High School Transcript

The idea is to get to calculus as a senior. AOs don’t care how you get there. Whether you double up or take a class over the summer makes no difference to them. There are no brownie points awarded for getting to calculus junior yer or earlier.

Also, (I know, not really related to this thread) does HYP have the same early action policies as Stanford? I just wanna know bc I am starting to make a college list full of reach, target, and safety schools.

There are subtle nuanced differences with each as to what other colleges you can apply to early, which is outlined on each college’s site.

@skieurope At Stanford, you can apply to any school if they have a scholarship deadline or special program. I was wondering if it is the same for HYP?

As @skieurope stated the details of each of these college’s plans/restrictions is stated on the school website. If you are aspiring to attend a top tier college you should be able to do the research to get the answer. If anything is unclear on the website you can email admissions directly. CC is here to help guide students, not to do research on their behalf.

@happy1 I was thinking you know

I’m sure she does. As do I. But her advice is solid. It’s not that we’re mean and rude; we’ve already gone through the application process. Aside from her point that students applying to top schools should be able to do their own research, too much is at stake by not validating info with the primary source and risking an application being rejected for rules violations.

I understand @skieurope

I would counsel against too many APs Senior year, and this is why.

In the fall, you are in college application season. You may be taking the SAT again. You may want to visit some more colleges. You have to write college- specific essays (hopefully you already wrote your common app essay over the summer.). You have to fill out your Common App and get recommendations.
Also you may be in marching band or Sports or be a leader of a club. College Apps is like another timesucking EC on top of that.

Then in the spring, you may have senioritis. You are been accepted to college and are looking toward the finish line. You have to study for the AP tests…it will be difficult to study for too many at once.

Stanford U says:
“We expect applicants to pursue a reasonably challenging curriculum, choosing courses from among the most demanding courses available at your school. We ask you to exercise good judgment and to consult with your counselor, teachers and parents as you construct a curriculum that is right for you. Our hope is that your curriculum will inspire you to develop your intellectual passions, not suffer from unnecessary stress. The students who thrive at Stanford are those who are genuinely excited about learning, not necessarily those who take every single AP or IB, Honors or Accelerated class just because it has that designation.”

“The College Board needs to say a similar thing about taking A.P. courses. We have data that taking up to five A.P. courses over the course of high school helps students complete college on time. But there is no evidence that excessively cramming your schedule with A.P. classes advances you. Let us say to students, ‘If you would like to take more than 5 A.P. courses because you love the class, do so, but not to get into college.’
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/opinion/higher-education-double-major-extracurricular-activities.html

@bopper I have another question and it is not about me. My friend is planning on taking 3 APs next year, AP Bio, APES, and AP Stats with regular precalc and he wants to major in business, but, I told him that I think it is unnecessary to double up in a science and try to take like AP Comp Sci instead of AP Bio or APES (removing one AP Science). Btw, my friend has not taken any honors/AP classes throughout his freshman and sophomore year. What do you think I should recommend to him? Should I recommend the AP Comp Sci?

Then your friend should open an account to ask his own question because “Asking for a Friend” questions are not allowed.

@skieurope Okay

Do you think Pre Calc Honors look good on a High school Transcript?

It’s better than Pre-Calc CP, but not because one looks better than the other, but because honors will prepare you better for AP Calc. While I don’t have access to you teacher’s lesson plans, it is typical in honor pre-calc to finish pre-calc topics in 3rd quarter and then start on some intro calc topics. CP pre-calc generally covers just pre-calc.

I’ll also refer you back to @happy1 's comment at the beginning of the thread: “The person to ask is your guidance counselor, not any one of us.” No admissions officer is going to peruse your transcript class by class to validate your course selection, particularly if your GC marks your schedule “most demanding.” So don’t focus on what looks good, focus on what best prepares you for the future.

@skieurope I am going to take it next year. Do you think it is a dumb idea to take CP Pre Calc and then take AP Calc and AP Physics C senior year?

I am going to take Pre Calc Honors and then take AP Calc and AP Physics C (to have a physics class) senior year.

I refer you back to my earlier statement “While I don’t have access to you teacher’s lesson plans, it is typical in honor pre-calc to finish pre-calc topics in 3rd quarter and then start on some intro calc topics.”

Without knowing your school, I assume that most kids in AP Calc had honors pre-calc, and if the teacher spends any time on the calc topics covered the previous year, it will be a very quick review. Therefore, you may be behind the 8 ball from day 1. Or you may not be, since I don’t know how quickly you can pick things up.

As far as taking AP Calc and AP Physics C concurrently, that is a common combination which generally presents no issues for students who have done well in prior courses.

My AP Chem teacher has Leukemia (had it before but it came back) and will be unable to teach next year. Do you guys think that she will be able to teach 2020-2021 year.

Hey guys, I have the option from my counselor from a couple months ago to sign up for AP Chem online through Johns Hopkins Center of Talented Youth. They say they will fund it, but I feel I can take it next year. Do u guys think I should do it? @skieurope @twogirls

I’m just worried if it is too late or not.