<p>I'm hoping to go to Georgia Tech after I graduate from high school in '13 (I'm a sophomore now). At my school, however, we have this thing called the Math/Science Pathway that lets students take AP Cal BC, GA Tech Calculus 2 and 3, AP Bio, AP Physics B and C, and AP Chem. We're on block schedule (4 classes for 90 minutes each semester, most APs are year-long), and to be on this track, I would have had to give up orchestra and/or the chance to take any other AP courses, which I was not willing to do.
By the time I'm finished with high school, I will have taken the following APs:
AP Human Geography (4)
AP World History
AP European History
AP Lang
AP Physics B
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics C
AP Lit
Will it look bad that I didn't take the "most rigorous courses available" in math/science, even though I'm still taking a fair number of other APs in other areas? Thanks for you feedback. :)</p>
<p>You can’t skip Physics B? It’s just watered down physics with calc (i.e. Physics C).</p>
<p>Nope, Physics B is a prereq for Physics C at my school.</p>
<p>The average admitted student takes around 5-6 AP courses. Since you are planning on taking 8, that can only weigh in your favor. Your involvement in orchestra and any passion you show in your application for Orchestra and other activities you are involved with will also aid you in admission. Good luck!</p>
<p>Update: The average Tech student admitted to the class of 2014 actually took the equivlent of 3.5 weighted classes.</p>
<p>That’s it? Geeze, I’m taking twice that many this year…</p>
<p>^Some schools don’t offer many APs either.</p>
<p>^^ That’s not even possible at my school… O_O</p>
<p>You’ll want to talk to your counselor. He/she might still list “most difficult courses possible” because you took so many AP courses.</p>
<p>But you really gave up a great opportunity to have the entire calc series out of the way before coming to Tech.</p>
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<p>My post should have read “the average admitted student took 3.5 weighted classes by the time of application.” That would likely mean 1 AP/IB/college course sophomore year and 2-3 junior year. By the time they enroll most will have tacked on a couple more weighted courses.</p>
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I also would have given up the opportunity to take any other APs or orchestra, though. :/</p>
<p>I would have dropped orchestra in a second. Unless you plan to do it professionally, enjoy it to the extent that it doesn’t interfere with your profession (which it apparently has). I don’t understand how taking a course at GT disqualifies you from all other AP courses.</p>
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It’s because of how our scheduling works. We have four classes per semester, two semesters in a year. A “normal”, non-AP class is only one semester. Almost all AP classes and all fine arts are yearlong. Add in the foreign language requirement (two semesters) and PE/Health (one semester), and a school schedule gets cramped quite quickly. I already had to cut out a semester of orchestra this year to fit in AP World/European History (we have a single class that prepares sophomores for both exams) and German 1 and 2.</p>