My daughter’s is running out of hour to take physics due to her schedule and she wants to go into medical field. She is planning not to take Physics class. Would that hurt her chance of getting acceptance to Ivy League school majoring in pre-med, biology or non-physics science major?
1/ There is no such thing as a pre-med major. She can be a music major and be pre-med as long as she takes the prerequisite courses.
2/ Ivy League schools do not admit by major, so the question really is: Does not taking physics hurt her chances of getting acceptance to an Ivy League school.
The answer is, “It depends.” All Ivy League schools and their peers are super selective, so she will be at a disadvantage versus other applicants. Many top colleges recommend a year each of biology, chemistry, and physics. For example, Harvard says:
These are, however, recommendations, not requirements. Although, one has to ask, “What is occupying valuable space in your daughter’s schedule that she cannot work in physics?”
@skieurope, Thanks for the reply. The question really was she will apply for some biological science major and would not having physics hurt her chance of admission. The slot in her schedule was taken by orchestra class which she was told is important to Ivy admission that she shows commitment of 4 years of participation. I tend to think that having learned physics in high school is important to show her understanding in science. I know she can learn physics in college when she prepare to apply to med school. I was just wondering if it would hurts her chance of getting admitted in the first place as a science major (even if it is a biological stream). Thanks.
By the way, just to be clear, I was talking about high school curriculum in preparation to apply for a science major in college. Not from undergraduate to med school. Thanks.
Most places don’t require a competitive application to study biological sciences, so this won’t really hurt other than what has been mentioned above in terms of application expectations at the most selective schools.
I will also note that some of the pre-meds who were doing majors other than science really had a hard time with college physics if they hadn’t had it in HS. I mean hard to the point of it weakening their medical school applications.
Refer back answer #1. The quote from Harvard should educate you that the student will have an academic weakness for any major at top colleges by not having the 3 sciences. Now sometimes it happens that students have a conflict between an extra activity they are devoted to over getting all the desired core coursework nailed down. I know that my own kid gave up electives to make sure she had a solid core in place. However if it is very important to do orchestra because she really loves it, is a key player or other compelling reason then she has to let the chips fall where they may. It may be a problem or may not, you won’t really ever know.
How badly does your daughter want to be considered a strong applicant at a selective school? First, I think it should be her choice, not a parent’s. However, I do think not having physics might keep her from being a viable candidate at some schools. My D considered not taking physics until she found out that it would hurt her chances at one of her reach schools. She found this out my speaking to an admissions representative at that school. He came right out and told her that it would hurt her chances. Because of this, she took Physics (she is now attending that reach school). Why not call admissions at the schools of interest and ask their opinion? The call can be made anonymously. Can’t she take both orchestra and Physics?? It would be ashamed to have to give up orchestra if she is enjoying it.
Can you take the physics senior year? Or do you have to take it before that?
IMO, physics is more important than Orchestra.
Pre-med course requirements in college include a year of physics, although often the less rigorous physics for biology majors is allowed (as opposed to physics for physics majors). But (independent of admissions considerations) having had high school physics is often recommended as preparation for physics in college.
For biological sciences, some colleges highly recommend (maybe even require) that there are three years of science. And some even specify that they want biology, chemistry and physics. Every school is different so I can’t say it would or wouldn’t hurt her, but she should probably take physics.
You’ve already been told that the Ivy colleges want to see four years of science. The colleges actually say this on their websites, as opposed to the rumor you heard from somebody who probably heard it from their cousin that four years of orchestra is important to show “commitment”. You insist on believing the latter. Given that you were also led to believe there is a premed major when no such thing exists, there is reason to doubt the accuracy of the information you have been received from these unofficial sources.Your daughter will have to live with The consequences of your decision about not taking physics.
A student who hasn’t taken physics will be disadvantaged when applying to Ivy League and other highly competitive colleges.
Additionally, the usual expectation is to include at least one each of biology, chemistry, and physics in the science course selection.
Personally I would choose orchestra over physics. Is there possibly another more “elective” type academic class that could be switched to physics?
Thank you for all the response. I appreciate it. For the record, I was the one who think Physics is important despite that it is not required for medical school down the road. I was more concern in helping her getting into the undergraduate school of her choice before I worry about med school. It basically is the “commitment to the orchestra” versus learning Physics to round out one’s science education at HS level. I think the latter is more important to competitive school such as the Ivies. I know she would do well in Physics but thought if at the end it is not really needed for her major, I want her to have good time in Orchestra but it seems she should take Physics based on the answers here.
vwchong: Why can’t she do both??
There must be another class she could drop. My S dropped a language senior year and was able to take choir plus math, science, English, social science.
The explanation given is that they are offered the same period.
Ideally, she should be able to do both. It is possible that there may be schedule conflicts with the highest level of physics with the highest level of orchestra. However, now it’s time to get creative.
I am assuming that physics is offered for more than one period, since the teacher would have 3-4 more periods to teach. Perhaps it is not the honors class, but a CP class would be better than nothing.
Alternatively, are there different levels of orchestra? Or instead of full orchestra, could she play in a smaller ensemble?
njmom666, both Physics and Orchestra need another 2 years and her school has 1 less period (than normal HS) due to budget. Orchestra total is 4 years (grade 9-12) and she was told by upper class man that it is important to commit to orchestra for 4 years to admission officer. Hence the dilemma.