I am currently a sophomore and will be a junior after a few months. I have signed up for these classes for my junior year:
AP CALC AB
AP US HISTORY
AP ENG
AP CHEM
AP PHYSICS 2
Computer Science 2 (programming//weighted as AP)
Spanish 2 (I came to the US in the middle of my freshman year and had to take Spanish 1 my sophomore year)
Study hall
AP Physics 2 might not be available at our school for the next school year (I took AP Phy 1 my sophomore year). What classes should I take to make my transcript look good to colleges? (My freshman year transcript looks really bad, I jumped from Algebra 1 to Pre-Calculus Honors by taking the finals because I started school in the middle of my freshman year (I also skipped 8th grade 2nd semester and 9th grade first semester so technically a year.) I also didn’t receive any course placement help from my middle school classes because they were from a different/not so famous country, even though they were higher level)
I am ready to take anything to make myself look good to colleges (I know this makes me sound like a horrible person with a bad attitude but I really want to raise my GPA to the highest because my school transfer made it mathematically “almost” impossible for me to raise my GPA above a 4.8 even though I get As and A pluses)
Thanks for your advice.
What science classes have you taken so far?
What sort of majors (broadly) are you interested in?
What is your native language?
I have taken Ap Physics 1, Biology honors, and earth science. I’m mainly interested in computer science/similar stem majors.
1° AP Chem is a “level 2” AP class: had you taken some chemistry before moving to the US? Would you be able to take a chemistry class over the summer?
2° Since you’ve already AP Physics 1, you don’t need to take AP Physics 2 junior year alongside AP Chem.
Are you in the top 10% for your school (if it ranks)?
I know the basic stuff from eighth-grade science. In my country, eighth-grade science touches a bit of physics, chem, bio, and astronomy. I took AP Physics 1 without taking any complete physics course before and right now I have an A-plus in it. I mainly review my stuff at KhanAcademy just to be safe. My position right now is in the top 5% and it should be in the top 3% after this semester. I know physics C (at our school AP Physics C and 2 are one course) is kind of an overkill for a junior but I still want to do it because I want to know more about physics and challenge myself as I’ll end up somewhere related to STEM (hopefully)
What do you recommend? Should I take both science classes or should I take AP Chem and another full weighted engineering course and take AP Physics C during my senior year? I just want to end up in the top 1% and prove myself to “some” people
Edit: My native language is Bengali. I can also speak English and Hindi if that makes a difference
AP Physics 1 is designed to be a “first level” course, so you don’t need any specific preparation beside basic science from middle school (yes I understand that your 8th grade science was likely MUCH stronger than US 8th grade science) Nevertheless, AP Chem and AP Physics C are an entirely different ball game - both are the two hardest science APs and both require one full year of Honors before you take them.
Your middle school background will make self studying chemistry in the summer possible.
I’m sorry: I know your reason makes sense to you but would not if you were an adult. “to prove myseld to some people” by being in the top 1% v. top 3% is… very immature. It’s called hubris and it’ll be seen negatively by colleges. You are going to have to try and force yourself, show restraint, and pick one. Also, don’t derive your ego/sense of self from what others think, or what you think they may think if you do X vs.Z.
My advice: take AP Chem after preparing thoroughly over the summer. Take AP Physics C senior year. Aim for an A in AP Chem, then an A in AP Physics C (neither is easy to achieve).
Are there external tests that could prove your ability to speak Bengali and Hindi, perhaps from the cultural centers, the embassy…?
Yes, there are test options to prove my multilingual abilities. Should I take both classes if our school takes the ap physics 2 test? Our physics teacher calls it ap physics 2 but my counselor calls it ap Physics C (it’s most likely to be ap physics 2)
Thanks for you answer btw!