<p>For a 2.8-3.0 student who will be applying to state directional colleges, and who will not be majoring in anything related to STEM - if they wanted to drop math or science in 12th grade, would that hurt college admissions chances? Which would hurt less to only have 3 years of - math or science? </p>
<p>Math classes taken so far - Algebra 1 and 2, and Geometry. Science classes taken so far - Environmental science, Biology, and Integrated Science (a lab course that has units on Chemistry, Physics and Forensic Science.)</p>
<p>If she did take math next year, it would be be a class that combines Trig and Statistics. If she took science, it would be Chemistry. The reason she didn't take Chem this year is because her counselor was concerned about her math weakness, and thought it would be better if she took Algebra 2 first, not concurrently.</p>
<p>The reason she wants to drop one is that she wants to take two semester electives, Psychology and Child Development. She wants to major in Psychology or something related in college, so it is applicable.</p>
<p>Tell me if dropping math or science (esp. when it's Chem that you're missing) is really a bad idea when you're at the 3rd tier level of college ... Do they care?</p>
<p>It will hurt, but it will hurt less if she is dropping science. I would check with the college to see if they have any requirements (some require 4 years of math and chemistry) and double check the graduation requirements. </p>
<p>I would recommend keeping both math and science, but ultimately I believe that not taking math up to Pre-Calc is more detrimental than no Chemistry. </p>
<p>Check the college for any specific admission requirements.</p>
<p>But also consider her major and what it may require for math and science (even if it is not a math or science major; some social studies majors may have such requirements). For example, if it requires calculus, she should take precalculus and trigonometry in high school. If not, general statistics knowledge is good to know. If it requires any lab science, then having the high school version first can help when taking the college version.</p>
<p>First, check the high school graduation requirement for your state and school district. Then check the requirement of the school you are applying.</p>
<p>Really she should take at least the math,or the science and probably both. Those soft electives should be limited to one, and I’d pick psychology out of those. She can take the college level versions and be better off but the math and science will better prepare her to go in any direction, as well as be a stronger candidate for college. If she is going to possibly major in psych take the science.</p>
<p>I would take both math and science. It’ bretter to wait until college to specialize. Keep in mind that in the future, the OP’s kid may have to take the general GRE to get into grad school for psychology, and for this having the math and science will help. (The science is not tested explicitly, but the antlytical thinking is helpful.) I’m not sure what I would choose if I was going to drop the math or the science. </p>
<p>I would take the math because she’ll need to take a math class in college, whereas her science classes probably won’t build on high school chemistry. Her placement tests will likely be in English and math, too, and scoring poorly on those can add up to a year in math/english classes so it’s essential she does well on them.
No, in most cases, a local directionalor third tier school will not care as long as she meets their basic ACT/SAT and GPA minima (it could be something like 2.5/20 or 2.8/950…)</p>
<p>Drop the science (just had this conversation with my junior D.</p>
<p>What MYOS said. Check the GE requirements at the college. If there’s a math requirement (probably college algebra or stats), skipping math for 18 months will be a disaster. Her placement exam could easily put her into remedial algebra or even pre-algebra and then it’s a long climb up.</p>