Selective colleges have long treated high school calculus as a gold standard in the admission process. Even though very few require calculus, many colleges have a preference for applicants with calculus on their transcripts, according to surveys conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling in collaboration with Just Equations. But there is growing awareness of the drawbacks of this reliance on calculus. Not all high schools offer calculus, and not all high-achieving students are put on a path to take the course even if their school does offer it.