<p>9th grade:</p>
<p>Biology HO
Spanish I (That school didn't offer Spanish I HO)
U.S History HO
English I HO
Inner Man (religious course I was forced to take since it is a religious school)
Physical Education - Personal Fitness
Algebra I (the only honors course I didn't take)</p>
<p>That school only offered four honors courses. I took 3/4.
UW GPA: 3.8. Weighted: 4.1 </p>
<p>Now I am going to a new school. </p>
<p>English II HO
Faith and tradition/prayer and spirituality (have to take it; it's a catholic school)
Chem HO
World History HO
Spanish II (I can't take it because they can't fit it into my schedule. At my new school, they teach World History in 9th grade. At my old school, they taught U.S History. So it's sorta flipped around. My chem class is a junior course, and my world history class is a freshman course. The only place they could put Spanish II HO is where my chem class is. I COULD have honors Spanish if I get rid of another honors course. But it wouldn't make any sense.)
Weight training/psychology (To graduate from this school I need three years of health/physical education. So I have to take weight training.)
Geometry </p>
<p>And yes, straight As so far. </p>
<p>11th grade:</p>
<p>Algebra II HO W/Trig.
Spanish III HO
World Religions
English III HO
Health/Law studies
AP European history
Physics HO </p>
<p>12th grade:</p>
<p>I might get to skip pre-calc and go to AP Calc AB; but otherwise Pre-Calculus HO
AP English Lit
Peace & Justice
AP Spanish Language
Speech & Debate
Anatomy & Physiology HO
AP U.S Government & Politics/Economics HO </p>
<p>..If I want to get into Dartmouth, Middlebury, or any comparable schools, do these schedules look OK? Please, somebody answer me! It's worrying me SICK!!!! </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>It would be a weak schedule at our local HS, but it may be a strong one at your school. Context is everything.</p>
<p>It’s an average schedule at my school. Next semester I’m switching to Geometry HO and I’m taking Algebra II during the summer so instead… here’s my schedule:</p>
<p>11th grade:
Pre-Calculus HO
Spanish III HO
World Religions
English III HO
Health/Law studies
AP European History
Physics HO </p>
<p>…It’s the most rigorous schedule for 11th grade.</p>
<p>12th:
AP Calculus AB
AP English Lit
Peace and Justice
AP Spanish Language
Speech & Debate or AP Art History
Anatomy & Physiology HO
AP U.S Government & Politics/Economics HO</p>
<p>That looks better. Upgrading your math curriculum to include calculus is a very good idea.</p>
<p>FYI, at our HS, the top students I know who were accepted to Ivies took AP Calc BC, not AB. They also took all three AP sciences (bio, chem, and physics), at least one language to the AP level, and at least one social science AP, and everything else honors where possible. Our school had an “AP thread” of English courses, rather than AP English per se, plus a year-long honors Humanities course that was de rigeur for top students. (And a great class.)</p>
<p>The question for you is whether your GC will check the “most rigorous” box on the Common App. Typically, the GC will check the box for everyone who is at or above a certain level of rigor, even though student A might actually have taken an even more rigorous schedule than student B.</p>
<p>Your job is to challenge yourself appropriately, and then look for schools that match YOU, not to attempt to adhere to a schedule that is beyond your capabilities or interests and that would make your life hell. Some students can carry 5 APs and 7+ courses, plus be a 3-season athlete with other demanding ECs and be just fine. Others would find it excessively stressful. Some schools virtually demand that every student be a BMOC type, while others are happy to accept retiring intellectuals, too. There are many fine colleges in the US. You will find some that fit your needs. D may or may not be one of them. </p>
<p>I’m not saying this because I don’t think D is for YOU, BTW. It’s just that a lot of times we parents see kids who are turning themselves inside out to try to please schools, rather than striving to be themselves and find the school that fits.</p>
<p>Yes, I know. See, my motto is “be greater than average.” I try so unbelievably hard to be the best that I possibly can at everything I do. School goes along with that too! But it all depends on what I pick for my career. If I decide to be a vet, well, I know that for undergrad it doesn’t matter where I go. But I would like to go to Middlebury, JHU, Dartmouth, Bowdoin, Amherst, Salem State, UConn, UVM, Tufts, BC, etc. But if I decide to be a vet I have my school already picked out. UPenn; hands down. Not just because it’s an Ivy League, but because I’m a native Pennsylvanian myself, and the atmosphere of the school itself just seems so right for me. I’m hooked on that school; regardless of what I major I choose. </p>
<p>My school only has AP Bio (I took bio honors last year, …don’t think it would be good to take it again lol), AP U.S History (same thing; took it last year…honors), AP European History (taking that next year), AP U.S Government & Politics (taking that senior year), AP Calculus AB (NOT BC) …they don’t offer BC at my school. AP Spanish Language (taking that senior year), and AP English Lit & Comp, which I’m taking senior year. So I’m taking all the APs that are available. I could take AP Bio, and AP U.S History, but that would be stupid and pointless. I already took them. They also offer AP Art History. …but I’m not into Art and I know that colleges want me to pick APs and Extracurriculars that I am passionate about. I’m a big history buff and language connoisseur.</p>
<p>Some of the best vet schools in the country are big state schools. Think Kansas State, Colorado State, Washington State, North Carolina State.</p>
<p>True. But I got my sights set on Penn.</p>