Complicated College Scheduling

College Life
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<p>This may be confusing, so please bear with me while I make this as short as possible. I am a junior at a new public high school that allows upperclassmen to take classes at both a local community college and our state university which both happen to be in the same city. The community college has a well established program that offers several classes for high school students from many schools, but the state college is in their first year and scheduling with them is a bit difficult. The community college is on a quarter system and the state college is on a semester system which makes matters worse. Both winter quarter and spring semester start in January, spring quarter starts in April, spring semester ends in May, and third quarter ends in June. My school recommends taking classes that add up to the equivalent of 15 quarter credits to be considered a full time student.</p>

<p>Now for my proposed schedule. Winter quarter I plan to take: calculus 2 (5 quarter credits) and English 135 (5 quarter credits. Spring semester I plan to take: Environmental science 101 (4 semester credits, equivalent to 6 quarter credits). Finally, spring quarter I plan to take: calculus 3 and history 148 (U.S. history).</p>

<p>The only potential issue this schedule causes is that I do not have room for chemistry until first quarter of my senior year (I took biology freshman year and physics sophomore year). Personally I do not mind waiting to take chemistry, but my parents think it may be a problem if I have not completed it before I apply to college. They also think that taking environmental science might be difficult if I have never taken a chemistry class with a lab. I do not like this idea because I would be taking chemistry at the community college and therefore would not be taking any classes at the state college. My goal is to get into a top tier computer science or business program once I leave for college and I think that taking classes from multiple colleges will give me more of an advantage than taking chemistry before my senior year. Additionally, my high school principal has talked to both Yale and Princeton admission offices and they say taking a variety of classes from both colleges will stand out the most. Any advice?</p>

<p>In summary, is it necessary to take chemistry before an environmental science class in in college for high school credit?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for your help.</p>

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<p>If you’re looking at HYP, I would recommend taking the hardest course load at your high school, not at a local college. The Running Start students I know generally went on to the state flagship with junior status, not Ivy League schools because it’s hard to evaluate an applicant’s course rigor when they’re taking classes from multiple institutions and might even make you a transfer student when applying. </p>

<p>If you’re sure you want to do this, then I guess it’s not a big deal if you don’t take chemistry beforehand. I would try asking students from your high school who were also in your situation. Good luck! </p>

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<p>@Coriander23‌ Unfortunately my local high school doesn’t even offer AP classes, that is why I am taking so many classes at the two colleges. Most of my friends are just taking regular chemistry at our high school this year while only taking a couple classes at the college. Basically I am wondering if taking environmental science instead of chemistry my junior year will hurt my when I am applying.</p>

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<p>Anyone else?</p>

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<p>Can you take all of the college courses at the same college (either the CC or state university) to avoid the quarter versus semester system problems?</p>

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<p>@ucbalmnus, Yes, but I feel each school gives me a valuable education and the admission offices that have talked with my high school want to see students who take classes at a variety of different levels.</p>

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<p>“Variety of different levels” presumably means higher level than college frosh or high school AP level. If Environmental Science 101 is a college frosh level course, that may not be as impressive as Multivariable Calculus, regardless of whether the course is taken at a community college or a four year school. Frosh level courses at community colleges and same-state four year schools are likely to be similar in content and rigor, since the community colleges feed transfer students to the four year schools.</p>