I’m just gonna list the core classes I took last year compared with the classes I’m considering taking next year and if anyone could help me with the daily workload for each class so I can figure out which classes I should change.
Sophomore: Junior:
Algebra 2 H Pre-Calculus H
Biology H AP Bio
Spanish Speakers 2 AP Spanish
AICE General Papers AP Literature
AICE Psychology AP Psychology
This isn’t set in stone, I’m just trying to figure out which classes are the most time consuming so I can decide which classes are worth keeping.
Keep reading if you’re interested:
•My freshman year was spent in New Jersey taking mostly CP classes, my sophomore year was spent in Florida taking Honors and AICE classes, and next year I plan on just advancing those classes, back in New Jersey, at another new school.
•For those of you who are not familiar with the AICE Program, it’s exclusive to Florida and the curriculum is provided by Cambridge University. The classes are often said to be harder than Honors but easier than AP classes. The AICE classes I took, personally, were some of the easier classes still.
•Some might have noticed that I didn’t include any social studies classes and the reason for that is the constant moving; what I’ve noticed is all schools require US History and World History but the order in which students take these classes vary, especially for me. I took World History CP my freshman year and when I started at my new school in Florida, students there don’t take a social studies class their freshman year and instead take World sophomore year then US junior year. I was told I could either take US History with juniors or just not take a social studies class at all and join my class the next year- I wasn’t planning on moving again. Now at this third school, students take US I, then World, then US II. I haven’t even registered for this school yet and I’m guessing I’ll just have to take US I with freshman, unless they allow me to just skip to US II. I don’t care much for US at all so I’m just going to take whatever class I’m told I should take.
SO a few things.
• I’m not familiar with AICE, but I really see no reason to take AP Psych if you’ve already had a psych class, particularly since psych is an elective and USH is a requirement. Get your requirements out of the way.
• It may be how your new school flows courses, but generally, AP Lang is taken before AP Lit. If that’s not the case at your school, it’s fine.
• Is Spanish Speakers 2 an accepted prerequisite for AP Spanish?
• Where are you with chem/physics? I would recommend having completed one, preferably both, before starting an AP science.
Thanks for replying.
• AICE Psych is very different from AP Psych. There are actually two levels to AICE Psych, and the first year, AS as it’s called, only focuses on 12 major studies and doesn’t touch on actual abnormalities at all, which is what I’m mostly interested in. AICE Psych A Level, the second level, is pretty comparable to AP Psych in that way, or so I’ve been told.
• At this school, AP Lit comes before Lang. It’s weird, I know. I’m not sold on taking the class at all as I’ve heard the workload is rigorous, and if I plan on taking AP Bio that would be a huge conflict.
• As for AP Bio, I was told by my Bio teacher last year that I’d do well in the class and I guess that’s my only reason for considering it. I haven’t taken Chem at all, though I was supposed to. If it would be better for me to just take Chem this year and then choose between AP Bio and AP Chem, or both, then let me know. (Read if interested below for more info on my progress in science)
• Spanish Speakers 2 was an accepted prerequisite at my old school, so I’m guessing it would be one here as well. The only other language available is German, and if I took Spanish IV (equivalent to Spanish Speakers 3) I feel like it would be too easy, as I’m fluent in Spanish. I know I could just take a “regular” Spanish class and get an easy A, but I’ve heard that AP Spanish is among the easier AP classes so I thought I’d go for it anyway. If you or anyone knows what the workload is like, please let me know. I’d say that I’d draw the line at reading difficult books in Spanish, since that would be more on the difficult side for me.
(Again, read if interested. I also moved in the middle of eighth grade, and I was taking Earth/ Space H (high school course), but when I transferred to the new school, they didn’t have such a course so I had to go into the “regular” science class for 8th grade and retake Earth Science in 9th grade. I should’ve taken Bio 9th grade and Chem 10th grade. This still frustrates me, as I probably could’ve pushed to take Bio in 9th grade anyway. Although I’m on track with my class, it feels as though I’m behind because I probably won’t be able to take AP Chem or Physics at all, as I’ve heard taking two science classes is suicide. Correct me if I’m wrong.)
The workload of any course is dependent, in part, on the teacher. So you’re better asking asking around at the school.
I would take chem first, and then pick your preference for the following year.
I would still take USH next year, and revisit AP Psych for the following year.
I would suggest speaking with the AP Spanish teacher and/or the department head to ensure that you have the preparation necessary. You might be fine.
OK, then it should be OK.
Sounds ok but you should take us History and wait till senior year for AP psych.
Your schedule sounds pretty typical for applicants to selective schools except the fact that you are missing a history class.
Take US History Honors or even regular US History junior year. US History is a class that is expected of you virtually everywhere, not even just competitive schools, and you want to get it out of the way sooner than later if you don’t really care about it so you can devote space in your senior schedule to classes you actually like since you will already be dealing with college and scholarship applications.
Also, AP and AICE Psychology are considered to be less rigorous/important than basically any core class, regardless of level, so keep that in mind.
I am planning on taking both USH and Psych. Sorry for not making that clear; Psych was not intended to replace USH.
It sounds like if your new school is going to be the school you graduate from they want 3 history classes. If you have only taken world history they probably will want you to take US History in 11th grade and US History 2/AP History in 12th grade to get in your required 3 classes unless I’m reading that wrong. History is a core subject and psych is just an elective so go with history over psych if you can’t take both.