Hello! I am currently a junior in high school. I know college decisions are rolling back in right now, but I am really curious about whether or not I should change my schedule next year. My plan is to major in college for political science and I plan to apply to some pretty competitive schools. Right now my course load for next year includes 5 AP’s (French, Lit, Econ, Stats, Comp Sci Principles), a publication I’m a part of, a semester long seminar (required) and a semester long creative writing elective. I am just now realizing that a lot of colleges recommend four years of science. I have already taken Physics (H), Chemistry (H), and AP Bio. I can’t drop Comp Sci - I need a tech credit to graduate. Is there any class on this list I should drop for a science, or will it not matter for a political science major?
Can you drop the creative writing elective for AP Environmental Science? That class covers some important political topics like global warming and pollution, and it gives you that fourth year of science.
APES is a year long, Creative Writing is a semester. I could take Advanced (Read: Intro College Level) Geology, but IDK if colleges would care at that point.
I think a problem you might face is that your schedule isn’t of the highest rigor when compared to other applicants. Have you taken calculus already?
Is Econ one semester or a full year?
Doesn’t Comp Sci Principles count as a science? I’m particularly saying this because you’ve already taken the big 3 - physics, chemistry and bio. Maybe you could take a higher level physics or Chem class, but as a non-stem major I’d think (but don’t know) that it would be fine to fill the science slot with AP CSP instead.
AP CSP is usually under the math department. Colleges wouldn’t count that as a science.
What counts here is whether your guidance/college counselor will check the “most rigorous” box for your overall course load in h.s., and what the specific colleges you’re applying to require or “recommend” (which is very nearly the same thing).
I’d be worrying about rigor for selective schools too. I’m not seeing AP calc and I do think you need a 4th year of science. The publication and creative writing classes are where I would sub out for AP Chem or AP physics.
I think you also need to think about what your competitors for admittance to the T20 are taking.
They aren’t trying to get out of science.
The bigger issue is math. AP Stat’s vs AP Calculus does not compare well when dealing with Top 25 schools. AP CSP probably gets you a pass for “science” even though it is not a natural science since you already have Bio, Physics and Chem under your belt.
Can you take a science and math class during the summer at a local college?
Your schedule is fine. You’ve taken the big three sciences. There’s nothing wrong with being exposed to computer science and I’d say in the long run likely to be more useful to you than AP Enviro. I’d lean toward taking a calculus course over AP Stats, and take a calculus based stats course in college. There’s a lot of talk on College Confidential about getting into top 20 schools, but they aren’t for everyone. There are hundreds of colleges which will look at your schedule and be impressed. You don’t need to take every AP offered. Take the ones that make sense for your interests. My kids got into top colleges without taking AP English language or AP English Lit. One kid overdosed on science APs (and majored in CS in college) the other took all the history APs the school offered (and majored in IR.)
I have already taken Calc AB and have been given an award for the highest grade in the class. I could go on to take BC, but I’ve been told it’s redundant and AP Stats is supposedly an interesting and challenging course at my school, though I don’t know if colleges see that. Courses at a local college are $$$ and given that I am not interested in any majors that require more than Calc I + II, I’m confused as to whether or not it’s advantageous.
I’m not trying to “get out of science.” I am trying to figure out how to fit it into my schedule.
I could switch Econ for AP Physics, but Econ is what I am more interested in. What I am trying to determine is if this is a necessary switch if I am going to be a humanities/social science major and have already received an A in an Honors Physics course.
Edit: I think it is also important to note that I am in a magnet program that has magnet courses for three years and a senior year requirement of AP Lit and a seminar.
Edit 2: Econ is a year long, encompassing Micro and Macro.
A lot depends on the types of colleges you are considering. Competitive applicants at top schools will have four years of math, science, English, SS/history, and a foreign language. Econ is probably going to be a required course for political science, so if there is any question of your colleges accepting your AP credit, just postpone that until college.
Any chance of taking your seminar or filling your tech requirement over the summer? Is there an entry level computer science or IT class at a local college in the summer that would count for dual enrollment credit? That would solve your dilemma.
Tech cost $600 over the summer - not a justifiable cost to family when I could take it in school. My only real option is to switch out Econ or French for a science, and I’m trying to determine if that’s worth it,
For Political science I would keep the foreign language and economics class. You are not going stem and you already took Ab calc. Ap environmental makes less sense based on your major.
It really depends on the colleges you are talking about. I’m not sure what you mean by “some pretty competitive schools.” Do you think most of the other applicants will have 4 years of science and more course rigor than you will? My daughter’s HS CC strongly suggested 4 years of the 5 main subjects (English, Foreign Language, Math, Science, and History). I think Stats is fine since you already took Calc.
Considering what you want to major in
- AP calc in 11+AP stats in 12 is perfectly fine
- AP CSP or APES for science (CSP counts as a a non lab science or a math, depending on the college) is fine. However if you find a non AP summer school tech credit you could take APES. Check with your GC to see whether she/he indicates CSP as a science on the school profile.
- senior year is when you indicate your academic interests and strengths. So, you should have the highest rigor in Humanities and Social science : economics, government, history, foreign language, literature. It’s not about getting the credit - it’s all about showing the college that you know what you want to study and have shown strengths in pre-reqs (at top colleges, these courses will not give you credit or very little since they’re basically the default class most students have for these majors).
- Switching out Econ or French for a science would actually be detrimental since it’d weaken your academic rigor in the areas you’re supposed to show strength in. No one would suggest a future Engineering major drop AP physics C to take AP Spanish - same here with a different field.
Keep in mind that the “recommended” on the college sites is the minimum. Many applicants will have more such as Multivariate Calc. Many schools have rigorous Calc curriculums. Stats is fun but colleges don’t view it the same. My son as an example, took multivariate Calc in senior year but took a complete year of Stats at Northwestern University in an exceleerated 3 week program with 12 other kids stating it was fun…
So since it’s early I would reach out to your Admissions Officer for some of the schools in question and just ask the question. This will give you better insight to the program and an early touch to the person that would help decide your future to that school. An email is perfect for this.
Let us know what they say.
^ the “recommended” math is precalculus in the 12th grade, although Calculus is strongly preferred. This student took Calculus in 11th grade. If they’re turned down, it won’t be because they took AP stats instead of AP calculus BC.
Op: what other science is available instead of AP CSP (anatomy & physiology, astronomy…?)