Is my 4 Year Plan Realistic?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hello! I’m currently a freshman with Ivy League ambitions. I’ve been contacted at least twice by every Ivy and Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, and MIT. I plan to major in Chemistry or Biology. I want to be an emergency room physician. I’ve taken all Honors classes my whole life when possible, including this year. I’ve never gotten below an A-, and ace my classes with relative ease. Freshmen are not allowed to take AP’s at my school.

My Current Schedule:

Pre-AP World History Honors
Research Biology Honors
Algebra 2/ Trigonometry Honors
English 9 Honors
Latin 3
Introduction to Business and Marketing
Health and PE 9 (Required)
Summer: Online Mathematical Analysis Honors (Honors Precalculus with an Intro to Calculus) (A virtual class is required.)

10th Grade Schedule:

AP World History
Research Chemistry Honors
AP Calculus BC
English 10 Honors
AP Biology
AP Macroeconomics/ AP Microeconomics (may be switched with AP Statistics based on counselor recommendation.)
Health and PE 10/ Driver’s Ed (Required)

11th Grade Schedule

AP US History
Research Physics Honors
Multivariable Calculus Dual Enrollment (DE)
AP English Language and Composition
AP Chemistry
AP Statistics (may be switched with AP Macroeconomics/ AP Microeconomics based on counselor recommendation.)
Survey of African History DE

12th Grade Schedule

AP US Government/ AP Comparative Government
AP Physics C: E&M & M
Online Differential Equations DE/ Online Linear Algebra DE
AP English Literature and Composition
Independent Science Research DE
AP Psychology
AP Human Geography

I am interested in all of these classes. Any constructive feedback is welcome. Thank you!

PS: If any of you replied to my Chance Me thread, I know you told me to stay off CC, but I need advice on something non-college related. The deadline for my 4 Year Plan is in two days when I have my scheduling conference. My classes are set for the rest of high school that day.

2

The amount of APs you’re planning to take is undoubtedly insane but you’ve actually spaced them out pretty well. I see a lot of people on here put all their hard APs in one year but I’ve gotten a sense of your workload and it actually looks pretty good…

But don’t forget that ECs are just as important if not more important as grades and believe me, if you’re gonna take 4 APs, a research class, and two college courses in one year you are gonna have NO time for ECs. That’s the reason why Harvard rejects most of the valedictorians every year. They can’t tell that there is substance, character in that person. Anybody could be an academic drone with stellar test scores and a 4.6 GPA if they wanted to, but not everybody would choose the same ECs as you would, volunteer in the same places as you would, have the same experiences as you would.

I was in the same situation last year as you, I didn’t really care about ECs but after reading through all the /r/collegeresults and CC threads I realized matters even more. Your disability won’t save you, and neither will the fact that you’re 1/8 African.

I think you should reevaluate your 4 year plan with ECs in mind. All the best.

3

For math, you can’t go from Alg2 to AP Calc BC, you need Pre-calc too.
I would not take Honors Chem and AP bio at the same time. 2 labs = too much esp plus AP World (much reading and writing).
Junior year: don’t take two sciences at once.
I would not take online math senior year…take pre–calc as a sophomore and you can still get through Multivariable by senior year.
Why AP Human Geo? Just be cause it is a AP?

Also try to get to the 4th level of Latin.

4

What kind of high school are you attending that requires 9th grade students to lock in their full plan for all four years?

Why are you ditching Latin after Latin 3? Is there no AP Latin at your school?

Why no modern language(s)? Are you already fluent in a modern language?

Why no arts classes? What is a huge flaming gap in your plan. You wouldn’t be able to receive a public high school diploma in the state where I live.

Why no practical life skills classes other than drivers ed?

Why no phys ed after 10th grade? You need to keep yourself in shape. Do you participlate in a sport or dance or other regular rigorous phsical activity outside of school?

