How important is it to take math senior year?

Applying to College
1

<p>I took Intro Analysis as a sophomore and I'm in AP Stats as a junior, should I take math next year? My only options would be AP Calc AB or something called Transition to College Math, which I know nothing about. Math really isn't my favorite subject and I hadn't planned on taking it, but I've been looking at what colleges want and it seems like almost all of them strongly recommend four years of math...</p>

<p>My UW GPA is around 3.6 and my weighted is 4.0, I'm definitely not in the top 10% of my class. I got good SAT scores though, 800 CR, 800 W, and 720 M.</p>

<p>Do I need to take a math class to bump my chances up?</p>

2

<p>Colleges don’t tend to REQUIRE it, since some people just don’t have the opportunity to take 4 years of math, but if you can it makes your application look better. So if it’s a decision between taking another year of math and taking some random filler class, you definitely should do it.</p>

3

<p>Well I had planned on having a pretty difficult schedule, AP Comp/Lit, AP Gov/AP Human Geo, AP Econ, Chemistry, Advanced Drama, and maybe an art class. If I take a math class I would probably take regular Econ and no Human Geo.</p>

4

<p>What do you want to major in?</p>

<p>What would you take in its place?</p>

<p>Calc is always good to have on your transcript. My son does not love math either, but he is taking Calc this year and says it seems to be easier than trig last year. Go figure.</p>

5

<p>The key words, directly from the colleges:</p>

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<p>If you think that the rest of your application compensates for lacking some of the strongly recommended academic coursework, or you feel lucky, don’t do the 4th year of math.</p>

6

<p>I’m not sure what I want to major in, but I’m interested in Literature, Creative Writing, Political Science, and International Relations. Nothing that has to do with math, which is why I had originally thought it would be fine to skip the fourth year of math. And I’m looking at LACs, not large universities, if that makes any difference.</p>

7

<p>May I ask why you chose stats over calc?</p>

8

<p>I thought Stats would be easier since probability was one of the easier sections for me in previous math classes. Now I’m thinking it would’ve been better to take Calc while Intro was still fresh in my mind, but oh well. Can’t change the past.</p>

9

<p>I think in your situation I would not take math. I would load up on heavy AP courses in the other areas. Science, Eng, lit, econ, etc… You probably would be better served to boost your GPA anyway. What kind of school do you want to go to?</p>

10

<p>PS your SAT scores are comendable!</p>

11

<p>Also, don’t mean to be nosy, but how many students are in your school. Private or public?</p>

12

<p>Public school, but it’s insanely competitive. I think over 500 students in each class, we only have 10th-12th grade though. The top 10% is GPAs of 4.3-4.8.</p>

13

<p>Wow, those are some high GPA’s Colleges will know whether your school is competitive or not. Your GPA is still good. </p>

<p>What colleges are you thinking about?</p>

14

<p>Well I’m looking at the University of California system as safeties, but I’d like to go somewhere like Reed, Whitman, Amherst, or Middlebury.</p>

15

<p>I think you have a great shot at some of the UC’s and equally as well at Reed and Whitman( we just visited there this past fall) loved Whitman. Amherst and Middlebury are harder to get into but you have good SAT’s and are from the West which will help.</p>

<p>Do you need aid or merit scholarships?</p>

16

<p>I can probably afford the UCs, but I’ll definitely need aid for a private school.</p>

17

<p>Will you qualify for financial air or will you need merit scholarships?</p>

18

<p>I’m not sure, my brother qualified for financial aid at some schools but not all of them.</p>

19

<p>If that is the case, I would definitely apply to the UC’s, but keep in mind that most students are not graduating in the typical four year period. We live in California and our son was going to look into the UC’s , but after all of the recent price increases and graduation rates(taking 5 and 6 years), it came out about the same or cheaper to go to a private school.</p>

<p>We decided to look at really good LAC’s that offer merit aid(scholarships). We found a great school in the mid-west that has excellent merit and financial aid as well.</p>

<p>Whitman has good merit aid. Are you resigned to staying in the West? Have you looked at any of the mid-west schools? Some of them have excellent merit aid?</p>

20

<p>You have excellent SAT scores! With math being the area in which you are relatively weak, to be more competitive you should take the AP Calc AB senior year and eliminate a softer elective or electives. The top schools recommend four years of math. Furthermore, taking four years of a subject that is not your best and that you have to work hard at would demonstrate that you not afraid to take the most difficult courseload.</p>