If you’re applying as a STEM major or looking at selective colleges, there’s no question that you should consider taking advanced or accelerated math courses at the secondary level. The question instead revolves around which course to take. Amy and Mike invited researcher Adam Tyner to review whether taking calculus in high school is absolutely necessary.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What are the typical pathways for showing math rigor in high school?

2. Does the choice between calculus or statistics matter?

3. In what cases would one of these choices be more advantageous to an applicant?

4. Do students who have taken calculus in high school outperform their peers?

5. Are their equity issues wrapped up in this decision?

MEET OUR GUEST

Adam Tyner is the national research director of research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where he helps develop and manage Fordham’s research projects. Prior to joining Fordham, he served as senior education analyst at Hanover Research, where he executed data analysis projects and worked with school districts and other education stakeholders to design custom studies. 

Adam has also spent several years leading classrooms, teaching English as a second language in both China and California and teaching courses at the University of California, San Diego. His work has appeared and been cited in national and international media such as The Economist, The New York Times, Forbes, Education Week, Education Next, and The Diplomat, as well as in numerous local outlets. Adam holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on the integration of rural-to-urban migrant workers in China’s cities. He also holds a bachelor of arts in international studies from the University of Oklahoma.

Adam first appeared on the podcast in episode 140 to discuss Social Studies Instruction and Reading Comprehension and in episode 295 to discuss Would Eliminating Tests Make Education More Equitable.

Find Adam at fordhaminstitute.org.

LINKS

Calculus or Statistics: Does it Matter?

RELATED EPISODES

CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY

MATHEMATICAL MATURITY AND TEST SUCCESS

GETTING READY FOR THE AP CALCULUS AB OR BC EXAM

GETTING READY FOR AP PRECALCULUS

GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.