Hi!
I’m currently a sophomore in HS.
I would like some help with my schedule, with what I should and should not take.
freshman:
hnrs English I
hnrs World Cultures
hnrs Java/CS
hnrs geometry
hnrs biology
cp latin I
study hall ( was required )
pe
sophomore (classes im taking now)
hnrs English II
hnrs US History I
AP Biology (Occupies elective + Study Hall Space)
hnrs Algebra II
hnrs Chemistry
hnrs Latin II
pe
notes:
-APUSH is almost impossible to get into. You have to have a very good grade to be recommended. I want to take it for a GPA booster but I despise history and I doubt that I’ll get recommended.
-I really really realllly wanna drop latin. (check my other post about that)
-PE is required all four years sadly
-I can drop my language or study hall. If I drop my study hall next year, I will have 2 spaces open to electives/classes I want to take
-I want to work in the medical field. Sounds unrealistic, but I want to go to a school like UCLA or UCSD. Are those good schools for the medical field? What classes should I take for that?
classes I want to take:
-AP Macro (Required finance class)
-CP Ceramics (Required Art Course–If I do take it, I should take it senior year, seniors get first pick on classes/top priority and if I try to take it any other year I’ll end up getting my back up elective)
-AP Art History
-AP Chemistry
-AP Psychology (I definitely want to take this senior year)
-Hnrs Anatomy & Physiology
-AP Java (I’m not a fan of the class though, but the teacher is really nice and super good at teaching)
-Calculus BC (Senior year, I have the ability to take a math course over the summer)
Actually I’m gonna disagree with @bopper on this. I’m a sophomore taking 4 lab sciences at once (I took 4 last year) cuz I’m super passionate abt science, and workload-wise it’s difficult but it’s possible (and I’m not sacrificing my ECs for it. ) Chemistry really helps you understand AP Bio better, especially since the first unit we did was biochem. I’d caution you to do this only if u know you’re passionate about science and the prospect of 3 chapter outlines isn’t torture to you, however.
APUSH tends to be more difficult for science/math types–I had my slice of humble pie with that class. I just couldn’t get over the fact that I was forced to memorize things I couldn’t derive or come by through intuition!
I think your current course load plan is certainly sufficiently challenging for UCLA.
UCs require level 2 of foreign language, but recommend level 3 or higher.
However, in the medical field, it may be more useful to know a modern language for patient communication (recent immigrants or visitors), though Latin may help with some terminology.
@zombiekid I am going to disagree with zombiekid because taking 4 lab courses is not normal or advisable.
What I think is that posters that come here and ask are unsure about their schedule. They are wondering if it is too tough. Because it is important not just to take the class, but do well in it. I assure you colleges don’t care that you took AP Bio as a sophomore if you do poorly. They would think “that was dumb, why did they take it as a sophomore when the were clearly not ready?”
But there are some people that know they can handle more work but I don’t think they come here to ask (unless they are showing off).
I try to give advice that is consistent with what colleges look for but will not overwhelm a student.
Stick with Latin or learn a spoken foreign language. You’ll need to be fluent in another language if you make it to med school, you could try and start now.
Don’t take AP Chem and AP Bio the same year. They’re very time intensive and require lab reports where labs may conflict.
Honors Physics + AP Bio together would be okay even though it’d be tough. Be sure you can handle it before you do such a thing.
@bopper thanks for the advice! i honestly actually think that i wont do too bad doing two sciences. Chem is pretty easy imo, its mostly math based. my bio teacher last year basically taught us ap bio (he gave us ap worksheets and taught us ap info) and the class is pretty easy right now! i understand most of it from last year
@ucbalumnus i was going to take either spanish or latin. i was told that latin was an easy weight and that it was good for the medical field/sats so thats why i took it but im sort of regretting it now
Honors Chem and AP Bio is a good combination - the recommendation is “no AP CHEM AND AP BIO” together. Meaning you can tape Honors Physics and AP Chem subsequently (AP Chem is level 2 after Honors Chem).
If you can’t learn the medical vocabulary, you’re not cut out for med school, so Latin is kind of useless for that purpose. (Med school is SO MUCH MORE complicated than vocabulary…) Try to take Spanish at a local community college next semester level 1 in college = high school level 1+2. So, reaching college Spanish level 3 (1 semester in the Spring, two semesters next year) would cover you through High School Level 4.
Are you a California resident?
UCLA admission rate is about 15%.
If you’re serious about med school you’ll go to the dedicated UC campus, ie., Riverside.
