OK. I just looked again at the string. As a side note, if not AP Lit, then it would be an honors English class. The fear with AP lit is the reading, since C is a slow reader. Great analytical skills and an excellent writer/communicators - gets A+ in very competitive English classes from tough teachers, including AP Lang. So, C can already write and communicate very well. It is just the idea of taking honors English versus AP Lit because APs are generally considered higher level classes. Here is the conflict: Several people I asked in higher ed said AP Lit is not nec for engineering majors and that the Honors English is fine. The counselor is the one pushing AP LIt b/c C is in the small group of very top students in this competitive school and she feels not taking AP Lit drops C from that group. I just don’t know if the counselor is correct.
If the counselor is not going to check the highest course rigor box, you may have a problem. And that’s totally at the discretion of the counselor.
“those that communicate well become the leaders of the team” - That makes sense. Just not sure how much AP Lit would help on that (no experience there for me or my kids). It still could be a useful course, just probably a significant time commitment.
Someone mentioned engineering students not being that verbal. In addition to the lit and lang classes, I would highly recommend a class in public speaking (for everyone, not just engineers). They say (whoever they are) public speaking is the leading fear among many people (including death) meaning they’d rather die than give a speech.
A public speaking class won’t change all that but will get the student a bit more comfortable. Very important later in life: leading meetings, sharing ideas in group settings, weighing in on conversations. Hard to be a leader if you can’t deliver the message confidently.
Why is it important to be a leader? Leaders (generally) make more $, have better job security, have more impact on the organization, etc.
Toastmasters is another outlet for young professionals (or anyone) to develop public speaking skills.
You never know when you need to make a great toast. Family gathering or important business dinner!
My son in high school took AP seminar /Research the first year it was offered at his school. Only 12 kids in it and they were all good writers. Writing “was” my son’s weakness with public speaking. He even put this in his essay or application why he took this class series. The class like transformed him. He became a really good writer and a better speaker for someone who was that typical introverted shyer engineering student. His research paper in high school became a student org and conference which he led in college. In his closing remarks at the tech conference he actually made a reference how much this one class helped changed him.
So yes to @rickle1 get written and public speaking experience if possible or work on it in college.
Oral communication aka public speaking is an engineering requirement at D’s college. Lots of kids try to test out of it but the advisors don’t recommend it. I agree that it is a necessary life skill and being able to communicate is essential for job success.
At UR, regardless of what English you took in HS, everyone took English classes. There way no testing out them, even engineering students. They just put you in a higher level English class.
Find out who teaches AP Lit at your child’s school. My son’s teacher was amazing and my son feels that that teacher enabled him to become an excellent writer.
BTW, my son took both advanced English and AP Lit. At his school AP Lang and Comp was the harder choice and his 11th grad English teacher felt that even though it was two English classes, it would be a good choice for him.
My son hated his honors English teacher and loved his AP Lit teacher so thankfully he took them both.