​The Case for Summer AP® Precalculus

When the College Board announced the new AP® Precalculus course, our Academic Program staff took a close look at the course materials. We polled our consortium schools to find out where AP® Precalculus might fit into their math sequence, and what their thoughts were about offering the course on their own campus. Taking all the data into account, the Academic Program felt confident AP® Precalculus could be an important part of our Summer session. Here’s our thinking, and why we’re excited to be one of the first providers offering AP® Precalculus.

The pandemic has a long tail.  
Students entering 12th grade in Fall 2024 were in 8th grade at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current cohort of high school students had their middle school learning upended–in exactly the years when students make the shift to more complex mathematical concepts. Which leads to the problem that...

Access to Calculus is determined as early as sixth grade.
In traditional math sequences, students typically complete Algebra I in eighth grade to prepare for senior year Calculus. This pathway, common in independent schools, usually splits Algebra I concepts between seventh and eighth grades, meaning sixth graders are sorted into either Algebra I or pre-Algebra tracks. Remember, our current high school students were in early middle school at the peak of the pandemic, struggling with crisis distance learning, or experiencing pandemic-related trauma – both of which impacted students’ ability to learn. In other words, our current high school students were tracked at the moment when they were most challenged, and more than a few of them were likely tracked out of classes where they could have succeeded in less complex times. At the same time, if ninth grade is an entry point, you may well be admitting students who never had access to Algebra I in middle school–nationally, only 24% of eighth grade students take Algebra I. Equitable high school programs want to make sure every student has a road to Calculus, because...

Students need AP® Calculus, or its equivalent, to be considered for highly selective colleges and universities.
As applicant pools swell, highly selective undergraduate programs are looking for ways to cut down on the number of applicants they consider seriously. Traditionally, SAT scores did some of that work. As many selective colleges and universities have continued with test-optional policies post-pandemic, that’s no longer a universal marker. At many schools, an AP® Calculus course (or its equivalent) has become an unofficial requirement. This presents a problem to students who have the potential to succeed in Calculus but aren’t on schedule to take it in high school. If they try to switch tracks, there's a gap between what they know and what they need to succeed in the higher track. Summer AP® Precalculus in the Academic Program solves this problem because...

The Summer AP® Precalculus course makes it possible for students to complete a full year of course content in the summer and move up into the track for AP® Calculus (or its equivalent).
​AP® Precalculus covers the topics students need for college-level Calculus courses like AP® Calculus AB and AP® Calculus BC. When students complete this course in the Summer Academic Program at One Schoolhouse, they’ll be able to bridge the gap. This ensures that students who have the potential for success in Calculus aren’t held back by the challenges of learning during the pandemic. It also levels the playing field for students who never had access to Algebra I in middle school. By enrolling in AP® Precalculus, these students complete four years of math courses before they begin twelfth grade, ready to enroll in AP® Calculus or its equivalent. 

Finally, we’re offering AP® Precalculus because we’re confident our students will be well-prepared for the AP® Exam. Students will continue to practice their Precalculus skills throughout the academic year in their AP® Calculus course. They’ll also maintain access to online support and exam prep materials through the national AP® Exam date in May 2025. 

Learn more about AP® Precalculus in the Summer Academic Program at One Schoolhouse.