I am a freshman that is interested in pursuing a career in engineering and would like to attend a good school. So far, all of my grades are A+ btw. Here is my schedule of high school courses:
8th:
Earth Science
Algebra 1
Spanish 1
9th (current year):
English 9 Honors
Global History Honors
Geometry Honors
Biology
Business Education
Spanish 2
Chorus
10th (set for next year):
English 10 Honors
AP European History
Algebra 2 Honors
Spanish 3
Chemistry
AP Physics 1
Health (completed over summer)
11th:
AP English Language
Spanish 4 (Dual Enrollment)
Precalculus Honors
AP Physics 2
AP Chemistry
AP United States History
12th:
AP English Literature
AP Calculus BC
AP Biology
AP United States Government
AP Macroeconomics
AP Statistics / AP Spanish Language
Note: Only AP and regular science and language is offered.
Would it be better to take AP Spanish or AP Statistics senior year?
Should I switch AP Biology and AP Physics 2?
My ECs:
Math Club
Model UN
Student Council
Spring Musical
Fall Play
Volunteer 2.5 hours every week at local temple
Any feedback, positive or negative, is appreciated!
I wouldn’t take AP Chem and AP Bio at the same time as they are both notoriously difficult. It might be a stretch to even take AP Physics II with that schedule as APUSH is also a harder AP, but I don’t think its impossible.
Are DE and AP Spanish not the same thing at your high school? Usually they are considered equal classes since they are both at the intro college level.
@kimclan1 Same thing goes for my school. I don’t think it’s unusual, I just think of AP Spanish as Spanish 5 and thus you have to take Spanish 4 before.
Good point @NYUhopeful1 . I think that it will stand out more to have 5 years of language and 5 of math than to have just 4 language and 6 math; this is what most colleges probably see…
I mean courseload isn’t everything, but your courseload looks pretty exceptional…depends on the context of your school though. What is everyone else taking? Are you taking the most rigorous courses?
Luckily, you don’t have AP Calc BC until senior year…I have it with only APES and am dying haha even though I got an 100 in Precalc. So don’t die…I am scared for you, but I also think you can do it! I mean you always change it if things aren’t going well, but I doubt they won’t be!
I would move AP Macro to Junior year and replace AP Physics 2. With the free spot in Senior year, you could take one of the AP Physics C courses concurrently with Calculus.
It’s different for every school, but for me, the only requirement for AP Physics C is that you had to have taken Calc AB or BC previously or concurrently with the course. Your school may not require a pre-req for Physics C, and if it doesn’t, taking AP Physics 1 might be a waste of time (unless you genuinely feel building a foundation in Physics is important, which isn’t a bad thing at all)
Since you’re interested in a STEM field I would say go with AP stats. Colleges would rather see you pursue your actual interests rather than try to impress them with “harder” APs.
AP Stats is a class for strong students who can’t/won’t take AP Calc. Since you’re taking AP Calc, don’t take AP Stats, it’s redundant. In addition, taking Stats in college is important, as it’s pretty much applicable to all jobs you may want to have and thus falls under the “Relevant Coursework” section of your college resume (and a class taken in HS wouldn’t go on your college resume, as employers couldn’t care less what classes you took in HS.)
10th
English 10 Honors
AP European History
Algebra 2 Honors
Spanish 3
Chemistry
AP Physics 1 => will be hard to combine with Chem
Health (completed over summer)
11th:
AP English Language
Spanish 4 (Dual Enrollment)
Precalculus Honors
AP Physics 2 => Take Art, or AP CS Principles
AP Chemistry => Don’t take AP Chem along another AP, because it’s really hard and time-consuming. Choose ONE.
AP United States History
12th:
AP English Literature => Honors English is fine. AP Lit is a LOT of reading. Which is great if, like me, you love reading all the great works and analyzing them and read very fast. But if you don’t… it’ll be miserable, and colleges don’t count it differently from Honors English 12 or Honors English Seminars, which you already have.
AP Calculus BC
AP Biology => OR whatever AP you didn’t take in 11th grade
AP United States Government/ AP Macroeconomics => would be 1 semester each
AP Spanish Language
THIS makes for a VERY ambitious schedule.
I would suggest for your last period: free period in the Fall (to work on the hidden, writing-intensive class called “applications”) and a “fun” class for the Spring, like Cooking or Current Events or whatever you always wanted to learn
Thanks a lot @MYOS1634. I will probably not take AP Physics 2. Unfortunately my school does not offer English 12 Honors, just AP Literature and an even harder option through Cambridge Pre-U.
Your senior year is killer. I just wouldn’t recommend it. It’s not even a mental health issue it’s just that there’s no time for extracurriculars. I’d say you’re at the absolute limit with your junior year. AP Bio is just a lot of work and I would highly recommend dropping it. If you really wanted to take it, honestly you’d have to drop AP Calc BC (which is also a substantial amount of work). Colleges want to see that you can take a hard course load not that you’re only an academic. Leave time to pursue your other interests and you’ll be happier as a whole and when college decisions come around.