Junior & Senior Year Schedule HELP

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi everyone, I am having a difficulty of being final of my classes still...and I've been wondering about it for months. Upcoming junior in #1 competitive school in the district out of 7...</p>

<p>I am a current Californian who is seeking admission at CSUs and possibly UCs (I will apply to 8-10 colleges most likely).</p>

<p>I have however ONE problem in my application, my GPA, it stinks badly and it was somewhat my fault (with some legit issues getting in the way...don't want to give them in the public). </p>

<p>Here are my grades;</p>

<p>8th </p>

<p>Spanish I A / A
Algebra I B / B</p>

<p>9th</p>

<p>Biology Accelerated C / B
English I Accelerated B / B
Geometry Accelerated C / C
Spanish II B / C
Drawing & Painting I B / B
Cross Country A / Track & Field A</p>

<p>10th</p>

<p>AP Psychology C / B
AP World History C / B
Chemistry Honors C / C
English II Accelerated C / B
Spanish III C / C
Algebra II D / D (<em>cries in a horrific way</em> horrible teacher, horrible time 6:48AM, just about everything...right now in summer school making it up for the 2nd semester, projective B - possibly A).</p>

<p>Yep. I am aware that 9th and 10th grades don't matter that much, but sadly UCs AND CSUs plug in 10th grades in...and that will for the most part bring down my GPA. I am looking into getting As and very few Bs for 11th and 12th. (No I am not that stupid, I just didn't study right and had TOO many variables distracting and disrupting me education)...</p>

<p>Now I have this concern. </p>

<p>Here are my projective classes for the next two years...</p>

<p>11th: AP Biology, AP US History, AP Spanish Language, English 5-6 Honors (dropped from AP English due to grades being better and Lang being outright pointless in California at least), Pre Calculus (want to go to Honors...but obviously I can't so I just have to deal with it), and Forensic Science OR both of my sports. </p>

<p>12th: AP Calculus AB (hoping), AP English Literature, AP US Government/AP Macroeconomics, AP Statistics, and Physics Honors...elective OR both of my sports.</p>

<p>UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, Humboldt State, CSU Long Beach, are universities I am applying to for sure - more to come. </p>

<p>Phenomenal ECs & I am not sure about my major...yet. It will be either Biology or Mathematics (Statistics emphasize and leaning towards math major) Used to consider Psychology, Sociology, and Business Administration but I dropped those due to unemployment rates and how popular it is...</p>

<p>Now I REALLY want these questions to be answered....(top 5)</p>

<hr>

<ol>
<li><p>Should I drop to Spanish 7-8 from AP Spanish Lang...I am taking Spanish for sure in college and would like to have a full experience, not a lot of colleges give this class phenomenal credit either. </p></li>
<li><p>AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, and Physics Honors...basically THREE math classes in SENIOR year...is it really worth it? O_e Please say one class to drop or to move somewhere, something.</p></li>
<li><p>Should I just look forward to community college, even if I get at least a 3.5 UW all semesters at least in 11th and 12th? In your opinion. ESPECIALLY at UCD, they look at GPA majorly ;_; I am wondering about that. (not considering outright pathetic CSUs, UCLA, UCB, possibly UCM & UCSC). <em>UCLA and UCB the rigor is too high for undergrad</em></p></li>
<li><p>Should I really continue a sport for the sake of ECs, I really love the sports and I will miss it dearly if I quit, but the only problem is that I would have to drop 2 a-g courses...because it takes up so much time, (Cross Country and Track...yea...) right now I am planning to take just a 6th class semester a-g and go to track 2nd semester...but should I just quit completely, do 1 a-g semester or take it both years, my sports? (This will lower my GPA if I drop 2 a-g...)</p></li>
<li><p>AP Biology or another extra a-g science? I heard Biology in college is preferable to take rather than the AP in high school, let alone if even the college itself give credit. Is AP Bio a pointless class for me and will disrupt my GPA...or...?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks CCers...I'll probably edit my college list soon...(and it will be final)</p>

2

<p>I had the same question as your number 5 question!!! I don’t know if it’s worth it or not. Some say it’s so time consuming ughhh I’m scared. </p>

