Another "advice for senior year schedule" thread

<p>Okay, so I'm planning my senior schedule (this is so weird to say). Does this seem too difficult? I want to be an engineer most likely. Applying to top schools, and I'm a potential athletic recruit for a couple of D3s.</p>

<p>AP Calculus BC
AP German
AP Biology
AP English Literature
AP Physics C (I have no physics background, but will probably be allowed to take it)
AP Psychology OR a basic art class</p>

<p>What should I do for that final slot? And I'm trying to be first or second in my class. Will this schedule be detrimental? Thanks.</p>

<p>I know that it’s kind of early to be bumping this, but oh well.</p>

<p>It would be more helpful if you added some texture. How many AP’s are you taking now and what grades are you getting? How many did you take last year and what were your results on the AP tests? How many AP classes are other top students taking next year? Would your GC not check “most rigorous curriculum” if you only took 4 or 5 AP’s next year? Have you already taken a year of fine arts? Is honors physics not a prerequisite for Physics C and how have other students performed without having the intro physics class?</p>

<p>I’m in four APs right now. First semester I received an A in AP English Language, AP Chemistry, AP Microeconomics, and AP US Government and Politics. As a sophomore I took APUSH and AP Euro and earned an A and a 5 in each. Took APWH freshman year and got a 4.</p>

<p>We only have six slots for classes at school, so four or five APs in one year is a lot. I’m not concerned about lack of rigor. Honors physics is not offered, but regular physics is a prerequisite for AP Physics C. The teacher lets some students bypass this first year requirement. I’ll probably take some intro to physics class over the summer if I am allowed to take it. Not sure how past students have done at all. It is small with one class offered per year. Also have not taken an art class yet.</p>

<p>Thanks. That helps. Nice work on your classes.</p>

<p>I wasn’t questioning the 6 classes. I get it; we’re capped at 6 as well. When I see posts about kids that take a class in lieu of their lunch period, and take 2 AP’s online, I just SMH.</p>

<p>Personally, I think taking 6 AP’s senior year is overkill, particularly is you are doing a varsity sport, or a sport with a local club. Writing college app’s will be as time consuming as an additional class.</p>

<p>If you’re looking at any of the CA state schools, they require a year of art for admission. If you’re not, it’s no big deal. I think AP Psych is an AP-lite course. It’s not a heavy work load. Either/or is your call. I doubt colleges will care one way or the other if you take art vs. psych. Take the one that interests you.</p>

<p>If you think you can handle Physics, fine. It all depends on the school,but my experience has been Physics, Bio, BC, and Lit will be an hour of homework a night. The sciences will be more at times with lab reports. I would suggest swapping out AP Lit for Detectives in Fiction or some such fun English elective, which will still leave a rigorous load. Since you already have AP Lang, Lit is a bit overkill. Also, most top D3’s with engineering don’t give AP credit for English at all. Top D1’s, if they give credit, don’t give for both lang & lit.</p>

<p>So if you did that, you would have 4-5 AP’s senior year and 11-12 over the course of your HS career, which is certainly impressive. Good luck.</p>