<p>@xxvintagexx Really? At my school, a lot of people know what Colorguard is (except for some of the new freshmen). It counts as a semester of PE credit for us, so that’s all the better.</p>
<p>You’re lucky you’re allowed to take any APs sophomore year. I’m only going to have three or four courses by the end of junior year (although I’ll probably have 6-7 tests, my school doesn’t offer AP English until senior year and our APUSH course is probably the hardest course in the school, leaving me with four other courses–and for one of those, I might take Journalism). For us, the only one you’re allowed to take is AP Stats, and that’s if you’re taking Precalc (which I am, but that’s around 15% of my class). I’m taking an engineering course instead, though, since it fulfills my arts requirement and it’s only being offered this year.</p>
<p>@topaz1116
I’m wondering why your school delay APs. Is it because of class sizes? Freshman year, my public (nonmagnet) school allowed me to take 4. Is testing out of basic classes an option for those who want to pursue that?</p>
<p>@theskittlebug My school only offers 1 for sophomores (none for freshman) and then you can start taking I think about 4 tops for junior, maybe you could pull off 5 senior… but we get a crazy amount of work in those classes (at least 1 hour of homework EVERY night, then come huge projects, 40 page essays, and tests) 5 classes is a lot!! Especially if you are trying to juggle ECs, it makes it nearly impossible to overachieve at the level some kids are doing here, with 7 AP classes junior year and a list of 20 ECs. It just isn’t feasible at my school. :(</p>
<p>@theskittlebug The only testing out we’re allowed to do is at the end of sixth grade to skip Pre-Algebra; other than that, we aren’t allowed to skip out of basic courses–even if we take summer equivalents (unless you fail the course and have to go to summer school, but that’s another story). </p>
<p>I do think it’s because of demand–if an AP course was offered, everyone would take it. Even at the other four schools in my district, they allow sophomores to take either AP Euro or Honors World History tenth grade (depending on what’s offered), but not at my school. We just have one CP course. </p>
<p>Around half the kids I know in Honors Precalc (sophomores, not juniors) are taking AP Stats as well, simply because it’s offered (I’m opting to fulfill my arts requirement with an engineering course that’s only being offered this year–I might as well). Some people (native speakers) can take AP Chinese tenth grade, but very few do–most choose to take Stats or Anatomy instead.</p>
<p>My school is incredibly competitive, so… yeah. </p>
<p>It’s possible to take 5 junior year and 6 (technically 7, since AP Gov/AP Macro is one combo course) senior year, but almost nobody actually does.</p>
<p>@topaz1116
Yup! Unfortunately my school doesnt give P.E. credits to us (yet) im thinking about having everyone in my team petition but do you know how you guys got P.E. credits? How long do you guys practice each week? And is there certain requirements? Last year i made flyers for colorguard for all the middle schools who are coming to my highschool. It definitely helped a lot.
Oh wow! Youre still taking a lot of hard classes even if your school doesnt allow sophs to take too much APs. Ap stats and Precalc. I think at my school APUSH is considered mediocre on the level of difficulty, however I heard that on the first day everyone in that class is assigned 32 page hw… AP Physics C and AP Chem are usually considered the toughest APS (85% pass the test as of last year). </p>
<p>@xxvintagexx I’m not taking Stats xD I have a lot of friends who are, though. I’m taking Engineering Design instead. I’m probably going to end up taking Stats at the community college during the spring if I have time (it’s probably easier, too).</p>
<p>For us, it counts as PE credits because Marching Band counts as PE credits. Most Band students (except for Orchestra; they can attend 0 period PE) didn’t start a language in junior high because their elective space was filled with Band; and they need to be able to take a language in high school. Due to the core requirements, we can only take one elective, but the band and orchestra people need two. They don’t take PE for that reason. Therefore, Marching Band counts as PE credit for them, since they don’t have the chance to take PE.</p>
<p>We don’t practice every day since that would interfere with club activities, but Marching Band practices from 3-5:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 3-4:30 on some Fridays. (Colorguard on Tuesdays and Thursdays lasts until 6:15). We also have a five-day (9-5 for three of the days; and for the other two, 1-5 because of Maze Days) Band Camp before school starts that counts as part of our school hours (if you miss it, you have to make it up after practice; we learn our routine/music and get our positions then). We run the mile weekly, and do exercises daily (for Colorguard it’s mainly just stretching, but I’ve seen some of the brass instruments doing jumping jacks).</p>
