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AP Calculus AB or BC? Which One Should You Take?

October 12, 2026 · 2 min read

AP CalculusCourse Selection

Students starting AP Calculus usually ask the same first question: AB or BC? These are not two separate courses at two levels of difficulty; BC covers all of AB and adds new topics on top of it.

Topics: what does BC add to AB?

AB consists of eight units: limits and continuity, derivatives and their applications, integrals and their applications, and an introduction to differential equations. It corresponds roughly to a first-semester university calculus course (Calculus I).

BC includes all eight of these units and adds:

  • Additional integration techniques: integration by parts, partial fractions, improper integrals.
  • Additional topics in differential equations: Euler's method and the logistic growth model.
  • Parametric equations, polar coordinates and vector-valued functions (Unit 9).
  • Infinite sequences and series: convergence tests, power series, Taylor and Maclaurin series (Unit 10).

BC therefore covers Calculus I and Calculus II together. The part students find hardest is almost always series.

The exam format is the same

The two exams have the same structure: 45 multiple-choice questions and 6 free-response questions, 3 hours and 15 minutes in total. Both sections have a part where a calculator is allowed and a part where it is not. The difference is not in the format but in the topics the questions cover.

The AB subscore

A student who takes the BC exam receives an AB subscore alongside the BC score. It is calculated from the questions on AB topics. Taking BC, in other words, also documents your achievement at the AB level.

Which one suits you?

BC may be the better fit if:

  • You are aiming for a major that uses calculus heavily, such as engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science or economics,
  • You are comfortable with precalculus (especially trigonometry and functions),
  • You can set aside time to study regularly throughout the year.

AB may be the better fit if:

  • You are taking several demanding AP courses in the same year,
  • There are gaps in your precalculus foundation that you need to close first,
  • The major you are aiming for makes limited use of calculus.

Credit and placement

The credit and placement universities grant for AP scores vary from one institution to another. Before deciding, check the AP policy of the universities you are aiming for on their own websites; some grant two semesters of placement for BC and one for AB.

In short

If your foundation is solid and you have the time, BC gives you more for the same exam length. If you are not sure, the best starting point is an honest assessment of your precalculus level.