Conflicting Senior Schedule, which class should I take??

Applying to College
1

Hello CC-

Here’s how my schedule for senior year looks like
AP Calc BC
AP Lit
AP Physics C
AP Gov/AP Macroecon
Honors Western Philosophy (UC Credit course)
Period 6:??

So with my period 6, I have a choice between 2 classes: AP Statistics and Humanities III (which is a class reserved for our Academic Decathlon team). Let me elaborate on my concerns/comments on each class.

AP Stats: has never been taught at my school before, but it will be taught by a teacher I had in 10th grade. I’m also considering statistics as a major, it just seems like fun to me.

Humanities III/ AcademicDecathlon: So I was on the academic team last year (one of the 3 on the A team), but I didn’t compete at the regional and state competitions because I was seriously ill. I was also the only junior on the team; everyone else was a senior. This year, the Academic Decathlon team is having a summer school class (which I cannot attend because of 2 summer programs and work) where they start going through all the materials. There are like 10-12 people in the class (9 seniors, 3 juniors) who I know will be on the A team (in which there are only 3 spots available); 12 people just in summer competing for 3 spots that are reading the materials 10 weeks before the school year even starts… it doesn’t seem like too good of a time investment to me. The Academic coach also writes stellar recommendation letters for STEM schools (the field I want to go into); she was my AP Chem teacher. Should I even join if my chances are going to be slim for getting into one of those 3 spots?? Fyi, I can only play on the A team because of my GPA.

2

Did you take AP Chem this year? If so, can you email your AP Chem teacher now and ask her to write a recommendation for you (while you’re still fresh in her head)?

You’re right, statistics is fun and it’s one of those fields that can take you anywhere. I’d go for the AP Stats. Since you already expect not to make the decathlon team, I don’t see the point of taking what sounds like a drill class.

3

I would say if you are considering majoring in Math/Stats, take the Stats class to see if you like Stats.

4

You may want to ask the teacher how realistic your chances of getting on the team are.

Taking statistics can give you a low level introduction to the subject so that you can get an idea of what it is like. It will not, however, be useful for advanced placement in the statistics major, since statistics courses for the major require calculus and more advanced math as prerequisites.

5

I agree that stats sounds like a good option for you given your interest in the field. It sounds like you will be starting from behind in the Humanities III class which is rarely a good idea. If you still want to consider Humanities III I would have a serious talk with the teacher in advance to see if it will be an issue if you don’t attend the summer program, your chances to make the team etc. And if you had that teacher for AP Chem it you could still ask him/her for a recommendation.

6

I would go for AP Stat, would probably look better to colleges.