<p>I could always take a calculus class at our local community college, and our math department is really strong. There are about 50 juniors each year who take AB or BC calc, and there is a class offered after BC Calc called Advanced Topics. I really do want to take AP Stats because I’d either get to have the teacher I had for advanced algebra, who was awesome, or have another awesome teacher that a lot of my friends had and loved. </p>
<p>My main question is still whether or not to take Principles of applied science and technology instead of an AP Science next year. I think it would be a good class to take in case I wanted to go into engineering. I know colleges like AP classes, but if they’re AP I can just take them in college, right?</p>
<p>I think other than the obvious choice of taking AP Calc BC, the biggest issue by far for the OP is to figure out finances with her parents. The net price calculators are not as much help because her parents don’t live together… you need to ask your dad if the reason he doesn’t want to talk about it is because there isn’t money for college, or if it is because they can pay full price for any college and have agreed to do so. Or something in between… and tell him you can’t go on college visits or start working on your college list without more information than you have right now. </p>
<p>I get that talking to your parents together about this might be hard. And if they are in the process of divorcing, that can make it VERY difficult to get a straight answer from either of them about money because they may not even know what their income and expenses will look like in a year or two (or how much of their savings is going to go to pay attorneys). I know this partly because we divorced in D1’s senior year of high school… fortunately we had a pretty good amount socked away in her 529 account, she got good merit aid, and I have a good job. Because her dad did not end up paying anything beyond what had been saved already, but he did let me take the college accounts without splitting them as a divorce asset. But even that was not a sure thing for a while…</p>
<p>Also, a previous generation who went to Yale really knows almost NOTHING about the college landscape 30 years later. Which makes your job of figuring this out harder…</p>
<p>The NPCs may deliver the bad news that both parents are expected to contribute more money than the are able or willing to contribute. Divorce tends to be financially draining on both ex-spouses, and if it is acrimonious, they may each continue to try to pay the least amount possible while trying to get the other to pay as much as possible for the kid’s college costs.</p>
<p>Best to have an application list that includes big merit schools in order to avoid divorcing parents’ financial drama affecting your college financing.</p>
<p>To answer MrMom62, I’ve taken Physics, Chemistry, and I’m taking Biology this year. All honors, not AP.</p>
<p>My parents are still in the process of divorcing, and my mom and her attorney want my dad to pay for all college related expenses for me and my 2 younger brothers. </p>
<p>What schools would offer merit to me? Does it depend on my academics only, or extracurriculars too?</p>
<p>The merit situation varies by college. I think strong academics and ECs can help (I am sure my D1 got a bigger merit scholarship from her LAC than her statistics warranted because of her strong ECs). LACs that offer some merit with some STEM strength might include St. Olaf, Lawrence, or Mount Holyoke. If you can raise your test scores it would help you get more merit aid. If you are looking for a STEM school, Rose-Hulman or Michigan Tech might be schools to consider.</p>
<p>You’ve been getting some great advice regarding classes! So I am going to suggest an extracurricular activity for you to look into – you should see if your school has a FIRST Robotics team. My daughter joined ours last year when she was a junior and it was a wonderful experience. She was part of the programming team. You get exposed to a lot of “real world” work, make great relationships with the mentors, and get an experience of a life time. And it’s sooooo much fun at the competitions – lots of dancing and team spirit.</p>
<p>When she has been looking at colleges and interviewing with admissions it is the first activity that they bring up. A team is usually composed of several groups and you can get involved in one or more. Our team had – design, build, programming and marketing. During events it was everyone’s job to do data collection and learn about the other robots.</p>
<p>It will expose you to computer programing and engineering. Many colleges have scholarships for participants in the FIRST program. When we were at some of the larger events (States and Worlds) the colleges were there with information tables. They want these kids that have actually experience in the world of science and engineering. And girls are highly prized as they are under represented. We just came back from an off-season event for girls only in Michigan.</p>
<p>The “main” part of the season starts the first week in January with this years challenge. The team has 6 weeks to design and build the robot and then you compete with Worlds being in late April.</p>
<p>Please take a few minutes to google FIRST robotics and check out youtube to see what happens at actual events. </p>
<p>It has been a wonderful experience for my girls and I think it would be a great fit for you with your grades and interests. Good luck!</p>
<p>Girlsmom14and16, thanks for the suggestion :)</p>
<p>I looked on my school’s website, and while we don’t have a robotics club, we do have something called GADGET</p>
<p>"GADGET - the science, technology and engineering club</p>
<p>This club is designed to meet the needs of students interested in doing investigative and exploratory work in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Student activities have included construction of robotic vehicles, rockets, competitive projects and research partnered with NASA, MIT, and other organizations. The club is open to all students and meets weekly."</p>
<p>I’m not sure if I can still join, and to be honest from the pictures it looks like a bunch of really smart guys and I’m not sure I’d really fit in. I know that’s a stupid reason, but I want to enjoy it if I do it.</p>
<p>You may be able to do FIRST with another school team in your area. A few years ago two kids from my D’s school who were interested in robotics were able to join the FIRST team at another nearby school. They were on that team for two years, then came back and started a FIRST program at our kids’ school. It is a ton of work to start a team, so you may not want to do that… but FIRST is fantastic, and really a draw for colleges (especially for females). My D ended up being on the FIRST team for two years and I mentored her team, it is really great. Even if you join GADGET, you should check nearby schools for FIRST teams to see if you could participate… it is amazing. Kind of the rock star activity of STEM majors at the moment.</p>
<p>Also… you gotta learn to stick your nose in with the smart guys if you are going to be a STEM major. Now is a really good time to start doing that. Honestly, they probably are not any smarter than you are (even though they may tell you they are!). Most clubs like technology clubs will definitely take mid-year members, so don’t be intimidated by coming a little late in the year.</p>
<p>That does not mean that that outcome will happen. Even if the divorce settlement includes that, your father might not have the money, or may go deadbeat on it.</p>
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<p>Go back to post #3 of this thread and follow the links to the merit scholarship threads. The automatic scholarships are based on GPA, rank, and/or test scores only (but some are in limited numbers and awarded on a first come first served basis, so apply quickly if they are of interest), while the competitive ones may include other criteria.</p>