<p>Just found out about this. As of now it looks like my chances at one of my top choice schools got shot down. I feel as if some of the requirements are unreasonable seeing as not every school offers every required course listed. At least make a stronger effort to make this requirement known - they aren't even listed (accurately) on CollegeBoard.</p>
<p>Some of my friends don't have three years of language. I don't have physics. Not every school has the resources to schedule every class we request. </p>
<p>Thoughts on this? Have you guys fulfilled your curriculum requirements?</p>
<p>I don’t see that the requirement is too high. Three years of language and a year of physics are very basic reqirements for a highly selective college. If one does not take such classes in high school, she or he may have a difficulty to get into such a college any way.</p>
<p>So what if a school doesn’t offer physics? Or Chemistry? What if Calculus isn’t even on a school’s math track? What if taking three years of foreign language means schedule conflicts, sacrificing the rigor of courses needed to get in a selective college in the first place? My school offers just one section per day of AP Chemistry, AP Spanish, AP Biology. There’s no AP Physics. Do I really want to take Honors physics at the expense of an AP or two, when that means it’s no longer the most rigorous curriculum possible? </p>
<p>The requirements aren’t high, but the reason why most other universities only have recommendations is because it is recognized that not all public high school’s are equal.</p>
<p>
Oh I did. On [url=<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board]CollegeBoard[/url</a>] I guess it’s my bad that I didn’t check the Cornell website specifically, but I don’t think anyone expected the inconsistency. But even if I knew about it beforehand, I probably still wouldn’t schedule physics. In my case, there’s too much of a trade-off with scheduling conflicts just for Cornell.</p>
<p>I did anticipate the inconsistency between collegeboard and Cornell. Especially considering that collegeboard doesn’t include the variations in requirements between colleges within Cornell. Did you really assume that Human Ecology and Engineering would have the same requirements?
Especially considering that the only schools to require physics are Engineering and Architecture. The two schools for which physics are a very logical requirement. Do any engineering or architecture schools not require.</p>
<p>It’s very obvious in hindsight, true, that Collegeboard, the authoritative source for college-related data, would give inaccurate information. </p>
<p>Of course a junior who was just looking for a feel on where to apply would have the prior knowledge of Cornell University’s rather unique system of its colleges being nearly autonomous in admission, and hence predict the possibility of different curriculum requirements, and thus anticipate the fact that Collegeboard could possibly not include the variations in requirements between colleges.</p>
<p>Sarcasm aside, I can accept that I am at fault regardless for not checking on a admission requirement more thoroughly. I’m only a bit bothered that students are expected to plan this far ahead in meeting specific curricula requirements for a specific major as early as high school.</p>
<p>I have not heard of schools that do not offer calculus. Honestly, even physics is a very basic course and not something that should be shocking to see as a requirement. Also, I’ve been told countless times by peers, parents and counselors to look at the college website AND collegeboard, not just one or the other. Sorry for what happened though.</p>
<p>“So what if a school doesn’t offer physics? Or Chemistry? What if Calculus isn’t even on a school’s math track? What if taking three years of foreign language means schedule conflicts, sacrificing the rigor of courses needed to get in a selective college in the first place? My school offers just one section per day of AP Chemistry, AP Spanish, AP Biology. There’s no AP Physics. Do I really want to take Honors physics at the expense of an AP or two, when that means it’s no longer the most rigorous curriculum possible?”</p>
<p>…so what science courses did you take? It sounds as if your school offers more AP courses than ours does (5). I really have a hard time believing that you couldn’t get physics into your schedule. What are your other stats? If everything else is stellar, you may try and have your GC call & write an explanation as to why you don’t have physics.</p>
<p>In my particular case, physics is offered only in junior/senior year. In junior year I took AP Chemistry. Senior year I can’t even take a science at all. AP Biology conflicts with my required practical art elective, which I can only take now because of previous schedule conflicts. Lab sciences are difficult to schedule in the context of AP courses, as you technically need two consecutive periods for the course, which is problematic. </p>
<p>My stats are probably competitive for Cornell (2340/4.0). But my own situation is besides the point - I just feel there’s a problem having strict requirements for admission when schedule conflicts or unavailable course offerings are bound to exist.</p>
<p>Scheduling conflicts can be a huge issue – our high school has them in spades. Any college will evaluate your application in the context of what is offered in your high school. If there’s a good reason why your classwork falls short of the requirements, as you guidance counselor to explain it on the counselor recommendation form. </p>
<p>However, I will say that schools of Cornell’s caliber expect students to go out of their way, if necessary, to get in a solid college-preparatory curriculum. If you are thinking about a science/engineering degree and you can’t fit in science in your senior year, it might make sense to consider a college class or online class or other opportunity to get the basics you need. Because frankly, for a highly competitive school, even if they just “recommend” a certain core preparation, it’s going to be extra-hard to get in without it when most applicants have met those recommendations. It’s worth finding out what successful applicants to those highly competitive colleges coming from your HS have done in the past to get around the limitations of your HS’s scheduling.</p>
<p>I’m sorry that you’ll be disadvantaged but did you really think that a top 10 engineering school wouldn’t expect you to have taken physics, the backbone of an engineering major? That’s like trying to be a doctor without taking a biology course.</p>
<p>I just want to point out that the UC system in California is equally as restrictive. You must complete A-G requirements as they are laid out. If OOS, your honors classes are not counted as weighted classes. You must also have a Visual and Performing arts requirement which cannot be Photo if your school puts photo in a technology heading like ours does.</p>
<p>My son was going to apply as an OOS student and in senior year is taking Art to meet that requirement but probably would have taken Psych/Soc which another school prefers if he had known.</p>
<p>I agree it is difficult to anticipate what all schools want but in general, always go to the direct source for any information eg the school’s website, not a secondary site to know what is expected.</p>
<p>I know it wasn’t stated as ‘required’ but I don’t even think my school offers Computer Science…</p>
<p>And after reading this I wish I took AP Physics instead of AP Chemistry, haha. (I have regular Physics though…and I would’ve taken both AP continuations if they weren’t in the same period, 7th.)</p>