1)When applying to colleges do they look at your GPA for your main academic courses or do they look at the entire GPA that includes the elective/arts/PE classes, for ex?
2)Which of these science tracts are better for someone wanting to get into a good college:
Fresh yr-Bio
Soph yr-Chem-
Junior yr-Physics
Senior yr-AP Env Sci
or
Fresh-Bio
Soph-Chem
Junior -AP Env Sci
Senior-AP Psychology
Thanks!!
Every college looks at things a bit differently. Many school even recalculate GPA based on their own criteria (ex. non weighted, academic subjects only etc.).
I don’t think Psych would be considered on the science track. Go with the first.
What is the kid’s potential major?
Science track 1 is better. Higher ranked colleges would hope to see more AP or honors (if offered) courses in the core sciences than either of these scheduled, though. If your kid is planning on a STEM major, they should seriously consider AP sciences (although I am just going to say, I think AP Bio is hideous – SO DAMNED MUCH MATERIAL).
@“Erin’s Dad” I mentioned AP Psych, because at my daughter’s school it’s listed with all the other science classes
door number #1
@happymomof1 I have no idea at this point, but it will definitely not be a science major. However, I can see psych being a possiblity.
@intparent daughter’s school does not offer any honor’s sciences. it does offer bio, earth sci, chem, physics, and then APs in bio, chem, physics, env sci and psych.No one usally takes AP sciences before Junior year. my daughter is doing well in science, but has zero interest in anything STEM related. Most of her APs will be in all the other subjects, but she would be open to a couple of less intense sci APs. She’ll take Calculus in 12th grade, but probably not AP Calculus, because she would hate it
colleges would rather see a solid base of core science classes - Bio, Chem and Physics - THEN she can take AP Psych her Sr year.
Agree^
@menloparkmom Do you think it would put her at a disadvantage to not take one of the other AP sciences during Senior year? The sad thing is that she would love AP Psych, but there is so much pressure to make sure one takes all the “right” classes such as AP Bio etc
If she’s not headed to the hard sciences, and she does have an interest in psychology, provided she has enough science to meet her schools graduation requirements, she doesn’t need physics. I’d vote for the AP environmental science if she’s interested in that. She definitely should take the AP psych.
Please remember that every year students with all the “right” classes still fail to gain admission to places that they thought they wanted to attend. If your daughter has a sensible list of colleges to apply to she will get in somewhere that she can be happy attending.
I would do:
Fresh yr-Bio
Soph yr-Chem-
Junior yr-Physics
Senior yr-AP Bio or AP Chem or AP Physics
“Do you think it would put her at a disadvantage to not take one of the other AP sciences during Senior year?”
compared to students who ARE taking AP science classes and are applying to colleges with low acceptance rates, sure. That’s why its important that she find safety colleges FIRST, and not build a list starting with “dream colleges.”
Disadvantage for what? I notice you want a “good” college – there are hundreds of “good” colleges, and maybe 15-20 of them care whether she takes AP Psych or something else. More colleges do care about a full science sequence (bio, chem, physics). But after that, she can take what she likes and will be fine.
By “good” I mean anything from Wake Forest to Kenyon to Denison to Lafayette (just some examples). Not thinking about Harvard or MIT. In retrospect I should have said, “very good”.
Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom. It’s very much appreciated.
Without core AP science classes classes your DD may have to look "further down " the list of colleges for good ones where she has a good chance of acceptance.
Check out Naviance for your HS with colleges where kids with her stats, grades and classes were accepted or rejected.
@menloparkmom It sounds like she will have to take AP Bio, Chem or Physics in her senior yr. That’s a shame since she’ll probably end up being an English major. Maybe AP Env Sci will be a suitable alternative if she takes all the APs she can in things like History, Foreign Lang, English, etc
Sometimes I wonder if getting into a “very good” college is worth the stress. I also worry about my daughter having a lack of leadership in her ECs. They say find your passions and pursue them with vigor, but on the other hand after reading here you see patterns develop: Sci Olympiad and Model UN will make you more desirable to a school than being in the Creative Writing Club. What if your kid doesn’t want to be class president or hates the idea of debating or doing sci research? Just venting.
I disagree that she has to take an AP core science got any of the schools you listed. She should take bio, chem, and physics for sure. If she is taking more APs in the areas where she is strong (humanities), then she is fine.
She doesn’t have to debate or do science Olympiad. But she needs more than creative writing club (be sure she knows about the scholastic awards, though – and a teacher has to be involved in submission, so start the entry process earlier than you would think). My D2 has some poetry published in a magazine, too.
She can do things outside school – my D1 studied Finnish, went to language camp, and got a scholarship to go to Finland for a summer in HS. D2 collected insects and entered them in the county fair, and also fenced via a local club (didn’t start til 10th grade, but won a medal at state in time for college decisions).
A kid who likes literature would usually be a good addition to a school Quiz Bowl (my D2’s great love) or Academic Decathalon team. She could volunteer at the library, and/or with a literacy effort.
You might read “How to be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport. It is useful for thinking creatively about ECs, even if your kid is not targeting tippy top schools.