Hello, I am going to be entering my senior year in high school and I am second guessing my classes for next year because I am not sure whether they are what colleges want to see or whether they are what I should be taking. I plan to go college for economics and finance. Next year I am signed up for:
Honors calc
Exploring genocide/text to film (English credit) I am also worried schools won’t accept this
Symphonic band
AP Economics (both micro and macro)
AP American government
Psychology/Sociology
Any advice as to whether I should make some schedule changes? My school does have Honors British literature for English as well as AP Literature. I can also take AP Calc AB but I know I won’t be able to handle the rigor. As for a science, should I take one? I don’t feel it is necessary but apparently colleges do so should I? And finally, should I switch out AP gov and/or psych/sociology with other electives?
My dream schools are Michigan State and UNC Chapel Hill if that helps at all.
Thanks so much,
Nolan
Consider your choices in the context of your overall high school curriculum.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1898710-solid-high-school-college-prep-curriculum.html
If you want to study economics in college, you will probably need to take calculus (or have AP credit that the college allows in substitution). Calculus AB is like a semester of college calculus taken at a slower pace over a year in high school, so it may be a gentler way of taking the first semester of calculus than taking calculus in college. If you intend to go on to PhD study in economics, you will need to take much more math and statistics than calculus.
Where is your science credit. That is the only question. You are taking Calc so I would think you would be taking physics unless you have it already. Good Luck
I would maybe add a substantial science class or replace it for something else. Also, I wouldn’t be too worried about Calc AB if you’re not going to be able to handle the rigor and be stressed about it. About that class that you say colleges won’t accept: I wouldn’t be too worried about that either. Lots of students take unique classes like that and colleges probably understand that.
If the colleges you’re applying to say it’s necessary, then it is necessary. Take a science and take the easier calculus class.
Even if you took AP Calc AB, you’d have to get a 4 or 5 on the exam to exempt out of it at college. You’d be stressed out over it your senior year, your other grades might suffer, and there’s still a good chance that you’d have to take the class again in college anyway. Not worth the hassle for very uncertain reward.