<p>@ThatOneWeirdGuy Hah, but it’s annoying going to a super competitive school. At my school, your class is considered dumb if you don’t have at least 20 valedictorians (thank god my school doesn’t rank, or people with 3.9 GPAs would only be in the top 20%; the top 10% is reserved for valedictorians and people who’ve only gotten one B one semester).</p>
<p>Anyone else have huge classes? My school went from 8 to 7 periods this year, and it definitely shows. My AP Euro class has 38 (!) kids right now, my English 30, and SL Math 28.</p>
<p>@folkiestcat That’s pretty normal at my school. I think the highest I’ve seen is 39 and lowest is 32. And of course PE has about 60. My school has 6 periods and about 3600 people.</p>
<p>Anyone know how to cure CPD? Chronic Procrastination disorder? My friend diagnosed me with it. Taking 3 AP classes and Chinese… I play fencing and two instruments… I need to cure CPD. It’s really bad</p>
<p>@folkiestcat @dsi411 Same with my school. However, PE for us usually only has ~45 kids; we have to be able to fit everyone into our (minuscule) pool xD</p>
<p>My school has six periods (although there are two seventh period courses [marching band and show choir] and one 0 period [peer resource], you can’t automatically get into any of them) and around 2500 students; but we’re really overcrowded because our school was originally built for 1000 xD They’ve redistricted once (so one elementary school was moved to a different middle/high school area) and they’re planning on doing it again.</p>
<p>@tagi1998 I wish I knew the cure. It would make my life 1000 times easier.</p>
<p>I feel like I wasted my whole freshman year doing nothing. Many of last year’s sophomores (now juniors) that are smart and I’ve made friends with have become officers, presidents, leaders, etc. of the major clubs at my school. I’m honestly worried that a lot of people in my grade will apply to the ivies.</p>
<p>Hah, I wasted my freshman year too. I only did two clubs (this year I’m probably overdoing it), so I’ll only be able to apply for officer positions in those two this year. I don’t do any major clubs simply because they’re really, really hyped up. I don’t particularly like any of them. I’m fine with medium-sized clubs, thank you very much.</p>
<p>And then there’s my grades… <em>bows head ashamedly</em></p>
<p>Thank goodness most colleges don’t count freshman year. But then again, at this point, I should be prepared to fail all my classes. I’m probably going to get a B in Precalc, which means I can’t take AP Calc BC next year and I won’t be able to take Multivar/Linear Algebra. </p>
<p>@topaz1116 My school is also overcrowded. It was built for 2500 and they changed the boundaries this year but it didn’t really help. Only reduced the school about 200 students. I’m in the boundaries for a different high school but since I was already going to school at the other one I didn’t have to leave.</p>
<p>And you all think you wasted your freshman year…I only did one club for half the year and nothing else. So I think I did the least out of all of you. At least I got all As.</p>
<p>Are any of you thinking about studying for the SAT and ACT? Since we’ll be some of the first to take the new ones, how are you preparing for that? Are all the prep things out there still relevant? </p>
<p>I’m not sure about the SAT, but I’m going to take the ACT in December for summer programs. I’m probably going to take both the new SAT and the old one, but I’ll probably do better on the new one… The essay section for the old SAT is really annoying. </p>
<p>I uh use to be on this thread a lot like last year but I kind of need advice AP Euro. This week was my first week of school, kind of, but its kind of because if was 3 days. Anyway I’m having a lot of trouble with AP Euro I opted into the class which means that I got in anyway even though I didn’t qualify through my midterm. Which I have a valid reason for and its because the grade you have to get on the midterm to get into AP Euro is a 90 or above. I got an 86 because I got confused on the essay and now of course I understand the essay. Anyways I’m the only one in my class who opted and the only one who seems to be struggling. Every homework assignment I always have to have my dad help me out with the homework because I have no idea whats going on. I also kind of want to drop the course but my parents want me to continue because a challenge is good for me apparently. And nobody in my class has dropped out, obviously because its only been the first couple of classes. Should I drop out or stick around?</p>
<p>@iheartshopping If you’re not doing well, drop out. It’s better to get a good grade in a CP class.</p>
<p>@livelaugh7 You’re lucky to go to such a small school with so many course options. I wish I could take Physics. I’m also planning on taking the PSAT, although I’m not sure if I’ll prepare for it. I also have a parade for Marching Band on the same day, but I’m pretty sure I’ll still be able to take it because all the juniors in Marching Band will have to take it as well. </p>
<p>@ThatOneWeirdGuy I’m self-studying using some online prep tool called BenchPrep; my dad found a coupon for it on Groupon. It’s not that good, though–there are a gazillion mistakes in the math practice problems (you’d think they’d check for typos before posting). The online strategy book is okay, though, and the practice tests are good. </p>