So, at my school it’s that time when students have to pick their classes for the next year. As of now I am scheduled for:
AP Senior English (basically AP Lit part 2. My school doesn’t teach AP Lang.)
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP Psychology
AP Spanish 5
Honors Orchestra
My issue is this:
Everyone at my school seems to have some clue as to what they’re doing with their lives, and they are choosing courses based on that. I, on the other hand, am not sure what I want to do in the future. I used to have an intense interest in medicine, but that wore off quickly. I enjoyed biology a lot when I took it freshman year, so I signed to take AP next year. I also really enjoy history. I want to take AP European History, but there is no room in my schedule at all unless I were to drop either AP Psych or Bio. I want to enjoy my senior year. My junior year sucks a lot, my classes are completely boring, and my teachers are terrible. I know choosing a class might seem so simple to a normal person, but for me, it feels like any wrong decision could ruin my year. I know the choice is ultimately up to me, but I need some outside voices to help me out. Everyone at school that I’ve spoken to just wants me to take whatever class they are taking.
The schedule you propose is completely normal at my kids’ HS. I don’t think there is anything you will regret taking when you get to college regardless of you eventual major. Most schools require a core science, math, english freshman year and with a decent score on your AP’s you could knock those out! Both of my kids choose AP Euro over AP Bio, they really enjoyed the class, BUT it was a lot of work. DD#1 regrets not picking an AP science senior year and I suspect DD#2 will too. You could think about AP Stats instead of AP Calc AB if you want to ease the schedule a bit. But that would be entirely dependant on the colleges you are targeting. Both my STEMy kid and Liberal Arts kid needed Stats for their majors so it may have helped them knock that out, but AP Calc AB is pretty versatile (They took AP Calc AB). Frankly I’d drop the AP Spanish 5 most colleges only need 4years foriegn language. Junior year sucks for everyone, you are not alone in that feeling!
I think it’s more surprising that a 16 or 17 year old would know what they want to do with the rest of their lives than not. Even if it’s true for them, you shouldn’t feel weird that you recognize you’re not yet at that point. You sound like a prime candidate for a solid LAC education, where you’ll learn how to think, communicate and become resourceful while you decide what you’re passionate about.
By the way, if it were me, I’d stick with AP Spanish to hopefully place out of any foreign language requirement - unless you were looking forward to that.
Have you taken Chem and Physics too? If so, AP Bio is great.
Also keep in miind that n 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.
Take what you want. These all seem very reasonable. If you like science/math you could maybe drop the English down a level. You don’t have to continue in Spanish if you don’t want to …but many colleges do require foreign language so getting credit for Spanish if you do well on AP test is great.