Hi all.
I’m currently in my junior year of high school, and next year I’d like to apply to Washington University (fairly elite, 16% acceptance rate). I’m currently on the most advanced track possible for my school, and have completed (or am currently finishing) the standard AP classes available to me up to this point. I want to study business in college, particularly management/entrepreneurship, so I’ve been considering dropping science next year in favor of some other classes that seem more appropriate to my major, like AP Stat. I already decided not to take a history class next year to free up some room in my schedule for some business electives, but I think that’s an fine choice. If I dropped science as well, my schedule would look something like AP Calc, AP Stat, AP Lit, AP Psychology (technically social studies, though it has some business application and it’s interesting), Spanish 4, and then a lot of business-focused electives. AP Psychology depends on whether or not I choose to keep science in my schedule.
I guess what I’m asking is this: will dropping science decrease my chances of admission to a semi-elite business school even if I do extra math? Are the two math classes more important for me than doing one math and one science, or do good schools always want the four years of science regardless of major? If the science is more important, should I keep both math classes, and then drop some business electives to keep the science in my schedule?
Thank you for any responses.
What science courses have you taken so far? It is usually a good idea to have all three of biology, chemistry, and physics when preparing for college, particularly highly selective ones.
I have taken 4 science classes in high school and am not taking one this year (I took bio and physics the same year). I decided to be in Honors Stats over oceanography this year, and my GC said that it would be better for me since it is honors and more of a core class (compared to oceanography). I will have taken 8 simesters of science and 10 simesters of math by the time I graduate (in stats and calc BC this year). In short, I don’t think it would hurt to trade off a science class for a math class.
Yes I’ve taken all three of the main science courses…biology, chemistry, and physics. It would be an easy decision for me if there had been a previous year where I had taken 2 science classes in one year, but the fact that I’ve only had 3 in total is going to worry me unless I’m fairly confident it won’t affect my chances of admission that much. I realize it’s probably a hard thing to predict with certainty though. Unfortunately, my school is making me register for next year’s classes before the end of this semester, so it’s a pressing matter for me much earlier than it should be.
From WUSTL’s webstieMost candidates’ transcripts include:
4 years of English.
4 years of mathematics. (Architecture, Business, and Engineering strongly recommend calculus.)
3-4 years of history or social science.
3-4 years of laboratory science.
At least 2 years of a foreign language.
Both chemistry and physics, as well as the most challenging math programs available, for students who plan to do course work in engineering, sciences, and/or pre-medicine.
Yes I did see that. However, I am not familiar with the college admissions process as it relates to a business major specifically. I know that they WILL accept applicants with only 3 years, but my question is more along the lines of whether or not it will hurt my chances – despite the extra math credit – in comparison to taking 4 years. In general are the people who get accepted to high-ranking schools always taking four years of science?
Get 3 years of lab science. They will understand taking other AP classes.
Hard to know exactly for any given school, but three years that includes biology, chemistry, and physics is likely the best possible three years (as opposed to some students who take combinations like biology, chemistry, elective biology for their three years).
If you have taken 4 years of science classes squeezed into 3 years, and have bio/chem/physics, you’re fine. Whether you get accepted or rejected will not come down to taking science in senior year as opposed to doubling up in an earlier year.