AP English Language
Algebra 2 Regular or Honors (Not Sure)
AP US History
AP Environmental Science
French 3 Honors
Honors Personal Finance
AP Psychology
My goal schools are USC, Miami (Fl), or Vanderbilt. I’ve gotten straight A’s as a freshman and sophomore, although I have taken a lot of regular classes. I am confident I will get a 30+ on the ACT. Is this a good schedule?
This is really well rounded and a great schedule! Congrats on your As in the past. About Algebra 2, I’m in Honors Algebra 2 right now, so I can answer any questions you have about it. What questions do you have? If it’s about Geometry, Algebra 2 has nothing to do with Geometry. As long as you did well in Algebra 1, you have a good chance in succeeding in Algebra 2. Overall, the main thing that makes the class hard is that you have to practice the problems to do well. As long as you practice problems and understand the mistakes you make, it’s not a burdening class.
I would also add that while there is nothing wrong with taking AP Environmental Science, you should highly consider signing up for some sort of physics in senior year as colleges want to see at least a year of bio, chem, and physics, with one extra science of your choice.
Best of luck and have a good day!
Have you taken one each of Bio, Chemistry, Physics, at any level?
not physics, but we cant take that until after algebra 2 so I will probably take it senior year.
Ok in that case you’re good.
How did you do in algebra1 and geometry?
A in both
Then, algebra2H, considering the colleges you’re thinking of.
Perhaps save AP psych as an election for senior year and take an easier class, so that you have more time for the rigor in math. Colleges will prefer algebra2 H and an honors or unweighted class, to regular algebra2 and AP psych (especially since you can take AP psych senior year, whereas you’re stuck with algebra2 non honors on your transcript forever, no redo.)
Like I said on the previous thread, take Honors Algebra 2. You don’t belong in a standard math class, and colleges will look at your decision to take regular Algebra 2 despite very strong grades in math and what I assume to be strong grades in advanced classes in other subjects as a reason to discredit your attempts to challenge yourself. Honors Algebra 2, in my opinion and experience, also provides a strong foundation for future math classes, such as Pre-Calculus and College Algebra. Even if you do take Honors, the fact that you are a junior in Algebra 2 at all puts you at a disadvantage at the universities you said you wished to attend (such as University of Miami), since the majority of your competitors are probably accelerated or doubly-accelerated in math.
(This is not to bag on OP for being in Algebra 2 as a junior; I was also a junior in Algebra 2)
Otherwise, your schedule looks very strong. I would recommend you take French IV Honors or AP French your senior year; four or more years of a foreign language is always nice.
Thank you. I most likely will take Alg 2 honors, I am just letting my laziness get to me. What would you recommend instead of AP psych. It is a 1 semester course, as is personal finance, which I have to take because it is required for graduation. So the course would need to be a half year one. Is ACT prep a good idea?
My D20 is planning her schedule too.
Honors Spanish 4
Honors Marketing
Honors Precalc
APUSH
AP English Language
AP Gov
Honors Forensics
and maybe APHG
She took APES and AP Psych this year. She’s also straight A’s so far. Gearing up for the college hunt all over again!
@easyalesseffort : ACT prep would be a good half year class. But what would the other possibilities be?
Obviously you could STILL take Algebra2H AND AP Psych, but if you feel something has to give, it should be AP Psych as Algebra2H will be a basic expectation for your colleges. There’s no reason to feel lazy about a subject you are good at and need.
Not really any other classes I’m intersted in. There’s some business classes but I’m in intro to business right now and I don’t find it that interesting. Also, i took regular algebra 1 for a semester and got moved up to honors for the second semester. Then I took standard geometry. I’ve got 98+ in both of them. Will colleges question this? I’m going to buckle down next year and try harder. If I take honors alg 2 and honors pre calculus will I be ok
Yes, honors algebra2 and honors precalculus will be okay, although selective colleges may wonder why you were moved down to regular geometry after algebra1 honors.
Sounds like act prep it is then. Take that very very seriously as most scholarships come from the college and they correlate with test scores. Think of the act as a championship game. Prepare methodically, take preparatory tests, then zero in on every mistake and do similar exercises until you can solve the same type of problems ten times in a row. Then take it. Review mistakes. Work through them systematically. Retake.
At worst, colleges will wonder why it took you two years to hop off of the lowest math track, but I, honestly think that it could be seen as an upward trend in course rigor, which can actually be positive. It probably is seen as being much better than taking Honors classes your first two years of high school and standard the rest or taking AP and Dual Enrollment classes junior year and taking Honors classes in the same subjects senior year.
And ending high school with Honors Pre-Calculus is very respectable. At my school, even kids who took Algebra 1 in 8th grade end up taking Pre-Calculus senior year due to mediocre performance in Algebra 2H in 10th grade, which caused them to be placed into Analysis/Trig Honors junior year (which spends the first semester filling in gaps in Algebra 2 knowledge). Just know that your competition UMiami and Vanderbilt likely finished high school with AP/DE/IB level math, which may put you at a relative disadvantage.