Junior Year Schedule

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>Hi, everyone. So this is my possible junior year schedule. Does it look alright? Would not taking a science during my junior year look bad? The only science I could take would be Forensics because I already have credit for Honors Physical Science, AP Biology, and Chemistry (which my school doesn't offer "Honors" or AP for) since I plan to take AP Physics (B) as a senior. I really would like to take AP European History, though. It's taught by my favorite teacher (who I had for AP World History during freshman year) and it's a very interesting course. If I took Forensics and AP European History, I wouldn't be able to take Jazz Ensemble, which I've been a part of for two years now. It might look bad dropping that and then taking it again as a senior... Or would it? I honestly don't like Jazz Ensemble, but I take it because my Dad likes me to be involved with the band. Forensics is a complete joke, it would basically be a study hall. If I took it and AP European History as my first two classes, that would be easier than taking Jazz Ensemble and AP European History as my first two classes because I can't really study during Jazz Ensemble. And I definitely want to get straight A's next year. This year I took two AP's as a sophomore and that's gone well. I'm going to include an outline of my sophomore and junior year schedules below in case that helps...</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
AP Biology
Jazz Ensemble
Honors English 10
Honors Trigonometry
AP Statistics
Honors Spanish III
Honors US History</p>

<p>Junior Year:
AP European History or Forensics
Jazz Ensemble or AP European History
AP US History
AP Psychology
AP English Language and Composition
Honors Pre-Calculus
Honors Spanish IV</p>

<p>So... If you could give me your opinion on what I should do for my junior year schedule that would be excellent! Thank you in advance! I really appreciate your taking the time to read through my wordy post and your responding to it! (:</p>

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<p>So I have over 300 views, yet no responses?.. Please help, I’d really appreciate it!</p>

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<p>That awkward moment when you log back onto this website and see responses to a thread called “My Junior Schedule,” think that it’s your own thread about your junior schedule, click on it, and then realize that it isn’t.</p>

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<p>I would take off AP European History for forensics. You don’t have a science class! Three other APs are good too!</p>

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<p>Did you read the large paragraph at the top?..</p>

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<p>Drop euro history and take physics B. Its a challenge junior year but it seems like you can handle it and you will have more freedom in your senior year schedule.</p>

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<p>Okay, thank you for your opinions, cc123sb and Philosophe. (:</p>

<p>Would not taking science either junior or senior year look bad?</p>

<p>Would not having math as a senior look bad?</p>

<p>Would quitting Jazz Ensemble (for AP European History) for a year look bad?</p>

<p>I would be so happy if these questions could be answered rather than saying “drop this.”</p>

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<ol>
<li>Yes (unless you finished all of the honors/ap sciences in your school)</li>
<li>Yes (Unless you finished AP Calc BC or AB)</li>
<li>It depends on what your passion is. If you have other EC’s and passions then its fine to abandon one just make sure you don’t rely on it.</li>
</ol>

<p>If you really enjoy European history, self-study it and take jazz ensemble. As long as your motivated it shouldn’t take more than 50 hours to confidently get a 5.</p>

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<ol>
<li>Well, I’ve already finished everything other than AP Physics (B), which I’d like to take senior year.</li>
<li>We only have AP Calculus AB, and I could take that next year if I wanted to… But then I’d have to wait until I was a senior for AP European History…</li>
<li>I have others, band is just my biggest one… Like I’m in all of the bands at my school (I take the other two bands without the class, which you can’t do with Jazz Ensemble). Although it’s my biggest extracurricular, I’m not at all passionate about it. I do it for my father and because it looks good for college. I’m more passionate about politics (I’m president of my school’s chapter of Young Democrats) and the Spanish language (I’m secretary of my school’s chapter of Spanish National Honor Society). So yeah…</li>
</ol>

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<p>Bump…</p>

<p>Help me, please? /:</p>

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<p>I’m going into junior year, too. My school offers AP European History for 10th grade, so I’m taking that right now. Take it. Take it take it take it take it take it. Especially if it’s taught by your favorite teacher. Trust me on this one. Up until this year, I hated history with a fiery burning passion–then I decided to take AP Euro for the heck of it, and my teacher has literally transformed my entire outlook on history. It’s my second AP class and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.</p>

<p>The thing about your sciences is this: unless you really want to go into the medical or bioengineering fields, don’t pressure yourself to take more science classes than you need to. My school requires 3 years of lab sciences, so if your school’s anything like mine, you should be fine. And let me tell you, my school’s science department is no joke, so if 3 years is good, it’s good. </p>

<p>As for the Jazz Ensemble issue, I’m kind of in the same boat. My counselor signed me up for Jazz next year, and to be honest, I don’t really want to be in it. My parents warned me that if I drop it, I’ll have to drop my instrument entirely–unless I take up an outside music group. Unfortunately, my family isn’t in the financial position to shell out money for an outside music group, so I’m stuck with Jazz. But if I were you, I’d drop it and take “Forensics”, because given your course load, you could do with some free time.</p>

