Figuring out Courseload for Senior Year

Applying to College
1

Hi everybody, I’m trying to figure out which courses to take my senior year and was wondering your input based on your knowledge/experiences.

Stats:
School: NYC Specialized High School, Top 50 US News and World National, Top 10 US News State, Top 10 Newsweek
-3.8-4.0 GPA (School does not provide unweighed out of 100 or anything on a 4.0 scale, this is a self report off of what my guidance counselor has told me)
-PSAT 72 CR 71 M 65 WR, taking May and September SAT
-All honors classes, taken AP World (9,10 grade , AP Psych (11), AP Language and Composition (11), AP US History(11)
-Elected Student Govt 9-11 grade, Leads in musical 9-11 grade, Borough Representative, Club President

I’m hoping to get matched through Questbridge to Notre Dame or Yale, but my other schools outside of Questbridge include Dartmouth, Yale, BU, BC, Northeastern, Duke, Bowdoin, Texas A&M, and a couple other safeties.

My plans for next year include AP Government, AP Literature, Theatre (elective), and a 4th year of foreign language, as well as gym and lunch (cant drop either of them).

I was wondering if taking Forensic Science in place of an AP science class (would either take AP Physics or AP Environmental Science) next year would harm me too much. The class offers college credit, but isn’t AP. Secondly, I have the option of taking AP Statistics or Pre-Calculus as my math. Would it be better to go with AP Stats so I have 3 AP’s, the same number as I took this year, or to take Pre-Calc to better prepare myself for college math.

I’m planning to major in Political Science or Communications, so neither of those classes are heavily in line with my intended major, but I’m not sure which to take to make myself more competitive. Sorry for the long post and thank you for your help!

2

Is Forensic Science taken at a local community college? Be sure to see if the college credit will transfer to the schools you’ve mentioned (check the website first, then contact someone in admissions.) Is it possible for you to take the class as a night class AND take AP Physics? If not, I would definitely recommend AP Physics–taking Bio, Chem, and Physics is usually recommended to high school students.

As far as math, it’s hard to say. From what I’ve heard, AP Stats is really easy; I know it isn’t seen as highly as Calc AB/BC, but it’s also your only AP option. However, personally, I would recommend precalc, as it’ll be much more valuable in college calculus. Without that solid basis, you’ll struggle in calc. Be smart, and don’t risk your success in college on being competitive.

3

I spoke with a guidance counselor today and will probably not take a science my senior year, since I have taken Physics, Bio, and Chem each with labs along with AP Psychology and have already fulfilled my science requirement. I have been offered AP Macroeconomics in its place so I still have 3 AP’s, and Stats is still a possibility.

4

Take precalculus rather than Stats. AP Stats is seen as a "light’ AP for students who won’t/can’t take calculus (or, in your case, precalculus). Not having precalculus would be really detrimental to your application, considering a majority of applicants to the schools you cite will have had calculus and admitting someone who hasn’t taken precalculus if offered would really require that applicant to be exceptional (like, discovered a new planet exceptional, gold medal olympics winners exceptional…)

Selective colleges like to see 1 each of English, Math, Foreign Language, Science, Social Science, every year. You can double up on one and “Level 4 or AP” in language, even if reached in 3 years counts as “4 years”. So, that should be your first guide.

Since you’ve already taken Physics, Bio, and Chem, you can either take an AP science or a Dual Enrollment Forensic Science as both will look rigorous. Conventional (adcom) wisdom considers that the best proof you can handle the pace and level of college classes is actually taking and succeeding in a college class (or more). Indeed, AP classes are college level, but they stretch 4 months of classes over a high year of about 9 months; college classes are much faster paced (even if, depending on the local college, they may not be as in-depth as AP classes) and they require the greater autonomy as college classes. Therefore, I think it’d be to your benefit to take Forensic Science as a DE class.

This would be your schedule: AP Lit, AP Gov, PrecalculusH, Theater, Foreign Language 4H, Dual Enrollment Forensic Science, Gym, Lunch.
If your school is a top 10 school, I’m afraid it wouldn’t get the “most rigorous” label though. It’s also possible your HS is specialized in that students do other things than classes (ie, not Stuyvesant but La Guardia?) and that such a schedule is extremely rigorous due to the other things you’re doing. Ask your guidance counselor if you’ll get the “most rigorous” check and if s/he says it won’t, ask what you need to substitute or add in order to make it more rigorous (add an AP? a DE class?)
Overall, 3 APs junior year + 2 APs/1 DE senior year + all honors would qualify you for competitive colleges.
You may see with your guidance counselor whether you can take Intro to Economic Issues (the class freshmen can take before Micro/Macro) if it is offered at your community college over the summer and if you’d be allowed to enroll as another DE class.

Note that Texas A&M won’t “meet need” for OOS applicants (nor in-state applicants but at least they have the benefit of in-state tuition). BU and Northeastern don’t meet need either.
Do you think you’ll qualify for NHR or National Achievement (I don’t think you meet the threshold for NYS NMSF?)
When you do Questbridge Match, remember to list colleges (such as Bowdoin) that are elite without being household brand names.

5

Thank you for the great response @MYOS1634‌

I’m not sure if Forensics is a “dual enrollment” (I might not be totally clear on the definition), its a class taught at my high school that offers college credit for a fee from an in-state college (if this is what Dual Enrollment is, then I guess it is dual enrollment my school just doesn’t call it that).

I’d rather take AP Macro in place of a science since humanities/social studies are more in line with my major and from what I’ve heard from my guidance counselor, not having it won’t be a huge deal-breaker. I’m interested in Macro and would probably enjoy it, whereas Forensics would just be to have a science. My summer is packed tight with a job and I applied to multiple summer programs so I don’t think I’ll have time for any courses over it.

She was leaning towards Precalculus as well for me so I will more than likely take that.

6

Huh interesting. I didn’t know AP Psych covered a science credit; I figured it would be a social science.

Based on your description of the Forensics class, it is a Dual Enrollment (sort of) course. Since you actually have an interest in macroeconomics and are only tugging at forensics for a science credit, I would do AP Macro instead. Don’t always worry about what makes you competitive. Worry about what makes you feel like you’ve derived the most from your academic run through high school.

Definitely do Pre-Calc. Don’t be an AP monger monster. Even though AP Stats isn’t bad, it would be better to stay on track and do Pre-Calc. So this is the schedule I would suggest:

AP Gov
AP Lit
Theater (Elective)
4th year of Foreign Language
AP Macro
Pre-Calculus

7

^Okay then, definitely go with AP Econ (Macro is only 1 semester, so if your school doesn’t offer Micro, you’d need to find another class.)
Dual Enrollment = taking a class on a college campus but it counts for your high school.

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@TheDidactic‌ @MYOS1634‌ Thank you very much for your replies. AP Macro covers both semesters at my school, so I’m set there. I’ll stick with Macro and take Pre-Calc. Thanks for all your help again!