<p>I'm a rising high school senior, and I have to determine my class schedule for next year. This year I'm taking AP Chemistry, AP Calculus AB and AP Physics Mechanics, along with some other classes. Next year I plan on taking AP Calculus BC, AP Physics E&M and AP Biology, along with some other classes.</p>
<p>Here's my problem. I really want to dual enroll at a local community college, either linear algebra or organic chemistry, but I don't know which one I should take! I've decided on those two classes because I'm only interested in math and science, and I've exhausted my school's math and science curriculum (except for AP environmental science, but I don't want to take that). Also, I could take another social studies class instead like AP Euro, but I'd rather not... I don't have much interest in history.
Linear algebra is one semester, while organic chemistry is two semesters (part 1 and 2). I checked the prerequisites, and they aren't a problem for either. All I know is that I want to be an engineer. I don't know if I want to be a chemical engineer, biomedical, civil, computer, etc. I'm doing well in both AP Chemistry and Calculus.
Also, I plan on applying to Umich, Stanford, Princeton, and MIT.</p>
<p>Which one should I take?</p>
<p>Take into account the following:
*difficulty
*amount of credit I would receive, if any
*which class the above colleges would prefer
*will my gpa die if I take organic chem? or linear algebra?
*most useful class
*is organic chemistry specific to certain majors?
*anything else you can think of</p>
<p>I'd really appreciate any input!<br>
Thanks</p>
<p>A true college-level Organic Chemistry course is an absolute nightmare of memorization, long hours of hard study, and more hours of laboratory. You will need O Chem if you major in any biological science - including any of the bio-engineering majors.</p>
<p>Talk with the counselors at your community college, and find out whether AP Chem is enough preparation for their O Chem course (it may not be), and what level of O Chem their O Chem course transfers to at your state universities. Some universities only offer one kind of O Chem, others have various types of O Chem for different majors. A bio science major would need to take the “hard” one.</p>
<p>You also need to talk with the counselors about the Linear Algebra class. They will know which course it is equivalent to in the math sequence at your state universities, and whether or not it is necessary for the engineering programs that you are interested in.</p>
<p>Personally, I think your schedule looks hard enough as it is. Why don’t you pick something that would just be fun to take, something that you might never get another chance to try?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice! I will talk with the CC counselors to see how their classes equate to classes in other engineering programs. I never thought of that… Today, I looked at Umich classes and there are at least 3 different linear algebra classes, while at the CC there is only one. </p>
<p>And basically everyone has been telling me that O Chem is brutal and not possible with my schedule. I’m not really afraid of the challenge, I just don’t want to waste time taking a class I wont need-- especially when the class is so tough!</p>
<p>The only other class I’m interested in at my high school is computer programming. But it’s an IB 2 year class, so I’d only be able to take half the class. It could be fun.</p>
<p>I found it odd that your school separates AP Physics into E&M and Mechanics since they’re both Physics C tests, but anyways…</p>
<p>Linear Algebra is a basic requirement for many many majors, even social science ones like Economics. I would recommend that you should take this class because it has stronger versatility even if your chosen college will require you to take more difficult linear algebra classes for your future major.</p>
<p>Organic Chemistry is a tricky class. The main thing I would be worried about is whether or not your community college offers an acceptable level of laboratory experience. At my college, lab is twice a week, 4-5 hours or more. Generally, I don’t think community colleges would offer enough lab time/difficulty that it would transfer to a university level adequately. Besides, as the other posters have pointed out, ochem is really only useful for biological and (some) chemical majors, and pre-med students.</p>
<p>Your singular focus on science and math may make a difference to MIT, and perhaps to some of the other selective colleges to which you’re applying. But unless you’re doing extraordinarily well in your math and science class your schedule sounds a lot like someone who’s specializing in high school – possibly skipping core courses in foreign language, english and history. In addition, you’ll most likely find, should you get accepted into HYPSM that the CC and high school courses in advanced science and math are no match for the equivalent university courses. You wouldn’t for example want to go to Princeton or Stanford and place out of Organic Chemistry, or Linear Algebra.</p>
<p>Consider taking courses in the subjects (other than math and science), and leave the advanced science and math to college. My intuition is that doing so would strengthen your application.</p>
<p>n99127: Yea, last year both physics classes were in the same year, but then my school switched to a 6 period day, which doesn’t permit enough time to cover both in one year.<br>
That is a very good point about ochem. I’m just not taking it. And linear algebra… I’m still thinking about it now because of what fogcity said. The class does sound versatile and interesting though.</p>
<p>theleakers: haha</p>
<p>fogcity: What do you mean by “specializing in high school”? Will colleges see an excess of math/science classes as a bad thing? By the end of high school I will have 3 years or social studies, 3 years of Spanish, and 4 years of english-- including AP Language and AP Literature.
I guess I will leave the advanced math/science to college. Sounds like the best way to go. So if I take AP European History instead, that should bolster my application?</p>
<p>I think the focus of fogcity’s point was that you have a large number of AP math and science classes, but it isn’t so clear as to how many APs you have taken that are not math or science related. For instance, have you taken the Spanish language and literature AP tests? Have you taken AP US/World History? It definitely will look a bit odd if you have AP Calculus AB+BC, AP (all sciences), but only Honors American History or whatever.</p>
<p>Okay. Basically, I should take more history/English/foreign language classes. Hopefully signing up for AP European History will show colleges more breadth in my high school experience.
I started this post wondering which class to dual enroll, and now I’m not dual enrolling at all. This decision seems to be the best way to go, so I’m glad I posted! Thanks everyone!</p>