Hi I am a Sophomore, and need to select my 11th grade courses now. I am good at writing and won quite a few of poetry awards. I am also interested in business, so my focus is Humanities, and Business majors. The physics teacher in my school is not that good, and I heard students are struggling. So should I take AP Environmental Science instead of Physics, will that hurt my chances of getting into top schools?
You should take the right classes for you. And likely no.
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Thanks. However, I heard top schools like Harvard requires AP Physics, since that’s the most rigorous offered in our school. So I wanted to know if I still have a chance for these top schools, if I don’t take AP physics.
Harvard does not require AP Physics, although they do recommend a physics class.
More to the point, Harvard offers no business major.
But top schools, like Harvard, will often suggest a year each of bio, chem, and physics, plus one science course of your choice at an advanced level.
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Take APES. I took that class rather than AP Physics and I was accepted to Princeton’s Class of 2026 through SCEA. It was the right class for me and I’m enjoying it wholeheartedly.
There is no such requirement regarding AP Physics from any of the elite institutions out there. However, I will argue that class rigor is important, so if you take APES, it may be in your best interest to complement it with BC Calc +.
Don’t hear….research and read. Go on websites.
And if you want to major in business then find out who offers business…likely not many of the schools you are looking at.
Find the right school for you - size, location, course offering , etc.
Don’t find a school that you see on top of a list.
Same with course selection for hs. Take the right classes for you. But it is good to see what schools that interest you want. All this info is available to you on their admission websites.
Good luck
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Thank you all, great advices! I will do more research and select what is best for me.
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Take whatever you like, at the most rigorous levels available to you, with the best teachers. You don’t need to compile a record of specific AP classes, as long as you meet the number of years of each subject requirement.
Yes, take AP Env Science, if the teacher is better.
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If you have any target schools research the Gen Eds and see what works best. APs are mainly used to Gen Eds. My DD did a variety of classes (various disciplines) despite her major, and of the Gen Ed courses needed all were covered except a school defined diversity humanities class, Fine arts class, and a required writing class (AP did not cover). She is starting the second semester of her freshman year as a junior, working entirely on her double major requirements.