Math. What do you think when you hear that word? Maybe difficult, frustrating, the worst subject ever, or maybe fun, pleasing, or best subject ever? Well when it comes to the new AP Precalculus made by the College Board, there are ups and downs, too.

For starters, the AP Precalculus course was brought up because school district officials wanted students, no matter how many years ahead in math someone is, to be able to take college credits. Despite that, there are a few issues many have run into.

One issue is that some argue that the new AP Precalculus course doesn’t prepare you enough for AP calculus. The new AP Precalculus course focuses on the idea that this is the last year of math for high school students. Since it’s not focused on preparing you for the next level in math, the course has the students learn regressions even though they won’t be using them in AP calculus. A regression is a line that best fits the data in the scatter plot. In AP Precalculus, students have to find what the regression line is. This is one example of how the class doesn’t focus on how to prepare students who want to pursue higher math in high school. 

However, the AP Precalculus course is easier than it typically is. For the students who don’t want to go farther in math, this year is an easier AP math credit to take.

Another issue is how this class replaced the original Precalculus class. With the new AP course, it replaced honors and intensified Precalculus in most schools or it completely replaced any type of Precalculus class. This transition from having the old course Precalculus, which better prepared you for AP calculus to having the new course, AP Precalculus, which doesn’t provide as much new material as needed for AP calculus. This problem is most likely going to affect the kids who take AP Calculus next year.

Even though the future doesn’t seem to work as effectively with the students who want to continue in math, the students who aren’t continuing have an amazing opportunity. Since they won’t be continuing further with math, taking AP Precalculus gives you the college credit which may fulfill a math credit. Though not all colleges will accept AP Precalculus for a math credit, it still looks good on your application to college. It shows you decided to take the extra step to take an AP Precalculus course rather than just regular Precalculus. Also, this year, 2023-2024, AP Precalculus is algebra II, but with a more advanced language. With this being almost a replica of Algebra II, it makes it easier to pass the class and the AP Precalculus exam as long as you remember the content of Algebra II. 

College Board may change the course next year to make it more challenging and prepare you better for AP calculus. If so then if you are taking AP Precalculus this year, 2023-2024, you most likely will be taking the easiest version of AP Precalculus there will be.