5

@Voxle1 You’ve obviously read my Chance Me thread. I value my Asian, European, and African heritage. My disability is not what I’m counting on. EC’s are. My Gold Award will highlight my hearing disability. I’m teaching kids how to sign. The program will continue for years and incorporate adults as I gain experience. I’m joining Model UN, Debate, possibly Hospital Helpers, and Science Olympiad next year and will continue being in plays. I may not be able to be in Hospital Helpers because I’m allergic to the flu shot and flu shots are required.

@bopper I’m taking Pre-calc this summer. I was recommended for both Research Chem and AP Bio. I want to take AP Physics and AP Chemistry, so taking two sciences simultaneously is the only way to do so. I run out of math classes and won’t have a car senior year, so I have to take an online math class that year. At my school we’re required to take a virtual class and the only Honors one is Math Analysis. I’ve found human geography interesting since I was 7 and my 16 year old sister started talking about taking it. I would take Latin 4, but I don’t like poetry or the teacher. I am fluent in Latin, so the class seems like a waste.

@happymomof1 My school is weird. They hand out our 4 Year Plans to college recruiters if you’re identified as gifted. I would take Latin 4, but I don’t like poetry or the teacher. I am fluent in Latin, so the class seems like a waste. I’m fluent in ASL (my first language), English, Lithuanian, French, and Latin. We don’t have to take art classes and I can’t draw a straight line to save my life. I also can’t hear the voice of the Theatre Arts teacher. We don’t have practical life skills classes beside Driver’s Ed. PE is an elective after 10th grade. I have a fatal nerve disease and haven’t participated in PE since 4th grade when I broke my back at a state gymnastics meet. I can’t do sports because of the nerve disease

6

“I’ve been contacted at least twice by every Ivy and Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, and MIT.”
Do colleges actually do this?

7

@hjulk7 Yes, they actually do that. I actually got an invite to come sit in on a Yale class in organic chemistry. As soon as my PSAT score was published on College Board, I was inundated by emails from top colleges about why their college is better than the others. Thank you everyone for your (mostly) constructive comments. Any suggestions on alternate classes if you think I should be taking something else?

8

I would still argue for an arts class. Drawing a straight line has nothing to do with it! Music, ceramics, 3D art, and yes even theater. Can’t hear the teacher? Let the school know. Maybe the teacher can wear a mic, and everyone in the class will be happier.

9

His voice is too low for me to be able to hear with my hearing disability. I think the 12 plays I’ll be in by graduation will be enough theatre for a lifetime.

10

Hopefully you will go over this with your guidance counselor (and hopefully there is room to make changes if need be). Here are a few comments:

–Be sure that you meet all of the graduation requirements for you HS/state etc. FWIW my state requires one year of an arts class.

–You should strongly consider a 4th year of Latin as many top tier colleges do look for students to get to Level 4 of a foreign language. You can check the recommended/required high school coursework of a few colleges you may consider in the future.
–You have AP English Literature and Composition listed for 11th and 12th grade. You don’t need to take the same class twice.
–Be sure you are taking classes you want to take, and not just racing to get the most AP/Dual Enrollment classes possible.

11

@happy1 I am meeting all of the graduation requirements. I’ll be taking the Latin and French subject tests, which should show mastery of the actual written languages, not the assigned poetry in Latin or being able to hear people with low voices speaking French. I have AP Lang listed in 11th and AP Lit in 12th. I am taking the classes I want to take. Thanks for your feedback!

12

Your schedule doesn’t look cohesive - it doesn’t show progression and it doesn’t show increased awareness of academic interests. I know you’re just a freshman but since you’re aiming for top schools you’re better off knowing this.

