Posting for my daughter. She is currently a junior and takes 3 APs (Spanish, US, Bio) and Honors Math/English plus journalism. She is likely to get straight As this year, maybe one B+ in math (her weighted gpa is 4.24). She is not sure what she wants to major in and plans to go to larger/liberal arts school. She is leaning towards health sciences but totally undecided.
For her courses next year she wants to take:
AP Calc AB
AP Lit or Lang (not sure which one)
AP Psych
Physics (has not taken yet and feels she needs to)
Sports and Exercise Science
Journalism
My question is – is this rigorous enough for top schools (U of Michigan, UNC, Wash U caliber) or does she need to take 4 APs? This year she takes 3 APs/2Honors and next year it would just be 3APs. She could take AP Chem instead but she would have to drop one of the other sciences she is planning to take.
If she has taken Chem, then she should take Physics. This seems like a fine schedule to me.
But don’t think: What does Wash U want, I should take that.
Think: What classes can my daughter take and do well in and not over stress, and what colleges match that.
@slb176 I took AP Lang junior year and I’m taking Lit right now and I much prefer Lang. It is different from other English classes I have taken, more focused on rhetoric rather than analysis of literature. I thought it was fun and I got a 5 on the exam! In class we read lots of speeches and nonfiction pieces rather than books or plays. It was a nice break from the typical English class I think. I enjoyed argument writing and stuff like that. AP Lit is super boring.
AP lit focuses on classical literature. AP Lang focuses on a variety of texts, especially non fiction.
Many colleges don’t consider AP psych a social science so she may want to replace it with AP European, AP world, AP macro/micro, AP gov, or a combination gov/econ.
Has she reached level 3-4 onna foreign language?
The “usual” sequence is AP Lang and a junior and AP Lit as a senior. But if one is only planning to take one as a senior, then it’s really just personal preference.
I believe @MYOS1634 means (or at least would be more accurate) “classic” literature
@skieurope and @MYOS1634 yes AP spanish now as a Junior. In our high school, you can only take AP English (Lang or Lit) as a senior so you can only take one. She likes to read fiction so she was leaning towards AP Lit but not decided.
She very much wants to take AP Psych - the other choices at our school are just AP Gov or AP Euro both which do not interest her. If schools do not consider Psych a socisl science, what do they consider it?
She should take physics rather than AP chem.
However, does she have another period to take another class (honors perhaps?)
What’s instate for you? Or would she be OOS at Michigan or UNC?
Why washU?
I’m pretty sure AP Psychology is considered to be a social science. Many high schools consider it to be a social science as well. She can take AP Psych. No problem with that.
@MYOS1634 yes OOS for schools. She could add another class - she could also tske Honors Physics instead of regular but it is known in our high school to be one of the most difficult classes. She coukd take AP Stats or AP Computer Science but has no interest in either. I guess the overall question is whether her schedule as outlined above is not “rigorous” enough for the schools she will wants to apply to.
Your question is about rigor. I’d say it’s not rigorous enough but the solution isn’t to take AP chem or honors physics.
There’s no difference wrt lang or lit, if she likes fiction she should go for what she likes best.
The problem I see with it - and ymmv- is with AP psych which should be taken as a complementary class not as a core class (some colleges can see it the way they see electives). So, I’d add a core social science.
AP calc ab
AP lit
AP psych
AP euro or ap gov or honors history seminar
Regular physics
Sports and exercise science
Journalism
Now, I’m also of a mind that if this causes undue stress and lack of sleep, you should keep your own original schedule, especially considering the minuscule odds of getting into UMich OOS, Unc’s limits on OOS acceptances, and WashU’s low acceptance rates and focus on high scores. In other words, if she can handle the above, good, but if she can’t, trying to improve one’s odds of getting into ‘reach for everyone’ colleges at exoense of sleep, stress levels, and life balance isn’t worth it.
@MYOS1634 thank you for your input - very good suggestion. She will be applying of course to other schools that will be targets and safeties but wanted to use the reach schools for the top examples. We understand how those schools are reaches for everyone though perhaps her legacy status at U of M can help a little
UMichigan is very very hard to get into from OOS. Legacy can tip an application all things being equal but that means an act 34, top ECs, etc. It’s a whole different ballgame for OOS applicants compared to instate applicants. So, a good reach to have, certainly, but keep expectations in check.
Alzow discuss budget early, give her a range you can afford. If necessary run the NPC on the reaches, two matches , and the two safeties.
@MYOS1634 thank you for advice. She has a 34 ACT and very good ECs – understand so many of these schools are reaches. she will have a good list of safety/target/reach and we will see. At this point, just want a schedule that is rigorous yet allows for balance and for her to pursue her interests.
Ok, good. It may be old news for you but I never assume it is, at worst it’s a repeat whereas the alternative would be leaving you with a nasty surprise next spring :-(.
Sounds like you’re all set.
Your daughter can look at both schedules and decide on which one she feels she can handle without undue stress.
Good luck and don’t hesitate to post again, or open an 'admissions journey’s thread!
