So as of right now, this is my senior year schedule of courses:
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP English Literature
AP US History
AP Psychology
Honors Spanish Practicum
Would this be a balanced enough schedule in addition to my three previous years? In previous years I had 2 lab sciences per year, 2 years of US History (9th and 10th grade) but no Physics and only Honors Chemistry instead of AP. I also have all 4 years of Spanish for a foreign language, but never took (or will take) AP Spanish.
I would drop AP statistics and take AP Spanish instead of practiicum ( never heard of a class with that name )
No reason to take 2 math classes . So idrop AP statistics.
And if possible I’d substitute AP English instead of AP Lit - which requires a LOT of reading. If at ALL possible , Give yourself a free period in the Fall , as you will ALSO have what is essentially a part time job - applying to colleges . 5 AP classes is PLENTY rigorous .
Too many Srs underestimate how time consuming the application process really is !
You’ll need both good grades and enough time to sleep, in order to be able to get good grades!
@menloparkmom I’m already taking AP English Language this year, but I’m not at all strong in Spanish. My grammar is very weak, so I anticipate that I’ll do badly in AP.
Your English grammar is very week ? Or your Spanish grammar?
Do you love to read lots of books? That is what English lit is all about -reading books and analyzing them.
So if the answer to the above question is no, then I would drop English lit class ,
and find a class or subject there that might enjoy taking.
My son only took 4 AP classes his Sr. year and he got into a lot of colleges because his grades were great .
He took a music class and had period free .
Can you drop stats for AP Chemistry or Physics? I’d also agree with the above and say go for AP Spanish or a DE Spanish. AP Psychology is a lighter AP, anything else you might consider taking (unless you really want to take it)? Do not just take it because it has AP in front of it.
What exactly do you mean by the “hidden class” and “overextending”?
@southernbelle16: The teacher for AP Chem at my school is terrible, and has a track record for 2s. I don’t feel safe taking AP Chem at my school. I would have taken it had there been a different teacher, but since there isn’t, I wouldn’t waste my time taking AP Chem and ending up getting a 2. I’ve had a genuine interest in Psychology, so that’s another circumstance.
I also had this teacher before for Honors Chemistry, but ended up getting an A only because I taught myself the entire year (no joke.)
The only AP Physics offered at my school is AP Physics C: Mechanics, which requires a previous Physics course (I’ve never taken Physics before). Its also for those looking into Engineering, which I am not. I am planning to enter a Pre-Med track while pursuing a Biochemistry major. I am very aware that the Physics tested on the MCAT is not Calculus-based, so that’s pretty much why AP Physics isn’t on there.
I met with my GC and he said AP Physics 1 (which I planned to take online) would not qualify me for college credit, due to it being Algebra-based as well as the fact its online (hard for me to do the labs in real time.)
As I stated before, my Spanish grammar and knowledge of concepts is rather weak, so I’d be wasting my time taking AP Spanish, and would end up with a poor grade in the class and on the AP Exam.
What exactly do you mean by the “hidden class” and “overextending”?
We mean it takes a LOT of TIME to apply to colleges, - which involves writing essays , asking teachers for letters of recommendation, filling in application forms, Filling in financial aid forms ( if you need $$to pay for college ) , etc. etc. etc.
It takes more TIME than you realize to do all of the above and do them WELL , which means that you really DO have a part-time job in addition to your class’s during your first semester!!
Okay - skip the Spanish class if you have four years of Spanish already.
Drop The AP statistics. One AP math class is enough .
That should give you a chance to take a class that you might enjoy, as well as give you an open
N period your first semester for college applications .
Take an additional class second semester when your applications are all done .
AP Stats at my school is an elective. Quite literally, there are no good elective courses to choose from, and none of them are challenging besides AP Environmental Science or AP Chem, but both have equally horrendous teachers; that’s really the problem here.
I just don’t want to risk having a bad teacher and end up getting a 2 on the AP exam, having wasted the whole year. You know what I mean?
@skieurope: Should I mention the fact that my lack of lab courses my senior year is due to the fact that these courses have a teacher who fail to adequately prepare their students, or will that show negligence on my part?
@menloparkmom No I meant to say that Senior year will be my fourth year of Spanish.
I can’t take classes by semester, that’s not how our school does it. All of our courses are year-round only. And dropping AP Stats will force me to choose an elective that will either
Not be challenging at all (e.g. a joke class)
Have a terrible teacher (AP Chem and AP Environmental)
“Should I mention the fact that my lack of lab courses my senior year is due to the fact that these courses have a teacher who fail to adequately prepare their students, or will that show negligence on my part?”
i’m not skiEurope but
I wouldn’t try to play the blame game" , especially on your college applications. You should have a conversation with your counselor and see if he will address any inadequacies that students have encountered at your school.
People, keep in mind that OP is not applying to Harvard and Yale, but schools like BC/BU/HolyCross, so the suggestions should be tailored accordingly. AP Chem and AP Physics is not needed. AP Spanish is not needed.
You have 6 credits of science. You’re covered. You don’t need to explain anything. In fact, you should never explain a weakness in your schedule; despite your best efforts, it will come off as whiny. Let the GC talk about it.(Again, not needed in this instance).
Just keep your schedule the same. Definitely keep 4 years of a language. If anything, drop STAT or Psych for an AP science. Try maybe bio or environment. Otherwise you are fine. 5 AP’s are as rigorous as you can get.
Thank you everyone so much for your responses, they were extremely helpful.
@skieurope Thanks for reassuring me about this, lets just hope I’m good enough for the schools I mentioned before! And yeah, I was skeptical about including a complaint in my schedule. In hindsight, it does sound whiny.
Do you think this will also cut it for Tufts? I’m thinking about applying there as well, that’s my highest reach school.
@seal16: That’s literally my only fear; bad teachers. Definitely not taking AP Chem or Environmental, haha. I’m sorry your daughter has to deal with such a situation, it can be REALLY aggravating to deal with bad teachers, nevertheless in an AP class.
@SternBusiness As I stated before, I can’t drop stats because of all the factors listed (primarily bad teachers) and I am already taking AP Bio this year.
@FutureDoctor2028 I don’t think Tufts examines senior year schedules and parses out AP this vs that. For Tufts, visits/interest are important, but so are essays and supplements. I honestly believe that once you get over a certain GPA/SAT (and maybe under ;)), Tufts cares more about fit and likelihood of acceptance than exactly how painful your senior year is.
My Daughter got in with the following Senior year schedule: AP Stats, AP Bio, AP Comp Sci, Creative Writing, TA Comp Sci, Epidemiology, Psych. Those last two are not even Honors, much less AP (not offered). Her Tufts supplements were very well done.
If you can afford it, and Tufts is your clear first choice consider applying ED.