<p>What I find most interesting about your schedule is that you’re taking 2 relatively difficult math classes this year and 2 flat out difficult history classes next year. The math, well eh. I’m not much of a math person, but there are math people in the world and they can get away with it. The history–do not take 2 AP history classes. 2 AP history classes would be awesome if they were your only AP classes, but they’re not so awesome when combined with AP Psych and AP Language. While I love my AP Euro class, it is a lot of work. It’s a lot of hardcore note-taking and essay-writing and factoid-memorization. It’s not so bad–but then again, I’m only taking one other AP, and that’s because I know that any more would kill me.</p>

<p>I’m not saying it would kill you. You could be a super genius for all I know, in which case you should go right on ahead and take all of those APs. And even if you’re not a super genius, you could probably get away with straight A’s. The biggest thing right now, though, is figuring out what you enjoy doing and what you don’t–and it would suck to figure out you don’t enjoy history when you’re studying for 2 AP history exams. And I would know because even though I love AP Euro, studying for that AP exam on Friday is still a pain in the neck. It’s no walk in the park, let me tell you. </p>

<p>Ultimately, it’s up to you! I nearly killed myself last year with all my extracurricular activities and crazy classes, but I learned to pull back a bit and enjoy myself a little more. High school shouldn’t be about taking as many ridiculously difficult classes as possible; it should be about evaluating our strengths and weaknesses and enjoying our youth (and the freedom it implies) while we can. We’ve only got a couple of years left. Getting in to colleges are important, but enjoying your life is more important.</p>

<p>Sorry for writing you a novel. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Junior Year:
AP English language
AP U.S. History (Year Long)
Pre-Calculus
Honors Chemistry
Honors Symphonic Band (x2)
Jazz Band</p>

<p>Is this good? I don’t want a hard schedule, but I need to challenge myself.</p>

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<p>kbkbkb16 – Yeah, that schedule looks very manageable. Especially since you have band as three of your classes (I’m assuming that the x2 by Honors Symphonic Band meant that you have it two periods a day).</p>

<p>doodleshock – Before I start, I’d just like to say that I loved your post. It was thorough, relatable, and very helpful. Thank you so much! I would so give you a hug if you were here right now! (: </p>

<p>I see, I see. So at your school I would already have enough science credits to graduate? o: I’m sort of thinking the same thing about Forensics VS Jazz Ensemble, but I don’t want to let my band teacher down… I’ll have to think about it more, but I do appreciate your opinion. (: </p>

<p>I’m not really one of those “math people,” I’m just a very ambitious person, lol. The problem with that is, I have to take AP US History next year. At my school, the route that top students have to take for history is AP World History → Honors US History → AP US History → AP US Government and Politics. My school’s weird. /:</p>

<p>Hahaha, believe me, I’m DEFINITELY NOT a genius. But that really does give me some things to think about… Everyone is always telling me that focusing on enjoying life is more important than getting into the college of my choice, which is a concept that I understand but cannot seem to apply…</p>

<p>And again, thank you… That post helped me more than you know. :D</p>

<p>And good luck on your AP European History exam tomorrow! (:</p>

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<p>Lol, I love how I made a post about my junior year schedule and now there’s like six others. ;D</p>

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<p>kbkbkb16 - That sounds like a solid, complete schedule. It should be manageable, too! Sounds like you have a passion for music. Stick with it; it’s a great skill to have!</p>

<p>BBJ - Aw, it was my pleasure. You seem like a really ambitious person, and that’s always a plus. I’ll be taking APUSH next year, too; I hear it’s easier than AP Euro, but that’s just what some of the Juniors have been saying. It’s perfectly fine to put off AP Euro for Senior year or to just take a European history class in college! I enjoyed it more for the content than the credit, anyways (:</p>

<p>My school counselor is pressuring me to stay in music, so I know how you feel. I’ve also built a sort of bond with the people in my band, so it’d be sad to leave it now. But if you work out your schedule so that you have enough downtime at home to not be stressed out all the time, you probably don’t even need a “free period” like Forensics. Band is a little more productive, too, and I’ve always found music to be relaxing. Either way could be great if you make it work.</p>

<p>What saddens me about high school the most is the amount of pressure on students to take AP classes and the like. APs aren’t bad, but I’d much rather enjoy my education and explore other areas of interest than bog myself down with work and anxiety. It just depends on your schedule and your own ability to tolerate stress. There are some people who are so good at juggling their 6 APs and sports teams and music groups, etc. Then there’s me, and I’m more comfortable with 1-3 AP classes and time to hone in on my skills. Just do what you feel is best! :)</p>

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<p>My junior schedule
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP English Language
Honors trig
US History
CTA</p>

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<p>2 sciences? Wow, that’s going to be challenging. It’ll be rewarding if you really like bio and chem. Are you planning to be a doctor?</p>

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<p>No, I want to be a mechanical engineer.</p>