<p>I often have scheduling conflicts, but being my senior year next year, this has been the toughest dilemma I've yet to face.
I've taken 4 math courses in high school already (Honors Geometry, H algebra II, AP Stats, and H Precalc this year). Next year, I was signed up to take AP Calc. HOWEVER, my passion is in the performing arts. Ever since freshmen year, I've been in theatrical society, and taken the acting classes every year. Next year, I'll be in Honors Directing, but it is the same period as AP Calc.
I have 2 choices - I can take AP Calc, and then work with a freshmen acting class and direct them as a separate senior project and get credit for directing,
or
I can take VHS AP Calc and take Directing. My passion is acting, and if I do my senior project, I will not get to act at all, whereas if I take the Directing Class, I'd get to be in other student's plays. Plus, I've been with my friends in that class since 9th grade, and half the reason why I enjoy it so much is because it's a break class for me in my rigorous schedule. It is not just an elective for me. When my AP Calc teacher found out about this situation, he was very upset by the fact that I was going to choose VHS AP Calc because he said the education would not be the same. My mother seems to feel the same way.
I feel like none of the adults see my passion for this and how much theater means to me. My mother feels I have no future as an actress so my talent is pretty much wasted, and I should not give up a good class/good grade for acting.
BTW, I'd like to major in either business management/entrepreneural studies OR communications and journalism, and minor in acting. I'd major in acting if my parents weren't concerned with the fact that I'd probably not have a steady income if I did.
I am so conflicted and can't decide what to do. Go with my heart or go with my brain?</p>
<p>Instead of choosing between your heart and your brain, how about taking all of your body parts over to a community college?</p>
<p>Could you handle one community college course on top of your regular academic courseload and extracurricular activities? Every community college on the planet offers calculus. You could take the directing course at your high school and take calculus at the college. That way, you would get to take the course you really prefer, but you wouldn't be behind in math when you get to full-time college.</p>
<p>go with your heart, hands down. A decade from now you will have warm memories from the plays you were involved in. A decade after HS nobody remembers calculus proofs and gushes to their friends "remember that time we integrated to find the area under than trapezoid?".</p>
<p>Your mom is probably right that acting is not a very lucrative career; thousands try, not many succeed. But there are many levels to be involved in acting, many people find enjoyment in community theater and the like as a hobby. </p>
<p>There is a really good article about how to approach making decisions about your future; it's called "Are You Deciding on Purpose" and its at <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/online/13/ldrplus.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.fastcompany.com/online/13/ldrplus.html</a></p>
<p>It sounds like there's a bigger conflict here than just the AP class.You might want to have some conversations with mom now about how acting is going to fit into your college plans or else you might find that your parents use the power of the purse to limit what you do in college (eg. forbid you to minor in acting, or take part in plays, etc) or even if you can use acting as part of your college selection process.</p>
<p>And BTW does this teacher really want what's best for you, or what's best for him (another good student in the class)? Maybe he's gods gift to the calculus-teaching world and can do a better job than VHS, but I'm not so sure.</p>
<p>thanks for the feedback..
in response to Marian - community colleges do offer Calc, and this was one of the options. But the two setbacks of this would be a. I'd have to pay to take a class there, and b. the class would be accredited, but it would not count towards my GPA... and with my school being so competitive, and the next kid having a GPA of .07 lower than mine, I want to keep my #3 rank until the very end... or at least until I get apps out.
MikeMac - I'm not really sure if it's for the teacher's own benefit or what. I don't really talk to him that much, so he doesn't know me very well. He definitely loves math, so I couldn't tell you. But I think the bigger concern is the fact that VHS has not had a good reputation at our school. And it is kind of required that we take the AP test if we take VHS AP courses... even though originally I wasn't even sure if I wanted to take the AP Calc test.
Also... I used to be a math person until I hit this year in Pre-Calc. I skipped a year in math, and took Algebra I in 7th grade, Honors Geometry in 8th (98), Algebra II as a Freshmen (95), and AP Stats (96) as a sophmore. This year, I'm still getting an A but I've never gotten so many C's, D's, and B's in a math class in my life. So... I really don't know how I'll do in AP Calc.