3

<p>@avm405 Yeah but I’m just going to take it and hope the AP credit (if I pass the exam & get a good teacher). AP Bio is an easy class if you are skilled and memorization, from what I’ve heard. I would only take it if you know you’ll get at least a B in 11th or 12th or possibly in 10th a C. </p>

<p>Ask your friends about the teacher…it helps. If you heard that the teacher is bad don’t take it, especially an AP class.</p>

<hr>

<p>Cross out 1 & 5. I’ll take AP for both because I think I can pull it off. Still wondering about 2,3,4 CC’ers…thanks.</p>

4

<p>why are you taking so many AP’s when you did so terribly during your 10th grade…
D in algebra 2 -_-</p>

5

<p>Yeah you’re expecting to get better grades in harder classes. It doesn’t matter how little you studied because if you had a higher than average intelligence just showing up to class would have made Cs unlikely yet the majority of your grades are C’s. At your absolute best you might be able to pull off a majority of Bs with very few As.</p>

<p>The only way you could do your plan is to drop sports and other clubs and dedicate that time to your studies and homework. Even then cross country and track are two of the less time consuming sports so I don’t know how much it would help.</p>

<p>You should drop as many APs as possible and at most if you do a few do just AP english and AP bio and AP Calc AB. Then heavily consider community college because your grades show you are missing substantial portions of knowledge and could probably use the slower pace of a community college.</p>

6

<p>@jimmyboy23 Thing is I am not looking towards tippy top schools in the nation unlike the majority of CC’ers, I am looking at CSUs for the most part and the bottom UCs, at highest Davis. Not considering UCB, UCLA, UCM, and UCSD at all. Do you know what APs I should drop? I have Bio, Spanish Lang, and US History next year. Then senior year I have Calc AB, Stats, English Lit, US Government, and Macroeconmics. Physics Hon also. </p>

<p>I got a 4 on my AP World exam and a 5 on my AP Psych exam, also. I know it’s just for credit but still.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

7

<p>@jimmyboy23 I plan on either going straight to a California State University or a Community College then transfer to a University of California (TAG). However with a fee waiver if I get it I will probably apply to UCD, UCSB, UCSC, and UCR. (none of them are my aim schools, Humboldt State is). I’m aiming for at least a 3.5+ next year and a 2000+ SAT. (I got a 1800 on PSAT and a perfect on Math but an average on English, I didn’t study for it either).</p>

<p>If I show this dramatic upward trend, what are my chances? </p>

<p>Note: Sorry for double post</p>

8

<ol>
<li><p>You should drop spanish unless if you are a native speaker and history and then add english language to your junior year. For senior year just take Calc AB and English Lit. This will make it much more likely to achieve a 3.5 GPA</p></li>
<li><p>You might be able to get a 2000 if you study for the SAT but just like everything else that’s another thing on top of trying to get a 3.5 GPA. If you do get it up to a 3.0 GPA ad a 2000+ SAT then most UCs will take you just not the high end ones like Berkeley and UCLA </p></li>
</ol>

9

<p>@elefish92 drop AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, and Physics Honors your grades didn’t even improve, it just went down starting with Algebra 1 </p>

10

<p>@jimmyboy23 Yes, my parent is a native speaker and she is seeking to help me with AP Spanish Lang if I do need it. (M really wants me to take it too). I much would rather take APUSH because of the credit (my teacher has the highest passing rate in the district according from upperclassmen also). English Lang teachers are apparently overall bad. I’m going to satisfy English with AP English Lit senior year. Thanks Jimmy! :slight_smile: Yeah I’m not considering Berkeley nor LA for undergrad. Aren’t US Government and Macroeconmics useful APs though? :o</p>

<p>@yomomf Those classes are in my senior…I’ll drop AP Statistics then for sure now then. Do you think I will be fine without Physics? My sciences will be Biology ACC, Chem Hon., AP Bio and then Physics but I’m getting advice of whether I should do it or not (From what I’ve heard, a transcript without Physics does not look good apparently).</p>

<hr>

<p>As of now I’ll be taking AP Biology, AP Spanish Language, AP United States History, English III Honors, Pre Calculus, and then Introduction to Sociology 1st semester then sport 2nd semester (that is, if I reach my long-term goal).</p>

