High School Courses

<p>Here’s just something for IB students to keep in mind, if interestested in Engineering. We learned that the top engineering schools require a full year ofphysics and a full year of chem. </p>

<p>Our son had a pre-IB year that was split into one semester chem, 1 semseter physics. Then he took th 2 year HL physics sequence. I realized when checking out college websites that he’d need chem. He almost had to do it at a local college duing the summer, but we got lucky and SL chem fit his senior year schedule. (Not sure why the GC never mentioned this when he planned the junior/senior schedule.)</p>

<p>My suggestion is that you look at the departmental requirements of each major at the schools he is interested in attending. My son wants to do Business and it states in the Ross/Michigan web site that they look favorably on candidates who have taken Calculus B/C (which he is currently taking.) If your son is interested in Bio-Engineering then check that department’s web site. Our daughter who is majoring in Cognitive Psych (neuroscience) at Michigan and is pre-med, did not take AP Physics or Calc B/C, but did take regular physics, AP Bio and Calc A/B. I highly recommend that whatever major he intends to study that he take AP Statistics, since about every major these days requires stats (or AP out of it.) Both my daughters had to take stats and they had totally different majors. Lastly, my son also does debate, and in his high school, if you can’t take the class you can do Independent Study with the coach and still compete and get credit for the class. It depends on what his school will allow.</p>

<p>With regard to AP Physics, it may be do-able without high school physics as a prerequisite if the high school frequently allows students to do it that way. Some schools do teach this course without assuming that students have a high school physics background.</p>

<p>But if the high school assumes that all students have high school physics before enrolling in the AP course, I don’t think it’s a good idea to try to take it without first taking the prerequisite. A student without the prerequisite would be at a huge disadvantage in terms of understanding the course material.</p>

<p>While I’m all in favor of hearing that your son is taking courses he loves, I also was told once by a friend (who is a GC at another school and spoke as a friend, not in her professional capacity) that kids, to be competitive for tippy-top colleges, like ivies/Duke/NU/WashU/Rice etc. need to take at least 5 APs, unless APs are not given at your school. </p>

<p>Your HS sends out a school profile whenever they send out transcripts and that tells adcoms how many APs are offered (and other information). To see if your son at the top of the heap, take a look at that school profile and see it from the adcoms’ point of view. That should tell you.</p>

<p>Alternatively, debate was offered at our HS as an after school club and for the most part, debates are scheduled on Saturdays. Can’t your son continue with debate that way?</p>

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<p>Why don’t you find out the classes those kids in YOUR high school went to top universities had taken?</p>

<p>Am I right in thinking that you’re hopeful that your S will have the interest and the academics to apply to very selective colleges 2 years from now? If so then his main focus during high school hours needs to be academics, and core academics at that.</p>

<p>That he’s taken french since elementary school and expects to take it through senior year somehow doesn’t resonate. I would have expected him to place into third or fourth year French by now, and that he would in a position to take the AP exam this year or next. Perhaps there is something I’m not understanding. In any case french is a core subject, and the equivalent of 4 years of french is desirable at college application time</p>

<p>Music and debate are great ECs. But when they “require” class time, and they limit the ability to take core subjects, the only justification from the point of selective colleges is a very high level of achievement – as for example “best” debater in state, etc.</p>

<p>"Lots of kids play in musical ensembles of one sort or another in college. "</p>

<p>I agree. The time is there if the student is interested in making it. And as noted - schools without music programs LOVE musicians!</p>

<p>My son - a freshman ENGR student at a top state university - is in his college’s marching band (VERY time intensive) and the Fall Pep Band (for women’s volleyball). Next semester he will be in the Spring Pep Band (for men’s basketball) and the Jazz Band. He loves every minute of it!</p>