Any more feedback would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I am a physician, and at one time in my life, Calculus seemed so important. So did Organic Chemnistry. I gave up alot to be sure my schedule included enough of both. Although I have to admit that I had no opportunity to do calculus in high school. And 25+ years later, the Calculus and the Organic Chemistry are long since forgotten. To this day I am still not certain of their significance other than 1) I had to take them and do well, 2) they were important in doing well on the MCAT's. Once I got into med school, I used little Organic Chemistry and even less Calculus. And having been in practice for many years, I cannot remember when they were last of much value to me. In medicine, there is the science of medicine and the art of medicine. I graduated from college and then from med school with only the concept of the science of medicine. It was not until many years later that I truly understood the art of medicine. And the art has taken me farther than the science. </p>
<p>I say--go for the Directing/Acting. You have plenty of time for Calculus. GO virtual or community college. Go with your heart. There is time for Calculus.</p>
<p>bump bump bump</p>
<p>It depends which colleges you are looking at. If you are looking at Ivies and other top colleges, take calc. If you are looking at less prestigious colleges, take directing.</p>
<p>For top colleges, take as many AP's as possible</p>
<p>This is why I HATE calc...for some reason colleges lOVE it, don't understand why</p>
<p>And remember, 95% pf the colleges dont' care which you take, its that snooty 5% that force kids to take a class that means nothing in the big scheme of things for most people</p>
<p>Go with Calc. I hate to say it, but every admissions officer will wonder why you didn't finish up your high school by taking that Most Challenging Math Class. It looks bad. If you take Calc, you'll also have something interesting to write about in your essay - namely, working with younger kids and having a New Experience with a capital N and E.</p>
<p>I would say take the directing course. It seems unusual enough that it might make an adcom sit up and take notice. Could this conflict be an essay topic? </p>
<p>Could you take calculus online? CTY offers it through distance education. If you can get your HS to give credit for it, great; even if not, your taking it would show your dedication to learning.</p>
<p>I fully intend on taking Calc...
it's a matter of getting a better education by sitting in the Classroom and missing out on directing or taking it via VHS in front of a computer.</p>
<p>and one of the other facets of my issue is the fact that I am looking at top tier colleges such as Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, etc.</p>
<p>I don't know if any of this additional information changes anything...</p>
<p>hmmm... I would take VHS. If you are #3, you are obviously smart. I think that you could handle VHS Calc. If necessary, have your counselor talk about this in his/her recommendation so colleges dont hold that against you.</p>
<p>If you are looking at Stanford, Princeton, etc. I would probably take calc UNLESS you feel theater is <em>the</em> extracurricular with which you will push your way into college (even so, I'd still probably take calculus for the chance at those top schools because there are other opportunites to show your passion). It is easier to pursue theater outside of school than calculus.</p>
<p>The Sal at one of the schools here four years ago decided to skip Calc her senior year for several reasons, one of which was her acting. Graduated with a 97 GPA unweighted and was accepted to Yale. I don't know how she explained it to them but it worked for her. She graduated from Yale this year with a 3.9 and far more experiences in drama than anything her Yale calc class offered her. Only problem is she struggled more to get the A in calc at Yale than in any other class she took. Your GC could speak to how you creatively found a way to take the hardest academic classes while still pursuing your passion when this conflict came up.</p>
<p>Yeah, like a B at yale in calc was gonna a disastor....egad</p>
<p>My D will be taking AP STAT instead of a second year of calc, she will be studying communications, politics, history, and law, so stats is more relavent and if she had to take a second year of calc, I think she would have just cried</p>
<p>So, a decision was made- a tough class that is relevant to what she wants to study and a happier school year, or taking a class she HATES with a passion that is totally irrelvant</p>
<p>All her EC's go with her passions, so explaining the STAT instead of CALC, fo rthe schools she likes, shouldn't be a problem</p>