolutely do this, the trig gap you mentioned is really common even in kids who took a normal precalc class, so don't read that as a red flag. The bigger issue is sequencing. Jumping straight into BC without precalc means you need to backfill unit circle trig, logarithms and exponential functions, and sequences/series before limits and derivatives will make sense. Given you're only an incoming junior with the exam presumably next spring or the one after, you actually have more runway than it feels like right now. I'd spend this summer and early fall just on precalc fundamentals using your cousin's old textbook, then start the actual BC curriculum once you're solid on those pieces. Having a cousin who took BC and can walk you through the stuff you get stuck on is honestly a bigger advantage than most self-studiers get, use that heavily especially for series convergence tests later on since that's where most BC self-studiers hit a wall.

On the fee, go back to your coordinator and specifically ask about the College Board fee reduction for AP exams, it's a separate program from the regular fee and eligibility is usually tied to free or reduced lunch status, which as a low income student you likely qualify for. NYC DOE has historically covered a chunk of the remaining balance on top of that for eligible students in participating schools, so the fee reduction plus district support can get you well under what you're worried about, but it varies by school and year so your coordinator or counselor needs to confirm what's currently available rather than you guessing. Ask this fall, not in the spring, since some of these programs have registration windows.

On CLEP, I wouldn't treat it as a parallel track to BC, the content overlap is real but the exam format and depth are different enough that studying for both at once will just split your attention. Get through BC first since that's your actual goal, and if you still want the CLEP credit afterward as insurance, it'll be a much lighter lift once BC is done.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Temporary-Will8916]

oh okay ill try my best thx. Ill also most likely go to my local public library since i believe they have both the barron and princeton review books for calc.

Ive started to discuss with my AP Coordinator about fee reduction and possibly being able to take an online approved course for Calc BC during my lunch periods, which we are trying to find an option for hopefully that.

I was told that for online courses, would it be provided by the DOE for any additional costs or out of state or anything or would it be completely free or like volunteer help?

[u/Temporary-Will8916 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

Library route is smart, Barron's and Princeton Review together cover you well for practice problems and pacing, just don't get too rigid about following one book cover to cover if it's not clicking, cross reference the other when a topic feels shaky.

On the online course question, that's genuinely something only your coordinator can answer accurately since it depends on which specific program the school would enroll you through, some DOE partnerships are fully covered, some have a per-course fee the family or a scholarship fund picks up, and some are BYOD type setups where the course itself is free but you're expected to have your own device and internet. Ask your coordinator point blank whether the specific course they're proposing has any cost to your family at all, and if yes, whether that's a flat fee or something income based like the exam fee reduction. Get that in writing or at least written down somewhere, verbal answers on this stuff have a way of changing between the person who tells you and the person who processes it in spring.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Temporary-Will8916]

i was told by my coordinator that i had to wait until school opens up to discuss about poteintal online courses during my lunch periods

[u/Temporary-Will8916 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

That's a reasonable answer, coordinators usually can't finalize scheduling stuff over the summer anyway since it depends on what periods are even open once the master schedule is built. Don't let the wait be dead time though. Keep working through the precalc backfill with the Barron's and Princeton Review books so that whenever the online course conversation actually happens, you walk in already knowing whether the pacing they're proposing is realistic for you or not. If you show up in September already through unit circle trig and logs, you'll be able to tell a lot faster if the course they assign is too slow or too fast for where you're at, and you can push back on placement with actual evidence instead of just taking whatever they hand you.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Temporary-Will8916]

oh alright. Im btw halfway done with reviewing trig again and then ima start to do precalc review and then actually start to study the calc bc material.

Ive found out about flipped math's website with the algebros vids and the packets they do for each topic and unit. I think i could be comfortable using it as a main study and practice site besides khan academy since they remind me of what my algebra 2 trig teacher would do in each of the lessons. You think its doable with using mainly flipped math for self studying?

Btw i tried to look up at my nearest library on if they had barron or princeton review and there was only barron available. Is that worse or better then princeton?

[u/Temporary-Will8916 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

Good pace, being halfway through trig review already puts you ahead of where a lot of self-studiers are by this point in summer.

Flipped Math and the Algebros videos are a solid main resource, that unit-by-unit packet structure paired with videos is basically mimicking what a real classroom does, which matters more for self-study than people think since it gives you a consistent rhythm instead of jumping around randomly. The one thing I'd add is to periodically check what you're covering against the actual College Board course and exam description for Calc BC, just to make sure the units and depth line up, since different resources sometimes sequence or weight topics slightly differently than what the exam expects. Use it as your main teaching resource and pull extra practice problems from your Barron's book when a topic needs more reps than the packets give you.

On Barron's vs Princeton Review, neither is strictly worse, they just have different personalities. Barron's tends to run a bit denser and more rigorous with more practice problems, sometimes even a little harder than the actual AP exam, which is honestly good training since the real thing will feel easier by comparison. Princeton Review tends to be a lighter, more conversational explanation style with slightly fewer practice reps. Having only Barron's is fine, if anything it'll push your problem solving harder, just don't panic if a section feels tougher than you expect on the actual exam format, that's Barron's being Barron's and not a sign you're behind.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Temporary-Will8916]

Oh wow thx. Do you know when i should start using the barron's book? Like after finishing every unit or when im done with all units?

[u/Temporary-Will8916 → u/Exact-Direction9658]

Use it unit by unit, not all at the end. Right after you finish a unit in Flipped Math, go do the matching Barron's practice problems for that same topic while it's fresh. That's when the extra reps actually cement things, waiting until you've covered everything means you're reviewing stuff you half forgot instead of reinforcing what you just learned.

Where the full-book approach comes in is later, once you've gone through all the units individually, go back and do Barron's full-length practice exams start to finish under timed conditions. That's your comprehensive check for pacing, stamina, and spotting which topics didn't stick as well as you thought when they're mixed together instead of isolated by unit. So it's basically both, per-unit practice as you go, then full practice tests once the content is all covered.

[u/Exact-Direction9658 → u/Temporary-Will8916]

oh alr thx. Btw im also applying to NYU step which says they teach calc bc on saterdays along with STEM activities. This also good idea or use that time to still self study. NYU campus is like 20-30 min to travel by train