Is My Courseload Rigorous Enough For Penn State, Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys.

I’m choosing my classes for next year and I was wondering if my course load is rigorous enough to get into schools like Ohio State, Purdue, and Indiana University - Bloomington. Also, is it bad if I have more Bs than As on my transcript overall when applying to these schools? As much as I try it feels as if I would only earn 2 As on my transcript this year. I am taking AP Computer Science, and either AP Music Theory or Environmental Science with Honors Italian.

Extracurriculars:
Volunteer First Responder
Key Club
Lacrosse
Aviation Club
Job at florist shop

2

If you don’t list your junior and expected senior year courseload we can’t tell you if it’s rigorous enough…

3

Also, it depends on which major you want to choose. CS or engineering ate all of these colleges are much more competitive than other majors.

4

The list is sort of all over the place. The best place to start is a university in your home state; one you know you can afford. Going out of state is triple the tuition, and is simply not worth paying that kind of money for a bachelors degree.

5

You have only listed 3 courses of the 25-30 you will take throughout high school, so there’s no way to comment on your course rigor.

6

I wish to major in aviation/engineering. This is for my junior year (next year). Senior year I hope to take 3-4 APs if that is rigorous enough.

7

Please list your current classes as well as what you expect to take Junior (and senior) years.
It’s not the number of APs. It’s having all 5 core courses each year at sufficient rigor and having a coherent sequence.

8

1 dual enrollment class which is sports management, AP CS Principles, and no more honors. Mostly CPs.

9

Are you in Indiana?

10

Let’s structure this a bit.
Can you list classes already taken + (grade in parentheses) and at the end of the line the class you’d take next year, for
English: regular 9,10,11 (?)
Math: …,…,…
Foreign language:…,…, Honors Italian 3 (?)
Science: regular physics, …,…,
Social science/history: …,…,…
Electives: Sports Management, APCSP

For aviation you need math through precalculus honors, AP physics 1 or 2, CS - all with As. But you need the other classes too (US and global history, Foreign language, English, communication…)

11

Last year’s courseload

English 1 Honors (74)
Algebra 1 (71)
Biology (91)
Global Studies (87)
Health (86)
Intro to Comp Sci (88)
Italian 1 (91)
Phys Ed (100)
Communications (88)
Financial Literacy (94)

GPA: 3.15

This year

Driver’s Ed (88)
Intro to Business
Personal and Business Law
English 2 Regular
Geometry
Physical Education
Chemistry
U.S. history 1
Italian 2

12

For Senior Year I hope to take:

AP Economics
AP Environmental Science
AP U.S. Government and Politics
Honors Italian 4
Honors Computer Science

Junior Year I am taking AP Music Theory and AP CS Principals with Italian 3 Honors.

13

Junior year you should be taking
English 3
Algebra2 Honors
Us history 2
AP CS principles
Some sort of robotics, engineering, physical science…
Italian 3
Perhaps some course that requires writing to strengthen your writing thinking of college essays
Take six courses (7 MAX) and aim for As

Senior year
Physics honors or AP Physics 1
Precalculus honors
English 4
Italian 4
AP CS A or honors CS
AP world history or AP economics/Gov

These schedules would be 100% fine for Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa State, etc.

What’s your current level in music theory and instrumental practice?

14

Engineering is highly competitive, especially at Purdue and OSU. Physics is an absolute must junior year. Senior year, take AP physics or AP chem. Ideally you would have reached AP calc as well if it was offered at your school.

Work hard to flip to mostly As in your courses and prepare well for your standardized tests.

15

@momofsenior1:
Grades are more a problem than the exact subjects in my opinion.
Wrt classes:
op will reach precalculus regular or honors senior year. Because s/he’s not completed algebra 2 yet, s/he can’t take physics junior year.
That as well as Calculus, isn’t within the realm of possibility.

I believe, as you said, that op’s better off getting As in as many classes as possible. Going from a C- in Algebra to A in Geometry to algebra2 Honors with As is going to be a challenge by itself.

Getting into Engineering with a B average and regular precalculus will be almost impossible so getting into algebra2 Honors and then precalculus honors while maintaining As is likely key.

I would advise OP to focus on Engineering technology or applied fields.

@TheAverageNerd : what state do you live in? Do you have a budget for college?
What do you like about aviation engineering?

16

@TheAverageNerd :
You have to think about whether you care more about attending PSU, Iowa State, tOSU, etc OR getting into the School of Engineering (generally the hardest college to get into, for straight-A students.)

Note that if you want to work in Aeronautics, you should try and major in Mechanical Engineering or Technology since MechE has more jobs in Aerospace/aeronautics. However there are many technical jobs with other degrees. Try to explore many possible programs and visit several campuses:

Here are several degree possibilities:
Aviation related, 2-year degree:
https://ucclermont.edu/academics/academic-departments/mcgp/mcgp-degree-programs/aviation.html

Technology/CS:
https://cech.uc.edu/schools/it/academics/undergrad-programs/bachelorsofscienceininformationtechnology/bsinformatiotechnology.html

Mech engineering
https://behrend.psu.edu/school-of-engineering/academic-programs/mechanical-engineering

https://www.ohio.edu/engineering/

Mech Engineering Tech:
https://behrend.psu.edu/school-of-engineering/academic-programs/mechanical-engineering-technology
engineering-technology.html

https://mansfield.osu.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/engineering-technology.html

Mechatronics
https://engineering.unca.edu/learn/joint-b-s-in-engineering-mechatronics-concentration/

At Penn State, apply DUS/Summer session to UP but since GPa is 2/3 of the decision, choose Erie as your second choice since it offers excellent engineering. (Precalculus honors with B or higher, or Precalculus with A, is
https://summersession.psu.edu/first-year-students/leap-program
https://behrend.psu.edu/school-of-engineering

If a PA resident, this would be a good safety:
https://www.johnstown.pitt.edu/academics/majors-programs/engineering-and-computer-science/mechanical-engineering
If an OH resident (even if PA resident):
https://ysu.edu/academics/science-technology-engineering-mathematics

17

My current level in music is at an intermediate level.

18

Should I take Algebra 2 or AP Statistics? Also, what if I cannot handle algebra honors?

19

I just want to become a pilot. I want to study pro flight. Not exactly aeronautical engineering.

20

Hi I was also wondering if I had any chance of getting into Purdue or IU. I am a junior and have a 3.3 UW gpa and I have taken honors classes throughout high school. I am also the captain of two sports and on a state wide leadership committee. My grades and classes were

9th Grade:
PE: A
English 1: A
Bio: B
World History: B
Advanced Geometry: B
Span 1: B
(Both semesters)

10th grade:
1st Semester
PE: A
English: A
Algebra 2/ trig: B
AP Us Hist: C
Engineering: A
Accel Chem: A
Spanish 2: B

2nd Semester
PE: A
English: B
Algebra 2/ trig: B
AP Us Hist: B
Engineering: B
Accel Chem: B
Spanish 2: B

11th Grade:
1st Semester:
AP Bio: C
Pre Calc: A
AP Computer Science A: B
Consumer Economics: A
Spanish 3: B
English: A

(2nd semester I am taking all the same classes except I am taking AP US Government instead of Consumer Economics)

12th Grade schedule:
AP Calc
AP Stats
AP Psych
Spanish 4
Dual Credit Chem
Brit Lit

I also live in Illinois and plan on majoring in either Biology or something business related.