<p>I’m very much concerned about my courses next year (I will be going into 9th grade), and weither or not they are rigorous enough. Here is my course list:</p>
<p>(Taking Algebra 1 over the summer)</p>
<p>9th Grade:
Honors English
Honors World Geography
Geometry (Possibly Honors Geometry? What do you think?)
Biology
Spanish 1 </p>
<p>10th: (Intended)
Honors English
AP World History
Honors Algebra 2
AP Chemistry
Spanish 2
Psychology (Can’t take AP until 11th)</p>
<p>I would like to go to Spelman College, Howard University, NYU, George Washington University, Georgetown, Tuskegee University (maybe?), USC, Columbia, or Carnegie Mellon. I’m a black female in California, and I did an internship with the “Ami Bera Campaign” last year, and will be doing an internship at a small organization called “Moments to Success”. What do you think of my courses? Should they be a little bit more challenging? Are my perspective college choices to “far fetch”?</p>
<p>Well, for 9th grade, that’s basically the same courses i had (except honors 9th grade history was called Multi Cultures). But for Sophomore year, AP Chemistry? Have you taken chemistry before? I mean this is just from personal experience, and from my classmates in Honors Chemistry but chemistry is a hard class. And i’ve also heard AP Chemistry is one of the hardest AP classes out there.</p>
<p>But i take AP World right now, its a great class if you like History. Its a survey of basically everything that happened around the world, without going into small little details.</p>
<p>I’m currently a Freshman, rising Sophomore, and my schedule looked like this (quick question, are the classes that aren’t specified as ‘Honors’ actually basic? For instance, Biology?) </p>
<p>This is my current schedule.</p>
<p>Honors Geometry
Honors Biology
Honors English 9
Honors U.S History
College Prep Latin I
College Prep Art
Health </p>
<p>I’m considered to be in a “rigorous” schedule, but it’s far from rigorous. Next year (10th grade) I’ll be taking -</p>
<p>AP U.S History (only AP available to Sophomores)
Duel Enrollment Sociology
Duel Enrollment Psychology
Honors Chemistry
Honors Latin II
Honors English 10
Honors Foundations of Law
Honors Forensic Science
Honors Algebra II
P.E</p>
<p>So, you seem to have an upward trend from taking basic classes Freshman Year, to multiple AP’s in 10th grade, which is good.</p>
<p>Your focus as a Freshman isn’t to take the most mind numbing courses at your disposal, it’s to get a solid foundation in your GPA and have a complete understanding to build upon for the next 4 years.</p>
<p>@JonWasNotHere, most likely I will be taking Chem over the summer in 9th grade, so I will have some prior exposure to the class. I just feel very compelled to take AP Chem, because I want to take as many AP classes as possible, ya know? </p>
<p>@premable1776, at my school, we can either take General Science or Biology and Algebra or Geometry in 9th grade. So at my school, taking “regular” Biology in the 9th grade is considered to be an “honors” classes. Now, I can actually take Honors Geometry in 9th, but is it really necessary considering that I would already have a head start, since I’m taking Geometry instead of Algebra?</p>
<p>You say that regular Biology is the equivalent of Honors, however, is it weighted as an Honors course? Here at my School, Freshman can take Basic or Honors Biology, since it’s a graduation and state requirement. </p>
<p>I’m in Honors Geometry as a Freshman, because I was in Advanced Math in 8th Grade, which gave me my Alg 1 and Data Analysis credit, I’m with mostly Sophomores. I had the option to take Algebra II this summer and be in AP Statistics my Sophomore Year, but I gave it up so I could tutor Algebra I to students in July, plus I’m not much of a Math Person.</p>
<p>Most decent colleges want 4 years of Math that accumulate in Calculus by the end of your schooling career.</p>
<p>Most likely it is not weighted as an honors class (but I will check), it is just held in same prestige as a Honors Biology class. I’m definitely going to take all 4 years of math, even though my school only requires me to take 3.</p>
<p>Sounds like you’re on the right track! The only thing I object to is going to tuskegee. I mean it’s a good school but it’s in the middle of nowhere - legit. I think going to alabama from cali would be a drastic culture shock there is nothing in that “city”. I dot mean to rag on it, I got accepted there… it’s just not for everyone<br>
Keep up the good work
Btw cmu rocks!!</p>
<p>Oh, you should really try and specify that in your College App, stating that it was considered to be Honors Leveled when you had taken it. Even better if it’s weighted. </p>
<p>Yes, take all 4 years - and make sure it accumulates in Calculus, that’s the big thing. </p>
<p>At my school;
Geometry
Algebra II
Trig / Pre Cal or AP Stats
Calculus or AP Calc</p>
<p>Yeah, i get what your saying. Thats pretty cool though. Where i live in PA, you aren’t allowed to take classes in the summer to get into advanced classes early. And plus, my school doesn’t offer AP Chem because we aren’t the best school, money wise, so we couldn’t afford an efficent lab. But with AP classes i totally agree. By the time i graduate i want to have taken
AP World (take now)
AP European History
AP US History
AP Government & Politics
AP Pyschology
AP English
AP Calculus AB</p>
<p>I would highly recommend taking Honors Chem before AP chem. Also, I thought you can take AP psych without having regular psych before it. I would just take AP psych junior year and forget about taking regular, if you can.</p>
<p>You cannot take AP Chem as a sophomore. I don’t care if you think taking a chem class over the summer will help you, you will die. You need to seriously think about how hard these classes are and not just sign up for the hardest classes. You, along with your GPA, will suffer.</p>
<p>I’d say yeah, you’re on the right track. It may seem like your freshman schedule isn’t that rigorous but honestly, how rigorous can it be? You can only do your best with what you’re being offered at this point. I would air on the side of caution with AP Chem sophomore year, though. I’m currently a sophomore and I’m not in that class, but I would still highly recommend some chemistry experience before trying to tackle AP. If you take chem over the summer like you said you’ll be better off, but I would suggest taking chem at your HS because the teacher will probably better prepare you for the AP chem class the school offers, rather than the summer course that might give you chemistry skills but without expecting you to take the AP exam. Good luck!</p>
