Have I been taking the right classes to impress the people in admissions?

Applying to College
1

<p>Prior to high school: Keyboarding, Spanish I</p>

<p>9th grade- Pre-AP English I, Pre-AP Biology I, World Geography, Algebra I, Spanish II, Yearbook Staff, Dance I, Theater I</p>

<p>10th grade- Pre-AP English II, Chemistry, Pre-AP World History, Geometry, Spanish III, Dance II, Theater II, BCIS (computer class)</p>

<p>11th grade- AP English III, Physics, AP US History, AP European History, Algebra II, Newspaper Staff, Health, Psychology, Communication Applications, Study Period</p>

<p>12th grade- AP English IV, AP Environmental Science, AP Economics, Dual Credit Government, Pre-Cal, Newspaper Staff, Yearbook Staff, Marketing, Business Management, Off-campus (free-period)</p>

<p>I'm also taking a night class at a local community college next year. It will either be Intro Sociology, Intro Accounting, or College Algebra.</p>

<p>Do you think the courses I've taken are impressive enough to help me during the admissions process?</p>

2

<p>Depends on your target schools. Why only pre-cal in Senior schedule? Why not Calc or AP Calc or at least honors pre cal? Why no AP biology? Did you take the AP english exam? Whadja score?</p>

<p>I think a community college “College Algebra” class is pretty remedial and a waste of your time. It’s for people who did miserably in HS algebra. I could be wrong here.</p>

3

<p>My goal school is Vanderbilt, but I know it’s a VERY high reach. I’m hoping for Texas Christian University if I don’t get into Vandy.</p>

<p>The reason I’m only doing Pre-Cal my senior year is because math has never been my strongest subject. Also, at my school, Pre-Cal is like the typical senior course. Calculus (regular or AP) is for people who have been in advanced math since 7th grade. I am considering getting into honors Pre-Cal, though, because the teacher is VERY good and would be willing to help me.</p>

<p>I’m not taking AP Bio because it’s only offered to juniors and seniors and I chose AP Environmental over Bio because the subject is more interesting to me.</p>

<p>I took the AP English exam and got a 3.</p>

<p>Thanks for your input on the College Algebra class. I still have to talk to my counselors to make my final decision.</p>

4

<p>With a selective university such as Vanderbilt my sense is that your proposed senior year schedule appears relatively light.</p>

<p>Not knowing what’s offered at your school I can’t be too concrete, since if you’re taking the most rigorous core courses that are available then you’re doing the best you can.</p>

<p>The gaps that appear as those in math (as noted above by another poster), in foreign language (you stopped at Spanish III in sophomore year), and in the sciences (where rigor in the sense of lab based courses is what distinguishes schedules). So if you can still make changes, and courses are available to you I would add Spansih IV (or perhaps AP Spanish), and an AP science course (such as Biology or Chemistry). I would put less emphasis on the elective courses (such as Environmental Science, Economics, Marketing and possibly government) and perhaps add a course in the visual or performing arts. Also if you do decide to take courses at your local college, then I would encourage you to fill in the gaps in your core curriculum rather than adding more electives.</p>

5

<p>Thank you for your input. </p>

<p>My course selection isn’t THE toughest at my school, but it is one of the hardest. </p>

<p>The science options for seniors are AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Environmental, Forensic Science, and Food Science. Since I wasn’t strong in Bio or Chem, I chose Environmental.</p>

<p>We are required to take government and economics. I just finished government (I tool it over the summer).</p>

<p>Also, I really wanted to continue with Spanish, but my grades were just too low (85-88) for me to continue- especially considering the terrible quality of our foreign language department.</p>

<p>Once again, I appreciate your input.</p>

6

<p>What are you planning to major in in college?</p>

<p>Also, the fact that you seemed to drop in and out of the yearbook class, and then take up newspaper seems a bit weird to me. I don’t know - in my school, taking either one is quite a commitment.</p>

<p>And were you planning to do anything with the theater/dance, or was it merely a requirement?</p>

7

<p>I plan on majoring in Advertising or Marketing.</p>

<p>The reason I didn’t do yearbook or newspaper during my sophomore year is because it was my first year at the high school (freshman are at junior high), and I didn’t want to take on too much.</p>

<p>Dance & theater were required. Dance was my athletic requirement & theatre was my fine art requirement.</p>