In late 2022, the College Board announced the addition of a new AP course to the high school math curriculum: AP Precalculus. The course is set to take effect in the 2023-24 school year, replacing the current Enhanced Math III (EM3) course at UHS, and will serve as a precedent for the AP Calculus classes. The goal of this course, according to the College Board, is to prepare “a wider range of students to succeed in math they’ll encounter in college while giving them the opportunity to earn college credits.” 

AP Precalculus will be offered to any students, from freshmen to seniors, who have taken Algebra II or an equivalent course. AP Precalculus’s content, as its name suggests, will provide an intermediary bridge between foundational and advanced math, while giving students a taste of the AP glory.

Sophomore Juliet Kozlov, currently enrolled in EM3, described the positive impact the content adjustment from EM3 to Precalculus can have on students currently enrolled in EM3. 

“I think having AP Precalculus as a course selection would be very beneficial to students that are interested in advanced math,” Kozlov said. “Rather than having to take EM3, which as of now includes [content in] Math 3, Precalculus and Foundational Calculus, students will be able to take a class that focuses primarily on precalculus, yet still counts as a luxurious 5-point class.” 

Many expressed a similar opinion, with the consensus being that the new course will help and be inclusive of those who don’t want to take the EM3 path. 

“I feel that AP Precalculus being offered at our school is great because it will get me ready for advanced math, as well as provide the opportunity to earn some college credits,” freshman Sodongoo (Soto) Sodtuya said. 

Some students also expressed mixed feelings over the necessity of AP Precalculus. 

“Since EM3 is already precalculus with [an] honor boost, I don’t see a point in AP Precalculus,” sophomore Amy Wang said. “But AP classes indeed give you college credits and prepare you for it, so having AP Precalculus is a faster class for college.” 

Ultimately, College Board’s decision has raised the question of whether the new course will prove to be as beneficial as it seems, with the bridge from Math 3 to Calculus being a crucial transition for many. No one can say for certain until the course officially launches next year.