After a tumultuous year of precalculus as a junior, I was quick to swerve away from calculus for the following year. It was clear that the trigonometry and whatever else we did in precalculus did not jive with me, and I personally didn’t feel able to keep up with an AP math class like AP Statistics, making Honors Stats the perfect choice.

While at most schools, students can stop taking certain subjects after receiving enough credits to graduate, Magnet, of course, makes us go above and beyond. This is honestly something I really appreciate about our school, because I genuinely believe that I would forget elementary math if not forced to complete a credit each year. However, as the maths get tougher, some of us less number-inclined become swallowed up by an increasingly complicated curriculum. For those who still need their final math credit but are unwilling to tackle  AP calculus ABC123, I present Honors Statistics with Mr. Steve Percy.

Personally, I recommend taking this class your senior year for the following reasons, in no particular order:

1. Small class size

This year, Honors Stats is split into two blocks. Both classes are relatively small, mine is only around fifteen people. For me, this creates a very engaging environment. Since there are so few of us, it’s super easy to ask questions during lectures and talk to other students about missed questions or confusing problems. 

2. Pacing

By far, one of the best elements of Honors Stats, as opposed to AP, is its pacing. Classes typically alternate between lectures and entire class periods dedicated to assignments for each lecture. This give students time to digest and revisit the material on a different day, which also doubles as studying. An added bonus to those who take advantage of these work periods is that there is often no homework.

3. Mr. Percy !

Mr. Percy himself is another highlight of this class. Besides being filled with interesting life stories, Mr. Percy is a great communicator when it comes to this subject. The material always seems simple, and he is always available for questions during class. It also definitely helps that he also teaches a Stats class at Trident Tech.

4. No summer work

This class has no summer work! While all of your buddies are spending their beach days reading Freakanomics, you can rest easy knowing that you have a little less summer work than the rest (though probably still a lot). Don’t worry though, you will read the first six chapters of Freakanomics, but during the school year and with mini quizzes after each chapter.

5. #goodvibes

Simply put, this class rocks. In past years, math has always been my main academic stressor, but by taking Honors Stats this year, I have almost entirely removed that worry from my life. While I obviously still have to study to do well, there are no nonsensical formulas or unit circles. Everything makes sense and you are alway guaranteed a calculator. It also never feels like we’re rushing through the material or behind other classes. I never thought I’d find such peace at this school in a math class, but Honors Stats is just good times overall.

6. Practical curriculum 

The material in Honors Stats is practical. When asked what aspects of the class he thought were most significant, Mr. Percy answered that since most students will take some kind of statistics class in college, it would be beneficial to get a foundation in the course. Stats is also just a lot of word problems and understanding concepts, so I feel like as long as you understand what the question is saying, you can find some way to solve it. I find it to be a lot of common sense math. Also, if you take this class senior year, it won’t interfere with the progression of the other math classes you have to take while at Magnet.

7. It’s an Honors class

Lastly, this is an Honors class, meaning that seniors, if earning an A for the year, can exempt the final exam. No AP exam, potentially no final, both wins unless you like to take tests I guess…