<p>I was saying both are important. You’re already way ahead in math which is great, but take the sciences and Japanese too.</p>
<p>Hmom, I never recommended that koken not take AP Chem and Physics. I even suggested he take AP Bio (which he had already taken).</p>
<p>I think our conversation points to why it’s so important not to work based only off the advice you receive online. College admissions is a nuanced game with subtle delineations. When the thead started, I as under the impression that Koken was worried about getting mostly B’s if he took a harder course load. My response changed when I realized that he was looking at a far less “dramatic” situation. Earlier in the thread, you gave me the impression that a even one or two B’s in an AP course at Andover could ruin admissions chances. You later clarified your message to something less dramatic. I don’t think we’re as far off from one another as earlier conversation suggests. Ultimately, the only real point of divergence seems over how advisable it would be to take AP Japanese – and even now, with the new information Koken’s provided, I think everyone concurs that it’d be a good idea to give it a try. Through a protracted conversation in which Koken shared more information about his situation, he’s decided that taking AP Japanese is probably a good idea – and that he can just drop it early if it’s not working out. Sounds like a happy ending. </p>
<p>My experience has been that the admissions game is full of sensationalism, hyperbole, and information that is true in narrow circumstances but applied too broadly to an overly general set of circumstances. Too many counselors and admissions folks take the easy way out – just take the absolute most difficult course in every single subject area – or CYA by telling the student to do every single thing imaginable. That way no one can come back and say, “Well, you didn’t tell me I should have…” People try to reduce the admissions game to a set of rules and protocols, and it’s not really possible to do that. There are many times when “conventional wisdom” isn’t what works best for an individual student in a particular circumstance. It would be great if every single high school student had a career that concluded with differential equations, AP Physics C, two AP foreign language courses, AP Lit, AP Econ/Govt, AP Art, and AP Chemistry. Unfortunately, that’s just not always realistic! </p>
<p>My experience has also been that the stronger academic program one’s high school offers, the less true the notion of having to take the absolutely most rigorous course of study becomes. Many students who attend New Trier, certain Fairfax County Schools, Collegiate, various science and math academies, etc., get into top tier schools without taking the absolutely most rigorous course load. I </p>
<p>And another thing, we’ve established that koken isn’t looking specifically at the Ivies. The Ivies (and a couple of other schools) are much more competitive than many of the other top 30 schools.</p>
<p>There is a popular article that floats around written by a journalist in the committee meetings at Middlebury. There, one C can kill a kid. I do believe more than a few B’s, and those mostly in a kids weaker areas, hurts a lot at the very top schools.</p>
<p>Wow, that was very insightful Access. I think you got my dilemna spot on - to take Japanese or not to. Let me clarify some things about my Japanese history:</p>
<p>-I’ve been taking Japanese since 7th grade, never gotten an A in the class in high school</p>
<p>-I’m the president and an officer in two Japanese related clubs</p>
<p>-I took the JLPT 3(Japanese Language Proficiency Test) and passed (I took this so that I have a bench mark in case I don’t take Japanese AP)</p>
<p>-I do not believe I am Japanese AP level and if I take it next year I will probably be struggling to hold a B, might end up dropping it, and if I stick with it, probably end up with a 3 on the AP test.</p>
<ul>
<li>This might be the dreamer in me but I want to go to Japan for a year for studies (This probably won’t happen once I get too attached to my college/friends there)</li>
</ul>
<p>There are so many factors of commitment and competency in taking Japanese AP that I am thoroughly confused. </p>
<p>As for AP Chem and AP Physics and Differential Calc,
This is NOT a cakewalk for me. As my GPA shows I am not exactly a stellar student when it comes to keeping an A. I am very worried that I might end up with a B in these classes.</p>
<p>I’m questioning myself as to whether taking difficult classes is really worth taking the risk of bombing first semester senior year. If I go to a summer research program this summer I will not have time to study for retaking SATs/ACTs in the summer (I totally messed up and got a 2100 :() nor will I have time to start college Apps. As I realize these things I start to question myself more and get even more confused. Sorry for taking up your time Access, you’ve been a great help to me.</p>
<p>Hmom5, more than a few B’s definitely hurts – hurts big time – at top schools. That’s why I was concerned about Koken’s course selection earlier. If taking an extraordinarily difficult course load was going to result in him getting a bunch of B’s, then those B’s were likely a greater threat than having “just” a tremendously difficult course load instead of an extraordinarily difficult one.</p>
<p>Still, there are so many variables. I know a kid two years ago who got into Dartmouth and Cornell. He went to one of the elite regional science/math academies. He took seven courses both semesters of his junior year and only six both semesters of his senior year. He decided to take some quirky special offering literature course instead of AP Lit, only took one semester of BC Physics and then dropped it second semester for something like a molecular genetics. He also did an independent study instead of AP Psych. Out of 26 grades, he had something like 14 A’s, 11 B’s, and a C. His SAT I/IIs were 720ish. You just never know.</p>
<p>I would say try th AP Japanese and then drop it if it’s providing too hard or tiresome. There’s nothing wrong with entertaining your dream!</p>
<p>As for differential calc… you said it was an afterschool club or something like that? I would say that there’s no real reason to take this unless you really have your heart set on MIT, CalTech, or an Ivy. Adcoms don’t expect students to take special afterschool club courses to meet the rigorous course load criteria. AP Stats should do just fine, especially when combined with the BC Calc you already have. You’re way ahead in math already. Wouldn’t it be sad if you got to college and didn’t even have to take a math course? 
Also, AP Stats will help you a lot more in biology than differential calculus.</p>
<p>Koken, the whole situation will be helped if you choose your colleges wisely.</p>
<p>I don’t believe you’ve told us where you hope to apply.</p>
<p>Put yourself in the adcom seat. You never got an A in Japanese. There’s a glaring whole senior year where AP Japanese should be. Conclusion? You don’t plug away at things that are tough for you.</p>
<p>Will that be a huge issue at NYU or Emory with a 2200 and several B’s? Probably not. Will it be at ivies, Williams and Amherst? Yes.</p>