Help !! Physics Or Health Over The Summer ?! Should I Even Take Physics ?

Applying to College
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<p>Hi everybody, I have a tough decision to make. I wanted to take regular physics my senior year (have taken reg. Biology in 10th grade, chemistry in summer, and AP Bio in junior year —> not really spectacular). Turns out that we can choose our own teachers and classes at particular times of our choosing and so unfortunately, I couldn’t fit physics into my schedule, because I chose great teachers and courses for classes 2,3 and 4, yet physics is only offered during 2,3, and 4!! So now, I’m taking health in summer school (as it is a requirement to graduate and I’ve never taken it yet) , and because I cant take physics senior year, i have an empty class and thus am going to take Spanish 2 instead (skipping span 1) as a substitute. Anyway, I’m not trying to look like an overachiever, but practically every competitive senior at my school who is aiming for good schools (UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, USC, few ivies, etc.) is either taking AP physics or regular physics. (Note: I really wanted to take physics, I like sciences in general, so please don’t get the idea that I’d be taking the class unwillingly.) I feel a little bad for substituting spanish (althought I like it) for physics. My science classes already don’t look that great, and I thought that taking all three (chem, bio, and phys) would really make my science record look complete.
So, questions:

  1. should I take physics in the summer (it might be a lot of work bec. I’m studying for other things, but I’m taking it at an easy school, so who knows) and just take health during the school yr (no spanish, then). </p>

<li><p>Or, should i just stop being a worry-wort and forget about physics ? (Btw, don’t good schools want students to challenge themselves and not have an attitude like "well, Im not going into sciences, so I don’t have to take this class, blah blah ?) </p></li>
<li><p>Will my senior schedule and its difficulty offset the fact that I didn’t take phsyics (4 APs, math, and spanish 2) ? </p></li>
<li><p>Will the fact that I skipped two language levels help in any way ? Going from French 3 straight to AP , skipping French 4. Also, skipping span. 1 to go to span. 2 (so, in reality, i AM making some sort of a sacrifice, studying in the summer for all that !!)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Btw, I’m thinking of putting “undeclared” on the college app, so wont college admins think that science as a major is still an open choice? Anyway, I’m VERY VERY SORRY for posting such a long post, as you can see this is a complex problem, and I’m prob. overreacting. Any help would be appreciated, thanks again ! Thanks again !</p>

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<p>No offense but you are definitely not an over-achiever I took Honors Physics Freshman year and Honors Bio and Chem Sophomore year. By Junior year I took AP Lang, AP Bio and AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP World History, and Honors Chinese 5. In Senior year I took AP Multivariable aka advanced college math, AP Lit, AP Chem, AP Chinese. Also in Freshman year I skipped to Honors Chinese 3 no problem. You should have taken health much earlier like Sophomore year. Physics is a must. Plus many of my friends have taken the same courses in Magnets or IB programs. Honestly you can’t possibly get your hopes too high for great schools like those when many people have done better.</p>

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<p>It’d be great if you could take physics, and you could always pick up Spanish in college.</p>

4

<p>Hi</p>

<p>I’m a current senior and I am applying to Ivies but also got accepted into UChicago. I wanted to take Physics my senior year as well, but it didn’t fit in my schedule so I didn’t. To be honest, I don’t think it really matters that much as long as colleges can see that you are challenging yourself and taking the most rigorous curriculum available for you. Just do very well in the classes that you do have and I think you’ll be fine.</p>

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<p>What are your other courses, and what are you hoping to study in college?</p>

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<ol>
<li>should I take physics in the summer (it might be a lot of work bec. I’m studying for other things, but I’m taking it at an easy school, so who knows) and just take health during the school yr (no spanish, then).</li>
</ol>

<p>I’d keep the Spanish. I don’t think there’s really any need to take physics. You’re already taking a rigorous senior year schedule, and it’s not required that you have bio, chem, and physics.</p>

<ol>
<li>Or, should i just stop being a worry-wort and forget about physics ? (Btw, don’t good schools want students to challenge themselves and not have an attitude like "well, Im not going into sciences, so I don’t have to take this class, blah blah ?) </li>
</ol>

<p>I think you’ll be fine without physics.</p>

<ol>
<li>Will my senior schedule and its difficulty offset the fact that I didn’t take phsyics (4 APs, math, and spanish 2) ? </li>
</ol>

<p>Definitely. Colleges will like that you’ve taken lots of language classes, and 4 APs is a rigorous schedule for sure.</p>

<ol>
<li>Will the fact that I skipped two language levels help in any way ? Going from French 3 straight to AP , skipping French 4. Also, skipping span. 1 to go to span. 2 (so, in reality, i AM making some sort of a sacrifice, studying in the summer for all that !!)</li>
</ol>

<p>It could help a bit at some schools, but then again it might not. I don’t think it’s really going to be a huge thing, but it’ll probably help at least a little bit.</p>