Based on what my school offers, are my junior year schedules ok at least?

Applying to College
1

I am considering my school’s dual enrollment program and my schedule would look like this:
History of the United States since 1877 ( 1 Semester)

Human Genetics 3 ( 1 Semester)
Humanities in the Modern Period ( 1 Semester)

Principles of Macroeconomics ( 1 Semester)

AP Biology

Spanish 2

Pre calculus

Medical Pathology 2

  • I would take English during the summer after junior year ( Taught by college professors in 2 months to cover 2 years of English that my DE would not cover during the school year)

Or my schedule with AP classes:

AP English Language & Comp
AP US History
AP Biology
Spanish 2 ( Also self study AP Spanish Language)
Pre Calculus
Medical Pathology 2

  • FYI: I am interested in competitive schools so I am trying to take advantage of my school's resources but what is more impressive AP or DE?
  • Interested in life sciences, medicine

Please give me an answer quickly ( not like 5 minutes but not 1 week).

2

I like your AP schedule better. Competitive schools are expecting you take 4 years of the core subjects at your school if they are offered. Not taking a year long english class would be a red flag for me.

3

No question in my mind that your AP schedule is far better for selective schools. I would drop that medical Pathology and focus on getting stellar grades on that course load.

Take Spanish 3 during the summer to prep you for AP Spanish 4 senior year . Also senior year , you should get AP Calc or college Calc 1 And 2 into your schedule.

What sciences have you taken thus far?

4

@cptofthehouse regular bio / honors chemistry / AP Bio ( Taking it this year) / and senior year, I’m hoping to take AP Physics 1 and anatomy since I will most likely have one more spot in my schedule and there is not much APs other than in the core subjects.

5

I would focus on doing very well on core subjects culminating in an AP level course or equivalent college course Forget the anatomy course. Getting that Calc, the sciences, the foreign in there is more important

6

My school offers a DE program and the counselors try to get everyone in the program. School starts in 2 weeks and I am enrolled in my DE program but I want to switch to AP classes. Recently, I asked my counselor if our DE courses were rigorous, and he said “oh yes!!!”, etc, etc. He really wants me to do the program ( FYI: my DE program takes place of AP Lang/lit/US history, which are the most important APs). I don’t know if my AP program is that rigorous too since we have new teachers teaching the curriculum. To top 20 schools, AP is seen as extremely rigorous and well known, while in my school, DE is more rigorous according to counselors. Also, my classmate switched from DE to AP classes, which angered her counselor and caused an argument because they are very pro DE rather than pro AP classes. I do not want to provoke my counselor since he is pro DE and I want a great recommendation letter. If I did DE, I would still be able to take other AP classes such as bio/calc/physics/Spanish, just not AP English/history classes.

  • I want to talk to my counselor about switching to AP classes and being dropped from our DE program, should I do it
  • Side note: We talk very often, he knows the type of student I am ( driven), the colleges I want to go to ( UCLA, UC Berkelely, top 20s, etc), and he also went to UCLA so I do trust him in choosing my courses.
  • I am stuck because I thought I was doing a good thing by taking DE classes, but after reading so many posts here on CC, I realized that DE is actually a bad to top 20s and AP is highly favored. So please help and tell me whether I should talk to my counselor about taking all AP classes instead !!!!
7

From the UC perspective AP and DE courses will considered on the same level meaning one is not more rigorous than the other. My opinion is that of other posters that you should take advantage of the AP courses at your HS before considering the DE courses. If you have scheduling issues and have exhausted your HS’s AP courses then DE courses are worth considering. DE courses will be transferable to the California colleges/universities but if you are shooting for Top 20 schools outside CA, then they may not be transferable while AP courses could get your credit. Also any grades you receive at the CC will be part of your permanent college record which will follow you in Graduate school, Medical school, Pharmacy school etc…
Is it all or nothing? Can you take some AP courses and then maybe 1 DE course?