<p>So I a junior in high school and I was wondering what classes I should take next year. This year I am taking Calculus AB and the class is very tough, although you are guaranteed a 4 or 5 on the AP exam, the class itself is tough and my grade is a C. I also got a B in AP English Lang. So this pulled my GPA down to a 3.9 unweighted. Should I take Calculus BC next year, despite the odds of getting another bad grade (since it is the same teacher) and pull my GPA down? </p>
<p>Also, the teacher for AP English Lit is extremely hard and the highest grade you can get is a B because of her hard essay grading, I was wondering if I should take that class, since I have taken three years of honors/ AP English classes, also risking my GPA. </p>
<p>Finally, I am hesitant about taking AP Spanish 4. Do colleges like it when you stick with a language all through high school, or would it be okay not to take spanish senior year, since I am not too enthusiastic about taking the AP class?
I have gotten A's for the past three years in Spanish. </p>
<p>Thank you for any opinions and taking the time to read this! Really appreciate it. </p>
<p>The most selective colleges are going to expect the most rigorous schedule with great grades, that’s what your competition will have. They will want to see 4 years of Foreign Language. I don’t know why some schools have students take AB and BC calc. Technically you will be will be fine just taking AB for most schools, but not if it isn’t the most challenging schedule unless the rest of your application is stellar will you be taking stats or something?.If you do take the BC, the beginning will have been covered in your AB class so it will be review. You need 4 years of English. It is really unrealistic to think that you can get into ivy’s with a soft schedule, especially if others from your school are applying and will have that. For UC’s is isn’t quite so difficult if you are instate and you are okay with possibly not getting only into the top tiers. </p>
<p>Also go get some advice from your GC. The GC will have the kind of inside info about your school that we don’t have, like when he can check off ‘most rigorous schedule’ and what sort of acceptances they have in the past.</p>
<p>What you write about is exactly what very competitive colleges hope to discover about their applicants – whether or not they are academically adventurous and seeking academic challenge, w/o regard for grades. Your attitude towards AP Eng Lit and 4th year Spanish screams that you’re not the sort of student those colleges want, I have to tell you.</p>
<p>They don’t want grade grubbers who protect their GPA or class ranking like a mother bear with her cubs. They want people who will push themselves – because that’s what they want admitted students to do in their colleges.</p>
<p>I’m not saying this to slam you – you definitely have massive academic potential and are pretty much guaranteed a stellar collegiate career – but it’s just not combined with the daring that will make you desirable to the top schools.</p>
<p>Okay, thank you guys! I really do want to take both the classes, I was just afraid that if it pulled my GPA down too much it might hurt my chances of getting into a good college.</p>
<p>The most selective colleges want to see you take the hardest options available to you for each subject and get A grades in them.</p>
<p>UCs do not consider senior year grades if you apply as a high school senior (though they will see what courses you report taking as a senior) – but admission offers are typically conditional on doing well enough in your senior year courses (>= 3.0 GPA and no D or F grades is a typical condition for UCs, although they do vary somewhat).</p>
<p>Some other colleges want a midyear report with your fall senior year grades. In addition, poor grades in your spring senior year courses can cause them to rescind admission offers, just like at UCs.</p>