<p>As for senior schedule AP English Literature, AP Calculus AB (if I get a B or better in precalc if I don’t then I guess AP Stats), and Forensic Science is so far ensured. Not sure for my actual science and level of gov/econ (my school has regular, accelerated, and AP). </p>

11

<p>I’ve decided my final Junior year schedule and I will be continuing a sport.</p>

<p>AP United States History, English 5-6 Honors, Spanish 7-8 (school just announced we will be continuing to have it), Forensic Science, Pre Calculus, and Cross Country/Track & Field. </p>

<p>As for my senior schedule I haven’t decided yet but I do have a lot of time. AP English Lit and AP Calc AB OR AP Stats (depending on my precalc grade) is confirmed in my mind. Not sure for my other 3 classes. </p>

<p>As for the case with colleges I am planning dead on to either go straight to a California State University or a Community College with a Transfer to a University of California. There is a small chance that I will apply to UCs for freshman but that’s if I have enough confidence to do so. </p>

<p>Thanks CC’ers! Please DISREGARD this thread from now on, moderators or administrators it would be lovely if you can delete this thread. :)</p>

<p>Again, sorry for double post. </p>

12

<p>@elefish92‌ You should definitely be fine for lower tier UCs and most CSUs.It’s genius you are loading up on AP classes to lessen your college work load. If I could go back in time and redo HS that’s what I would have done.
I say keep trying hard and try to discover your major and plan some of your classes around that. (Like if you’ll go into science/engineering load up on science/math classes).</p>

13

<p>Last post says I’m continuing a sport but I’m not anymore; I’m doing: AP Biology, AP Spanish Language, AP United States History, English III Honors, Forensic Science, and Pre Calculus…self studying AP English Lang also to reduce rigor instead of taking the actual class. Dropped the sport also, by the way; do miss it though - planning to do a sport (intramural) in college. Doing great now, have much more time since I actually got to choose and fixed the majority of my problems.</p>

<hr>

<p>@DickCheney Hey, thanks! :slight_smile: Yeah I’m torn between Biology (Molecular) and Mathematics (Statistics); if they don’t work out (ap bio w/ bio & pre calc w/ math), I’ll probably aim to Marketing or Accounting. </p>

<p>I’m just getting a taste, and I’m doing good now. :stuck_out_tongue: </p>

<hr>

<p>If anyone has any suggestions or more advice, message me instead please. I’m pretty done with crucial immediate advice now, but thanks for reading this thread.</p>

14

<p>@elefish92‌ Since you’re not getting into medicine I highly recommend the mathematics degree. It looks great to employers in corporate/other business fields. It won’t be easy but if you’re good at it you just may have the talents to end up as an actuary (perhaps one of the easiest jobs in the world).
Definitely is a marketable degree.</p>

15

<p>@DickCheney Yeah my mom told me the exact thing, math does seem more marketable. Actuary, statistician, or operations research analyst I’m looking at now.</p>

<p>I just put no time whatsoever these last 2 years which explains my grades…and 0 period w/ algebra II at 6:48am…ugh…origin of my deficiency last year, at least it’s over now. Life is so much better now, hah.</p>

16

<p>Did you fix your Algebra issue? Was it a lack of understanding or did you not pay much attention because you were busy? You really need to be honest with yourself. If you’re not naturally good at math I wouldn’t force it but if you are I say go for it!</p>

17

<p>@DickCheney Didn’t put any effort into it. Right now in pre calculus I have it in the noon, and I have a B right now, students around me who got A’s or B’s in algebra 2 are either barely passing or failing. It’s crazy, some upperclassmen did tell me pre calc is the true test of your math skills. </p>

18

<p>Yeah, Precal is a reasonably challenging class. The key is to just remain focused. Don’t let yourself get distracted by girls/phones/friends etc.</p>

19

<p>@DickCheney‌ </p>

<p>Alright, thanks. :)</p>

20

<p>My senior year schedule:
1-3 late arrival
4 Pre-calc
5 English 12
6 National Gov
7 Gym/Physics
8 Physics
9 Early Release
Lol I’m having a pretty awesome senior year</p>