I’m going to post this as a progression, with suggestion inserted:

SOCIAL SCIENCE
Pre-AP World History Honors->AP World History ->AP US History → AP Euro (hard) or 2 DE History classes (equally hard but would show more autonomy) or pick 2 from AP CompGov/AUSGov/MacroEcon/MicroEcon (strong but not as hard)

SCIENCE
Research Biology Honors → AP Biology + Research Chemistry Honors (very ambitious and time-consuming) → Research Physics Honors + AP Chemistry (very ambitious and time consuming) → AP Physics C: EM/M + Independent Science Research DE or General Physics 1&2 DE + Independent Science Research DE

MATH
Algebra 2/ Trigonometry Honors > (summer) Math Analysis Honors ->AP Calculus BC [CHECK that your school does AB OR BC, not AB first, BC second. If it’s an AB year 1, BC year2 system, take AB first or take DE Calc1 in the Fall at a CC and DE Calc2 in the Spring at the CC] → Multivariable Calculus Dual Enrollment (DE) + DE Linear Algebra or Discrete Math → DE Linear Algebra or DE Discrete Math + DE Calculus-based Statistics or Applied Statistics or Biostatistics depending on your interests (respectively, Math/stats/CS, or Business/social science, or Biology/Chemistry/Premed).

ENGLISH
English 9 Honors → English 10 Honors → AP English Language and Composition → DE Philosophy (Fall), DE English/CompLit option

FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Latin 3 → take Subject test in June, if score is below 750 take DE Latin or Latin 4 ; also take Frenchtest in June and if score sufficient, take DE French (there should be an appropriate level at the college, probably 201 or 202 or 3rd/4th college semester, perhaps higher - may be offered in the Spring. You need some sort of external validation AND odds are the voice will be better suited to your hearing) → DE Latin or DE French → free period for DE → free period for college apps

PERSONAL PICKS
Introduction to Business and Marketing → AP Macro/Micro Econ (you could save it for sr year) OR another Business course + DECA → Survey of African History DE + Art History DE+ DECA → DE Human Geography + DE Psychology + DECA

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Health and PE 9 (Required)-> Health and PE 10/ Driver’s Ed (Required) → free period for DE → free period for DE

Note:
AP Psychology => decrease in rigor: take DE one semester if interested
AP Human Geography => freshman/Sophomore class: if a senior and interested, take DE one semester

This progression makes you transition to an almost completely DE schedule senior year.
DECA is a business club/Class that could serve as an anchor while you take fewer and fewer classes at the HS. DECA ties into your current Intro to Business class and shouldn’t be too hard.

13

@MYOS1634 That was so helpful! Thank you so much! Unfortunately, for every DE class I take not authorized by my school system, I have to petition the school system. Multivariable Calculus, while only a semester of college math, is offered only as a full year course, traditionally open exclusively to seniors, so that will require a petition as well. I may be able to negotiate a double study hall and take Multivariable online in one semester with another math class the second semester. We’re allowed to take 7 classes during the school year at school, though as many as we want outside of school. I’ll talk to my counselor about more DE class options. However, taking DE classes adversely affects my weighted GPA and class rank. How badly will taking more DE classes affect my admissions decision because I wouldn’t be in the top 5%?

I’m not interested in Business at all. I had to take a CTE class to satisfy a graduation requirement and by the time I moved to my current school only business was open. Our graduation requirements are extensive (23, debatebly 26 of the 28 classes we take in high school are graduation requirements), so that greatly limits what students can and can’t do with their time. The requirements are:

4 English (enrolled in one)
4 Math (two completed in middle school, enrolled in one, taking one this summer)
4 Science (enrolled in one)
4 History (enrolled in one)
3 Foreign Language (two completed in middle school, enrolled in one)
2 PE (enrolled in one)
1 CTE (enrolled in one)
1 Economics (sophomore/junior year)
3 Electives (one completed in middle school)

I should have mentioned that I plan to minor in Political Science, so that explains the social science classes. The African History class is explained above.

Following your math suggestion, if I’m catching your drift and it’s entirely possible I’m not, would have me taking Multivariable and Linear Algebra online together in junior year and Discrete Math and Biostatistics with Hopkins in senior year, forgoing AP Statistics and giving me an extra block to take another class junior year.

