John Conlin

Many people say Conlin's Calc BC is one of the hardest classes at MV but it's really not that bad if you understand everything. Do the homework. I don't care if it takes 3 or 4 hours. Don't copy the key he gives you, you need to figure it out yourself. Homework and tests are weighted the same, so make sure you do the homework. Each homework is 4-8 points and tests are 100. So, again, make sure you do the homework!!! For tests, make sure you just consistently get above a 75. His curves will usually get you around 88-90, and a 90 in the test category is very attainable if you do all the homework yourself and study extra hard for the review tests he hands out. Don't piss him off, though, or he might not curve :) For quizzes, you have group quizzes and binder quizzes. Studying these are just doing the homework. These are actually easier than the homework, so make sure you dont cheat on the homeworks!!! If you fail one, it's not that big of a deal. It's usually worth around 10-15 points, so it's pretty lightweight compared to the amount of homework you guys receive. But it is good practice for tests & the final. There is also a participation grade. That's really not that big of a deal either. I had a D- in participation, but you need to make sure to TALK WITH YOUR GROUP and that way you actually understand the material.

Mr. Conlin's AP Calc BC class is not as nightmarish as most people describe it to be. If you make sure you understand the concepts, review your mistakes, take care on your homework, and study decently, then you will do fine. It is overwhelming at times, especially first semester where there is a transition period due to the amount of homework and frequency of quizzes and tests. First semester is crucial, since there are key concepts, and if you nail those, then second semester will be a lot easier due to review quizzes and AP study material being a big chunk of the grade. Stay organized and stick to his heading formats on papers (even if it seems unnecessary at first). Take participation seriously, since it's graded harshly, On all homeworks, make sure to check your number lines before you turn it in. (I've gotten countless points taken off for silly formatting mistakes on number lines. ) Make sure to make a good impression. Don't nap in this class (unless you want him to think you're dead), don't repeat questions unless you clarify that you still don't understand, and try to ask deep questions.

Class is very hard because there is a lot of hw and content to cover. I had a hard time in his class, but I did very well in following Calculus classes (in college) because of how well Mr. Conlin taught me. You will reap the benefits later on. He also responded to my emails and graded fairly.

The class is really hard. The tests are a lot harder than Collins' and they are much harder than the homework. Mr. Conlin is also a strict teacher, so be a good student (try hard, show up to class). You should probably have a good foundation of Calculus before this class, so you can focus on problem-solving rather than learning content during the school year. HW points are important, so make sure to do all your homework very diligently. Work-related points on tests are very important, so make sure you check your homework very well and try to do all the same steps on tests.

Work hard, don’t be afraid of him, he yells at class sometimes ( often)