Help With Sophomore Year Classes?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi, this is my first time posting.</p>

<p>Right now, I'm signing up for next year's sophomore classes (class of 2015) and I'm having a hard time deciding what to take. I don't personally know anyone that knows a lot about what I'm trying to do, so I'd love to get some advice from someone who is or has been in my situation before.</p>

<p>To start, I'd like to give some basic information (this is what's making my decision tough) about myself. I'm a Freshman with plenty of friends, I have 3 national USATF track and field medals, I run cross country, I mountain bike, and I play piano, bass, and guitar. My point is, I have a life, and I don't want it to be impeded by mountains of schoolwork.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I've been "smart" my whole life, and I've never had to work hard to get A's. I've had tough classes, but I've never been stressed and I pride myself on being able to deal with things without losing my cool.</p>

<p>My freshman year so far has been fun, but mostly unrewarding. I transferred to a high school in a different district, so I made tons of new friends, but my schedule was limited by required courses and a lack of challenge. I have found ways to supplement it, but I'm worried that from sophomore through senior year I won't be able to maintain my 4.0 AND easy lifestyle. I want to get good grades in hard classes, but I don't want to be overwhelmed. Currently, my classes and grades are as follows:</p>

<p>PE 9 (REQUIRED)-A
Engineering and Design (CAD)-A+
Spanish 2-A
Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors-A-
English 1 (REQUIRED)-A-
Biology (REQUIRED)-A+
World History/Geography (REQUIRED)-A</p>

<p>I have a total of about 1 hour per week of math homework, and for my other classes, I have 0-30 minutes (total) of homework. Most nights, I do 0-20 minutes of homework and play outside, read, or watch TV the rest of the time.</p>

<p>Next year, my course choices consist of the following:</p>

<p>PE 10 (REQUIRED)
Spanish 3
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
English 2 (REQUIRED)
AP European History
Chemistry (REQUIRED) (Possibly AP Chemistry, depending on my other APs)</p>

<p>I'm happy with working hard for my classes, but I DO NOT want more than 1-1.5 hours of homework a night, and I will not be one of those students drowning under a mountain of APs.</p>

<p>I would love some advice on my sophomore schedule from people who have taken those classes or are like me. I'm smart, not a genius, I can pick up on anything quickly, and I will do anything to keep a 4.0. I'd just like to not have to.</p>

2

<p>I do not know how hard your school is, but I was also in a similar position this year (top athlete) and trying to balance APs. I took three APs and I still had time to do my work and practice BUT it takes very good time management. Also, because you only want around 1-1.5 hours of homework per night I would say only take 1-2 APs. Once again it varies by school but at mine I would only probably be able to pull off 1 hour of homework per night with 1 AP. It also depends where you want to go. It sounds like you will be a recruited athlete that will have a strong GPA and high SAT so you will probably have a nice picking but maybe not ivies due to lack of course rigor (depends on a lot of variables how much this affects grades).</p>

<p>I’d go with caution and have 1 maybe 2 APs. Best of luck, it’s great that you have a life outside of school!</p>

3

<p>Lmao wow. Do you listen to yourself? Here, let’s have a playback:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Yo man, what do you think people will say when you say that? Sorry, but sometimes that’s just not possible. Freshman year is a joke anyway, and sophomore year is only a tiny bit harder. **** doesn’t get really hard till sophomore or junior year of college (not that you can’t find classes that kick your ass in high school).</p>

4

<p>You’re absolutely right. Right now, I’m in Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors (Considered the hardest class at my school based on pace and material), and I’m getting an A-.</p>

<p>My point is, I want to get good grades in classes that most people would have trouble with.</p>

5

<p>Well…okay…that’s something different than what you were saying before. If you want to take classes most people would find hard, you should take AP classes (but only as many as you feel comfortable with, obvs). Lol sorry, but that’s the hardest most schools offer. If you really don’t want to take APs, you can always take some classes at your local CC as a junior or senior.</p>

6

<p>You said you didn’t want 1-1.5 hours of homework… AP Calculus is very challenging. It’s good to take AP classes but you’re only a freshman you have 3 more years. Don’t rush on the APs. I would probably take only AP European History, but it’s all up to you. Also it’s better to have a strong background of the subject before taking AP for Chemistry. AP Chemistry can either be really hard for you or easy. But not all concepts are a walk in the park. I would really take Chemistry Honors first. I’m a Sophomore not taking any AP (b/c sophomores can’t take APs except world history, but I hate history) classes I don’t want to rush it.</p>

7

<p>At my school, AP Calculus is the math class that comes after Algebra 2/Trig Honors, which is basically Algebra 2 and Precalculus. According to my teacher, nearly all students who get A’s in trig honors will have an easier time getting A’s in Calculus because the pace is much slower. </p>

<p>As for AP Euro, I have no qualms whatsoever; history is my best subject and I know the teacher and class well.</p>

<p>AP Stat is my elective; I plan on majoring in business and it really interests me.</p>

<p>Right now, AP Chemistry is the only class I’m thinking of dropping. I know that’s the only class that will give me trouble, so how long did it take you guys? Has anyone skipped chemistry for AP Chem?</p>

<p>I’m decent at science, I understand math very well, and I have general knowledge of chemistry. From my understanding, at my school, 90% of normal chemistry is balancing chemical equations, which I have no problem with.</p>

<p>So now, to rephrase my question again, is AP Chem a class that would be hard to get an A in for someone like me without taking normal Chem?</p>

8

<p>Taking APs before junior year is crazy. I would slid it for a year, rest, and then get bombed with AP in Junior year</p>

<p>And not to mention “I DO NOT want more than 1-1.5 hours of homework a night” does not sound motivated at all.</p>

<p>Best best of luck kid. [:</p>

9

<p>If you can take 3 APs and not have more than 1-1.5 hours of homework every night… damn. At my school 1-1.5 is a normal courseload without APs… Given the variation of schools CC isn’t the place to ask those questions. We don’t know the difficulty of classes at your school as well as the kids who have taken them.</p>

<p>But ill give you advice anyway since you asked. If I were you I wouldn’t take AP Chem. 3 APs is more than enough as a sophomore and it sounds like you will be a recruited athlete anyway.</p>