Difficulty deciding what classes to take sophomore year

Pre-College Issues
101

Find the NPC (net price calculator) for your atate flagship and fill it out with your parents. Then run the NPC on Williams (one of the best and most generous colleges out there) and on Penn. Are they all affordable?

Does your State have a “tech” flagship -like Georgia Tech, Purdue, Virginia Tech?

Your schedule is really unbalanced. You’ll really need to talk with your GC to see whether it makes sense for your school. Spread things out logically for each grade. Sophomore year shouldn’t be one of the most rigorous years, it should be a transition year.
I see the logical progression in Math, History/Social science, and Spanish. Keeping Orchestra all 4 years is also good.

However, for most schools, the plan I outlined way upthread would be a good guide of academic expectations at top colleges.
What makes the difference is extrqcurriculars in relation to institutional need - community (neighborhood, school… region…) impact, academic or athletic competition winners…

102

Hang in there - despite multiple posters I do understand that you have to select courses way earlier than one would hope. Just keep on plugging away -and dont’ worry about others -take the classes that make sense for you 2

1 Like
103

It sounds as though others have done similar at your school. Maybe not many but some. Ap chem and phys1 are tough but doable together. Leave the precalc there—there is no need to accelerate even further in math. Do something extracurricular in summer instead! And talk to either a counselor or the head of the science department at your school and see what they think of your plan. If you don’t have all As this year (and can do it while getting a normal amount of sleep ) then you need to be realistic and downshift this intense schedule a notch or two.

3 Likes
104

Will do! Thanks for the advice, I have a quick question if you wouldn’t mind, what is the difference between AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2? I emailed my counselor and she told me that it was just a matter of which topics were covered. Is there more rigor in two?

I checked the prerequisites and at my school both physics 1 and 2 have no prerequisite and are not the prereqs for each other (AP Physics 1 is not needed for AP Physics 2) which is why I am a little confused on which to take.

105

Exactly - not sure why another poster is saying you have to pick classes early. Not true from what I’ve seen. It’s ok to game plan of course - but then you have to adapt if a situation warrants.

At least in our experience it was end year - and students can get a recommendation…or a “counseling” if they go where a teacher doesn’t think they belong.

It sounds like this student is top shelf - and everyone is different - hence they should, when it’s time, counsel with the folks at school - but I imagine this early in the year, they don’t as yet know the student.

But time would be better spent getting the ECs going vs. worrying about this now.

106

Perhaps you can read their actual posts where they discuss the need to pick classes early.

1 Like
107

AP physics1 is commonly used as an intro to physics the year before APphysicsC and is similar in course material to honors HS physics based on algebra. Take that one over 2. It will prepare you better for the majority of PhysC.

1 Like
108

Super acceleration is not the key factor in getting into top colleges.
You need to demonstrate rigor, yes. But you do not need to double up in science sophomore year and skip precalculus. All you need is the “most rigorous” check from your GC and ask what that requires.

In fact, precalculus (H) as a sophomore is already accelerated; the course is the foundation for further math so needs to be taken and mastered. Zipping through it is a bad idea - if you find the class easy, supplement it with a class from Art of Problem Solving.

Talk with the Head of Science and see if you can even take AP Chem and Ap Physics 1 together.
If you don’t like Biology and you skipped it without taking it ever, not even in MS (who made this decision?) a solution may be to take Biology over the summer and save AP physics 1 for junior year, which would still leave senior year open for another AP science of your choice.

If you never took Biology, how do you know it’s “disgusting”?

AP Physics 1&2 are the same level but different topics. Physics 1 topics overlap with some in Physics C, with one solving them using Algebra and one using Calculus. Taking both 1&2 is helpful for premeds, taking 1 then C is helpful for any major in a college of engineering. That’s why waiting a bit till you know what you want to do 4 years from now may be a good idea.

Don’t forget to run the NPC on your state flagship(s) and the 2 “generous” colleges I listed to see whether you’ll even be allowed to apply to top colleges. If your parents’income is under 125k they’re probably cheaper than the flagship, if it’s between 125k-250k doable above 250-280k income you’ll be full pay so will your parents be able to pay one third of their income to send you to college?
Running the NPC now will help you calibrate your college expectations and search.

2 Likes
109

Doubling your sample size, I too started off as an engineering major (in my case nuclear). I enjoyed, but did not love the coursework; let’s say I persevered rather than thrived. I completed that degree and got a second degree in history and then went to law school. I have not worked a day professionally as an engineer, but did work for a number of years as an attorney and now as an executive in a company.

A well thought out plan allows for variation. I did not enter college with my current profession in mind, but each step built upon the other.

I wish your daughter much luck and an engineering degree will open many doors in life and the problem solving skills learned can be applied in everything she does.

1 Like
110

Saw your thread over Medical Terminology. Most colleges consider it an elective.
Medical school is probably 9 years* from now for you so not only will you not remember all those terms, if it’s a problem for you to learn them at age 22 then probably med school isn’t in the cards anyway. It’s short, it’s kind of pointless and I’m not sure why they recommended it to you as a freshman.
(*You need to complete 4 years of HS, 4 years of college, then there’s typically one or two “glide years” before you start med school. I think average age when entering med school is 25.)

If it’s giving you too much hw and you’re not enjoying it, drop Medical Terminology. Take something else like ceramics or culinary arts or graphic design or whatever you can take instead.

