Yes. The class is a college-level class, which can earn the student college credit. Even students who have always easily done well in their math classes will struggle with AP Calculus. Even if they have always been able to “get the answer” with a little effort in the past, it will require them to put forth a great deal of effort.

How much time will be required for homework for this class?

To be successful, 1 to 2 hours of homework a night will be necessary. Note this is not every class session, which would mean every other night, rather every night.

Should a student take AP calculus, even if they do not have strong math skills?

Yes, if the student is willing to work hard, he/she can be successful. Likely a student will need to anticipate 2 hours a day of work. I would not recommend the class to any student who has not already taken Math Analysis or the equivalent.

How important is AP Calculus on a student’s transcript?

That depends on the college, major, and a number of other factors. However, it does look good, provided that the student does reasonably well in the class. If the students get at least a 3 on the AP exam (out of 5 possible), it would certainly benefit them.

I have heard that students can get college credit for taking the class. Is that true?

Yes. Different colleges and universities have different guidelines for giving credit. Some give credit for a 3, most do for a 4, and some will give 2 classes worth of credit for a 5; normally you can check with their website to see their particular guidelines. However, even if a student does not receive college credit for the class, it will give them a great advantage, if and when they take the class at college.

Is there any last thing that we should know about AP Calculus?

Yes. As students advance to higher math classes, it becomes more and more necessary for the student to not be “lone wolf” mathematicians. Many students who are considering AP Calculus have always been successful on their own, without seeking much help from either the teacher or other students. This process generally breaks down when students take AP Calculus and higher-level classes. The material is such that even the brightest don’t “get it” without wrestling with the concepts. This wresting is easiest done while interacting with others. For this reason; I do and will encourage the students to form study groups so that they can bounce ideas off of each other outside of class time, and we do a lot of interactive explorations of concepts in class. This is a proven way to better understand the material and succeed. Many students are used to the way that they have always done math in the past, and they have been successful using this approach.