DE English at my school is taught by possibly the world’s worst English teacher as her first language is not English, she refuses to teach the content, and she doesn’t have an English degree. The whole class is a mess.

I’ll see if my counselor is okay with me registering for the subject tests. She should be. I’ve spoken fluent French for years, so I should score well there. Latin shouldn’t be a problem either, though I’ll consult my Latin teacher.

The AP Psych teacher here is amazing, but the AP Human Geography teacher kills GPAs, so if I feel like it I could pursue that through an online course. It’s also offered exclusively to seniors as an easy A class, ironically, since the average grade is a 72.

According to your recommendations and the intermingling of teachers I just can’t miss having:

10th grade–Double study Hall
AP World History
Research Chemistry
AP Calculus BC
English 10 Honors
Online DE Intermediate French 1 and 2 or Intermediate Latin 1 and 2 (Highest level offered at local CC)
AP Biology
PE 10/ Driver’s Ed

11th grade–Double Study Hall
AP US History
Research Physics Honors
Online Multivariable Calculus/ Linear Algebra DE
AP Language and Composition
AP Macro/Microeconomics
AP Chemistry
Survey of African History DE

12th grade–Triple Study Hall
AP US Government/ AP Comparative Government
AP Physics C: E&M & M
Online Discrete Math/ Biostatistics DE at Hopkins (BIG maybe)
AP Literature and Composition
AP Psychology
Independent Science Research DE
Block for Online DE class

I could have triple early release senior year. That’s a scary thought.

This was absolutely amazing. Thank you for taking the time to write that and read this rambling reply.

The finalized copy of my plan is released to me February 9th. Thanks to everyone for their help!

14

Can someone other than OP answer my question? I’ve NEVER heard of colleges, let alone ivies, actively seeking applicants based on 9th grade PSAT scores.

15

@hjulk7 You’ve never gotten college junk mail? I’m 90% sure that’s what the OP got and misconstrued it as thinking he/she’s special or something.

16

DE classes should be offered by a real college, either online or “on campus” if you can drive yourself to the campus or your HS /city has a transportation system you can use

17

I’ll second what was said about DE classes offered by a real college. Many colleges do not recognize classes that are taught as de classes if the classes use high school teachers and are filled with all high school students. They want de classes to be taught by college professors and the high school students to blended in with college students and have a transcript from an accredited college not just on a high school transcript.

18

@momtogirls2 - If the DE class taught on the HS campus by a HS teacher awards college credit, it still is a real college class. The students will have a college transcript that they have to submit along with their HS transcript when they apply for admission. And for the rest of their lives they will have to request official copies of that college transcript whenever they apply for admission to another degree program, or for a job that requires all of their transcripts.

Whether an individual college or university admissions office chooses to parse the difference between DE classes at the HS with HS teachers (who have to be fully qualified by that college or university to serve as an adjunct instructor), and DE classes taught on a college campus (most likely taught by an adjunct instructor who may or may not have any pedagogical skills at all unlike someone who was hired to teach in the K-12 system), well then that is up to that particular institution.

19

@snowfairy137 I believe personal invites to sit in on classes and letters from the dean of students aren’t junk mail, though I do get junk mail from MIT all the time about attending SSP as a rising junior next summer. Do with that information what you wish.
@momtogirls2 The teachers who teach DE at my school are qualified by the local CC to teach the classes they teach.

20

“I’ve NEVER heard of colleges, let alone ivies, actively seeking applicants based on 9th grade PSAT scores.”

We, and many other students, got piles of junk mail from universities right after my daughters took the PSAT, which continued pretty much through the time that they had completed sending in their applications.

I interpreted the mail from Harvard and Stanford as “we want you to apply because since we have a fixed number of students we will accept and the more students that apply then the more we can reject and the more selective we will appear in the university rankings”. We never interpreted any of this as meaning that they had any interest in having any of us attend.