Well, my thinking was that I would learn everything in Highschool and see how much I learned based on my AP calc score (also from what I didn't understand in the test), so I would know what to review more or less of for an entire year. I think I will still take the chance especially with the new no guessing penalty.
Thanks for the advice (i'm not sure if that is the right word...I want to say knowledge, but I can't think of a proper synonym.) though! My friends made the BC test sound like it's not too much studying involved, I guess I need to study earlier now. 😱
I took BC Calc this past year and I completely agree with JChait that it's all about understanding the concepts, but it also helps if you've got a good teacher. The teacher I had made it extremely easy for us to do well in the course. She offered us every opportunity to ask questions and she went over everything she said at least 4-5 times within one class period just to make sure that everyone understood.
My friend who took AB Calc this year, actually did the same thing you're considering. He took AB Calc and about a month before the AP exams, he started sitting in on our BC Calc review sessions. He had a really difficult time trying to learn everything that we had taken a semester to learn in just a few weeks and have time to review it all. He stuck with just learning the basics of the topics. He got a 5 on the AB exam (since he was completely prepared for that) and a 4 on the BC exam. It was certainly difficult for him to get the hang of BC Calc because he was far behind my class, but he made it, and I'm a 100% sure that he could have gotten a 5 on the exam if he studied a bit more. Also, he might have had a better chance of getting a 5, if he had started studying a little bit before the one month mark.
I suggest if you're going to take it. Be prepared and willing to learn all the concepts. Talk with the teacher teaching the BC course. Get the Princeton Review book (if the teacher isn't willing to help--it's a little hefty in its information, I suggest you skim it, not actually read it).
Also, just because some concepts (like LaGrange Error Bounds) are only worth 2 points or less, I suggest you learn them because those few points may separate you from a 4 to a 5.
And good luck with whatever you decide to do!
🙂
Gosh, I wrote a lot, but I hope it was helpful. Giving the BC exam a try isn't the most horrible thing, you know. You still recieve an AB subscore.
I'm sure that if you study and work hard, you can get a 5.