To keep a social studies in my schedule, which I really want to do, I would have to drop either AP Lit or Research. Unfortunately, I doubt I can drop Research due to a credits issue. AP Lit feels necessary as some colleges that require a senior year english course don’t accept Seminar/Research. I could also drop Programming but I am worried about having no course related to CS.
What is your research topic? Perhaps if it STEM-related your counselor could advise if it would count toward science instead of Bio or ES? Or if your topic is social studies related, maybe that makes taking another class in that less of an issue?
What do they teach in “Programming” (Python, Java, etc.?) and was there previous CS-related course before it or it that the only one or first one?
I’m so sorry you’re in this dilemma. There are trade-offs in a situation like this, and you’re approaching it well (considering the implications of each option). The fixed “problems” you’re facing are the low number of slots at your school (there were semesters when my kid was taking 6 APs AND two additional classes), the weird link between needing AP research to not “lose” your AP seminar credit, and the mandate that you complete precalc this spring in order to take a physics class that doesn’t even need calc (AP physics 1, unless that’s not offered at your school).
I really feel a frank discussion with GC will help clarify a couple of things:
- How is he/she going to rank your rigor in the application?
- What is “typical” for applicants from your school to the colleges on your list, and is there information about admission/rejection from past years?
I’ll walk back my comment about Spanish (like I said I have an anecdote in which it played a role in admission vs rejection but you’re already 5 years into it and not planning to go into a field for which it’s critical). Can you keep AP lit and take a social studies? Or can your GC “spin” your letter to highlight the fact that past social studies classes for you are actually more credits than taking 1 full-year class per year (if that’s true)? For example my kid already had APUSH, APgov, APcompgov, APEuro, APHumangeo, AP Econ…but BTW she is still in AP world this year.
My research topic was actually education related since I find the school system in my area to be extremely unfair. However, researching a social studies related idea is an idea I had never thought of before! They teach Java in Programming and you have to take a python course as a prerequisite. I am taking that over the summer as well.
If the option is programming or social studies, keep programming for a future in CS. I’ve seen plenty of kids make it into colleges with just 3 years of social studies. The key seems to be having a reason for dropping it, and having a course in one’s desired field instead is apparently a good enough reason. Granted, my background has been seeing kids drop ss for an additional science course, but I expect the same would apply for programming and CS.
I’m not sure colleges would care between AP Bio and ES for a future CS major, but Physics would definitely be better (I see that it’s not an option).
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I wonder, have you thought or asked about testing out? Some schools let you do that.
Do you mean testing out of pre-calculus?
AP Enviro is easier. AP Bio is a more useful course, for understanding basic Biology which helps one to be able to understand the rational basis of the science involved in medical care. In terms of life education, and assuming that the teacher for AP Bio is any good, I’d choose the AP Bio over Enviro.
The AP Capstone is intended as a 2-year program. Maybe by “credit”, the guidance counselor means that Seminar won’t be weighted as an AP course in GPA without also taking Research? Not sure.
I don’t think it should be THE determining factor, but without a research project OP would miss out on the Capstone Diploma and really the entire point of going down the Capstone path in the first place: doing integrated, individual research and developing strong communication skills. My daughter liked Seminar but loved Research – it was her favorite AP experience, by far, and the one from which she derived the most value.
Seminar isn’t anything special. Research is College Board’s attempt to bridge the writing gap that exists between APs and the IB diploma and provides very useful skills that aren’t really developed elsewhere. I’m not trying to oversell it. I agree that there are other suggested paths that also have their own “pros”, but so does sticking with Research.
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Yes, sorry for not stating that.