I currently a student at a mediocre international school in China despite the fact that it is a pretty serious one that has sent students to Columbia Uni and Princeton.
Because of many circumstances, the school is focusing on IB and there are only approximately 14 courses offered for AP and limitations stating that each year of secondary corresponds AP’s you can take (Sophomore 2, Junior 3, Senior 4) because the school wants you to have upwards growth.
Currently I’m taking AP comp A and Psych in sophomore year.
(I’ve also self learned AP for micro and macro not knowing what to do)
I’m constantly pressured by lots of people about finance and lib arts failing in their work. So far, I would like to go for data science with exactly no AP guide to the major.
Which Ap’s should I take further on? Is AP IB mix necessary if I could get more classes? Is self studying AP really necessary? I feel like much of my courses also doesn’t match the major.
I would really appreciate some help on my already pathetic high school timeline.
Really, Please
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IB curriculums are well known to US colleges. Despite what you may have read, US college admissions is not about who has the most number of AP courses, it’s about rigor, and IB curriculums are plenty rigorous. Just be sure that you reach the high level of math offered at your school and take chem and physics.
PS. Many schools in the US limit the number of AP courses students can take. My D’s HS did the same as yours but students were limited to 3 APs in senior year too, unless they got special permission.
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Thank you; our school also did the same as yours but considering I am probably one of the top students at our school there is no reason to believe why I can’t get special permission. I really appreciate your reply. I want to confirm some last few things:
-Given that I’m going for a data science major I should go for ap calc chem physics
-Does self study help with US UK colleges? I would really like it if I entered something like CMU, UCB, Edinburgh, or say UCL (LOL I have no hopes in ivies and oxford cambridge).
-Does Econ and Psyc necessarily help me on the application
-Any further tips? Anything that is left for me to take in senior?
Also our school offers a mix choice where in junior year you can take two ib singular courses and get certificates while taking 3 ap’s. Would that necessarily help? Or would it be useless and redundant?
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So can you do the IB diploma? That’s considered the most rigorous courseload. No need to take more AP classes on top of that.
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If you are aiming for highly selective US colleges as a STEM major, yes, you should take the highest rigor for math + chem and physics offered in your school. If you can do HL in those subjects that is as rigorous (if not more) than AP.
No, self study doesn’t help with US colleges but I can’t speak for UK since I know they are more test based admission. (Hopefully someone else more familiar with UK college admission will chime in).
US colleges expect high school students to take 4 years of math, science, English, history, and foreign language. They don’t expect students to specialize in HS.
My advice is to continue to challenge yourself academically, do your best in your classes, do well on your standardized tests, and then create a well balanced college list. Schools like CMU are incredibly competitive and expensive.
Don’t worry about the AP structure!
No I can’t really because I don’t feel like I’m really suitable for that learning route. It’s a one shotter and if you mess it up, there’s nothing to back you up. I don’t like that feeling. AP is tons more secure to me in many aspects. But yes, I am starting to kind of regret my decision. That’s why I’m trying right now to make the best out of it
Yes I agree CMU is incredibly hard to get in despite I constantly try to set my hopes high. On the bright side I have lots of extra curriculars especially to the fact that I’ve done 200 hours of volunteering in a single year and have received school’s highest honor for that. I do debate, MUN, Band and am also part of MAT and Rho Khappa. Is CMU too high to ask for? Are there any other highly recognized schools I could go for if I keep filling up AP limitations to its fullest and get mostly 5’s and some fours and obtain GPA of 3.9?
Do graduates of your HS who have taken AP classes and not the IB route have a good track record of acceptance to US colleges, including the most selective ones?
Do you have any budget constraints? If so, what can/will your family pay for college per year?
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Would something like UCSD or perhaps Umich be more realistic choices? Would I have good chances in these?
First of all, there’s a lot of self-loathing in your initial post. Stop beating yourself up. You are who you are: a normal teen. You may not be destined for Princeton and you can live a great life without it. Believe me, it’s hard to see now, but the minute you leave high school, none of this is going to matter. You have made choices that are better for your sanity so cut yourself some slack.
If your high school sends students to excellent US colleges, it’s going to be familiar with how to assist you with your app. There are many excellent colleges that aren’t HYP. Take as many rigorous classes as you can handle without going crazy. Apply to colleges that interest you. Look beyond the alleged Top 20. Look at LACs too, where you may get a much more enjoyable four years of education.
ECs are great, but colleges will see from your high school profile how your record compares to other students. If other kids do the IB diploma, colleges will know that. So focus on taking the classes that you are most interested in, which might be relevant to your future major, and in which you will be able to do well. Grades are the single most important factor so keep,them high and continue doing stuff that interests you.
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More broadly, it has been the “road not taken” but I have seen some higher grade friends go to places like UWmadison Emory. Otherwise, I’m not sure, but it’s not overwhelming.
pay is basically 0 worries, but I would strongly avoid anything above NYU expenses. That is the top I can go
It’s really been my aim to go to the top 20 or at least know I tried. I get that It’s not the most preferrable path but why not I was really just trying to test with what I like this year and kind of get on track. I really just wanna be great and stand out at the very least wwwwwwwwww.
yes would something like Umich or UCSD be more realistic? I saw Umich also offers a great data science program I think.
Also very tough admits but great schools. Do you have any SAT/ACT scores yet?
I’m currently sophomore but not yet, I did the bluebook mock and got a 1450 and am currently doing classes. Possibly something 1500 above by the time I put it up. ACT I currently have no idea about.
What do you like about t20 colleges? Which list do you refer to? There are lots of lists and they all start with #1. If you want a shot at a top college, you have to find reasons beyond the number.
You can stand out at college too. In fact, many students come into their own when they are at college. You can become a person who stands out when you finish college, or when you are midway into your career. Don’t restrict your possibilities by thinking you must hit your peak in life at the age of 16.
Being realistic, if your school regularly sends kids to HYP and similar, I suspect those students are the ones doing IB diploma. You have chosen a different route that isn’t better or worse. Create a realistic list based on what you will have to work with. Apply to the top 20, whichever list suits you, but you also need to apply to colleges where you have a realistic chance of getting in.
Applications and supplemental essays for top colleges are a TON of work. I suggest saving your energy for colleges where you have a reasonable chance of acceptance. UW Madison is a fine school. So is CWRU, and U Rochester. Do some more research using the Fiske guide and not just the USNWR rankings.
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Come back to CC and post a chance me in your second semester of junior year.
You only need to take the SAT or the ACT, not both. Yes, aim for 1500+ on the SAT.
In the meantime, don’t stress. Enjoy your sophomore year!
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Applications and Essays I have consulting services and the school covered for me so there’s not really a big fuss about it. The problem currently is mainly with my AP’s because it’s pretty unstable in terms of categories currently because I’m trying things out. I would really mostly like the USNews ranking higher because theresa big possibility I cannot stay there: it’s pretty clear now that the US isn’t very generous when giving green cards and chinese companies look at qs or us for us schools.
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