As for AP Bio, you don’t need it. But if you haven’t taken any biology class, you have to take it.
I stand by my advice of taking AP Bio Soph year, AP Physics 1-2 junior year, and AP Chem senior year so that the class is fresh when you start college and have to manage weedout Gen Chem, but if you want to take AP Chem and Honors Bio or whateve as a Sophomore, it’s fine.

TLDR: colleges don’t care about Medical Terminology so if it’s making you miserable, drop it; make sure you have some form of Biology (MS or HS, honors or AP) on your transcript alongside chemistry and physics.

2 Likes
111

Yeah I tried my best to drop the course but the counselor just didn’t let me reason being, “we are not allowed to make changes anymore, best of luck” I don’t even see the use of this pathetic course that’s making us stay up till 1 on weekends just memorizing dozens of pages.

I wish I had taken AP Bio this year, I really am a total idiot. I don’t really want to fall into the hole of despair thinking about what I could have done so I think I’ll just suck it up and study. I will be giving my middle school counselor a good talking to when I meet them next or atleast asking them not to torture other children the same way as they did me and my friends.

I don’t really know what I’ll do at this point, seems I messed everything up from the start and it’s frustrating because everyone either has a sibling or parent who went to school here to ask for advice, I don’t really have anyone but myself and the advice I get online. Oh well. I’ll just have to compensate in one way or the other.

112

tldr: worried I messed it up from the start, no one to offer me advice when I need it, conclusion: have to suck it up

113

Think you need to adjust your attitude.

This isn’t the first oops in life nor the last.

You’re a first year and you’ll still have a very rigorous schedule.

Move on - and stop fretting.

That’s my advice.

2 Likes
114

So, in your honest opinion by not taking AP Biology freshman year and letting out on this golden opportunity I haven’t hurt my chances in getting into a good college in any way? I agree that my attitude is not optimal right now but I can’t help but think it’s right.

115

My god, no first year takes AP Bio - and few even take APs - usually Human Geo.

And define good college - they’re all good if you take advantage.

I think it’s appalling how much pressure the youth of today put on themselves. What causes this?

I think you can sleep well knowing nothing is messed up.

2 Likes
116

Thank you, I needed this. Have a great night.

1 Like
117

In my honest opinion it is a good thing that you did not take AP bio this year. You can take it junior or senior year, and you are likely to do better in it due to having waited a year or two or three before taking it. For example an A in AP bio taken junior year is better than a B or a C in AP bio taken freshman year.

And doing well in AP bio during your junior or senior year of high school will be helpful if you go on to take biology courses in university.

3 Likes
118

NO ONE NEEDS AP BIO FRESHMAN YEAR ( or ever, if they’ve taken biology or Biology honors at any point of MS or HS).

^read this daily.

The adults posting here aren’t random people on the internet. They know what they’re talking about. Please read our responses again and take them seriously. We understand you’re on your own for scheduling but we can only help if you listen to us. And just in case it’s not clear to you, the advice given here focuses on what you need to do for highly selective colleges.

What State do you live in?
AP courses, save for AP Human Geo, are NOT meant for freshmen, or even sophomores (though sophomores MAY take AP CS Principles or AP Psych or, fo the very most advanced, AP World History or AP Bio. NOT taking any of these as a sophomore is NOT a problem for highly selective colleges though).

Read your HS catalog carefully so that you know what the exact date for dropping (or withdrawing) is. Talk with your parents about Medical Terminology, explaining it’s an elective that is no use for college applications AND is taking time away from your sleep and other classes (classes that DO matter).
Once your parents are on the same page, make an appointment with your GC so they talk to your GC and make the point you want to drop, they support that decision, and according to the school catalog, you’re allowed to drop, so the class should dropped from your schedule and you should be able to take another elective in the Spring.
Indeed, you may not be able to add a class for 1st semester or Fall term, but I’ve never heard of a HS where it’s impossible to drop before November. And your parents’ voice will carry more.
Then look at semester-long unweighted classes and take one of them for Spring semester, especially if it’s got no link to medical anything (sociology may be a 1-semester class, non AP geography, or anything artistic.) Elective classes that make you well-rounded academically matter more than seemingly hyperspecialized classes. Selective colleges don’t want “vocational” students who focus just on one subject with a vocational goal; they want HS students who are intellectually curious, read, learn about their society and other cultures, get involved in their HS and their community, etc. College will be a time of greater specialization and for some of them, grad/professional school.
As a result, take classes (especially electives in the Humanities&Social sciences, especially in 9th&10th) that show you’ve got an inquisitive mind.
Refer to the progression I presented at the beginning of your thread. If necessary, type it up. It should be your guide.

AP Bio in the 10th grade, AP Physics 1 or 2 in the 11th, and AP chem in the 12th grade, would already be a very thorough and advanced path if you want to be premed.

Wrt your MS counselor, approach them kindly. The course is typically an easy elective. That the HS teacher for this class doesn’t want the class to be “an easy elective” is not your MS counselor’s fault. Do inform them that the class is currently designed as a senior elective and is thus inappropriate for freshmen.

4 Likes
119

Thank you, I live in Texas by the way.

120

You are being way too hard on yourself. You are only in 9th grade and it’s still September! You have all of HS ahead of you.

You do not have to take AP bio in 9th grade. That’s the truth.

2 Likes