<p>Just want to add that kids at very selective schools seem to take the intro science and math classes even if they got 5’s on AP’s. (May not be true at MIT etc., but true at Ivies etc.) Ditto with foreign languages: many kids who place into advanced language classes opt to take a course one step down. This may be part of a strategy to avoid too much stress in freshman year, a desire to be solid in the curriculum in that subject at a particular school, or insecurity, but it works out fine.</p>

<p>Many kids’ interests become clearer as each high school year goes by. It may be that by next fall, this son will know more about where he wants to put his energies. Let him do that. Colleges understand that some things are sacrificed in order to pursue other things.</p>

<p>Many high schoolers who love music end up doing community bands, or playing at a nearby conservatory prep, or state/community college, rather than playing in the high school band. Our daughter is a music major, and she and most of the “music kids” opted out of band the last year or two, finding alternatives outside of school.</p>

<p>It is practical to think about courses that would be best to take, but not so much that it interferes with enjoyment of life during high school. This is October, so I am wondering why this is even coming up now. And I like the point about there being many great schools out there, and there is still lots of time for a sophomore to find out more about who he is and where he might like to go. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>About AP credits… Some colleges only use AP for standing, not for credit, purpose. That means if your degree requires 130 hours, you’ll take 130 hours. You might take a more advanced course, but you’ll fill the same number of hours required. Duke is an example of this policy. And speaking of this Blue Devil, they prefer that you take 5 academic courses per year/period of study. Be mindful of these things with your prospective colleges.</p>

<p>Thank you all for replies. We appreciate the helpful opinion, suggestion and advices.</p>

<p>hillbillie- Does the foreign language count toward 5 academic courses you mentioned ? </p>

<p>In the Freshman, the school had a compulsory Physical Education course, and our S took band, debate and French. Thus he could take only three academic courses plus French. He did finish two other courses- 1 full unit of computer application and 1/2 unit of health and wellness via on-line and summer classes. </p>

<p>This year, if French is counted, he has 5 academic courses.</p>

<p>By the way, S understands now that he has to take more academic courses. He is thinking to take one or two half-unit courses during the next summer to make up. </p>

<p>Regarding AP Physics without taking prerequisite, we think he is capable if school allows. One concern is - he is very meticulous and wants A in each subject he takes. That scares us if he is overloaded and misses.</p>

<p>Does he have the time or desire for summer courses? My junior D wants to take both AP Calculus and AP Statistics, but won’t be able to fit them both in her senior year, so her plan is to take one of them (probably Calculus) at the local community college next summer. Maybe your S could do something similar. </p>

<p>FWIW, at my D’s high school, AP Bio, AP Enviro and AP Physics can all be taken without taking another Bio, Enviro or Physics course first. Most people who take AP Bio do take Bio as freshmen, but the school doesn’t even have a preliminary Physics course. The only AP science that requires a preliminary course in this school is Chemistry. So unless your S’s school covers part of the Physics B curriculum in the preliminary Physics course, I would imagine he could do fine without it. Maybe you could check with the school to see if the first Physics course can be waived.</p>

<p>Also, foreign language would count as an academic course.</p>

<p>I took AP Chem in 10th grade after summer chemistry class at college. Now in 11th grade I am taking AP Phy C without any physic before. It is duable.</p>

<p>If you son is aiming for Caltech, he should definitely take AP Phys (C if possible), AP Chem, and AP Calc (BC if possible). Not only will it be more difficult to get in without them, but it will also be much more difficult to succeed in the core curriculum without them. (Caltech requires 5 terms of physics, 5 terms of math and 2 of chemistry regardless of your major; they also pretty much assume an AP background in everything).</p>

<p>The fact of the matter is, Caltech looks for students who are extremely passionate about math and/or science, and skipping out on one of these AP math/science courses for debate, band, or pretty much anything else isn’t going to look good from that angle. If these courses are more important to him than math/science, I would urge him to reconsider his interest in Caltech. There are plenty of places with good math/science programs that aren’t so narrowly focused. </p>

<p>I have no idea about any of the other schools you mentioned, however.</p>