<p>Why are you so negative? I wouldn't be posting if I wasn't listening. I've fully considered your advice and I'm really happy you guys gave it to me. Thank you. I'm not sure I agree though and I'll have to think more and talk to my counselor senior year when it comes time ya know. Thanks though, don't feel you are not being listened to. I'm listening, just not sure I agree.</p>
<p>I'm going to stand up for my Texas friend. He is obviously one of the brightest kids in his grade/school. Therefore, he needs to take the most challenging curriculum. He can't help whether it is as challenging an AP class as some other schools might offer. He simply has to make the most of what there is. He isn't locked in. If one or more of the courses turns out to be tons of work and interferes with some outside interests he might develop, he can change. It sounds as though his GC is willing to work with him since they let him in AP Psych. If he stays on this board we can give him suggestions for senior year, after he sees how things work out next year.</p>
<p>Thanks my fellow Texan. Who said my AP's weren't hard. I wasn't let in because it wasn't hard, I was let in because I have a phenomenal science GPA.</p>
<p>My D (and quite a few of her friends), at a Northern public H.S., have taken 5 APs in Junior year, and 6 APs in Senior year. The GC department interviews each student, and based on past performance/maturity, etc. decides how many each student can take. Most of them got 4s and 5s. And all of these kids are heavily involved in non-sport EC's that are nonethless time-consuming. The only reason my D took all of these APs is because she wanted to be challenged, did not want to be bored in regular classes. </p>
<p>She still finds time to go to the mall, eat out, see movies, read for pleasure, etc. Well-rounded, very happy, never snappy or stressed. So, go for it Texasmathwhiz</p>
<p>Thanks choco. Yeah the only challenging course I've ever taken so far is Honors Geometry because I'm an algebra person.</p>
<p>Its interesting that some schools allow so many APs; while others, with very challenging Honors classes and regular classes allow only a few...yet, many get their kids into top schools, at my Ds school a very competitive Jesuit school, only offer 8 non-foriegn language AP classes....more honors classes, yet these kids do very well in college and go places in life.....and if they are in non-ap classes, they get challenged,so I guess we are in a different place, no way does anyone at the school take 6 APs, - couldn;t even fit them in the schedule- 6 classes a day, and because we are in California, we have to be sure schedule suits UC system....as well as gym, religion, fine arts, etc. Our GCs are great and don't push outrageous schedules just for show. I guess our regular curriculum is plenty challenging.</p>
<p>Well, isn't your daughter fabulous. Whenever somebody brags like that, I just have to brag back. First person ever in my school to take AP Psychology as a sophomore.</p>
<p>It's not that my school is easy to get AP classes in. I have to get A's in all my PreAPs to qualify. And you can't go from a regular one year to an AP the next.</p>
<p>Just from your posts, I'm pretty sure you go to a school in Lewisville ISD just because we (yes, im there) are the only school district in the state of texas that uses the accellerated block schedule that you talk about. I'm a senior at one of those high schools and am very familiar with the course selection process. Catch me on AIM. My s/n is Twl007</p>
<p>If I could PM you I'd tell you where I went.</p>
<p>"Well, isn't your daughter fabulous. Whenever somebody brags like that, I just have to brag back. First person ever in my school to take AP Psychology as a sophomore.</p>
<p>It's not that my school is easy to get AP classes in. I have to get A's in all my PreAPs to qualify. And you can't go from a regular one year to an AP the next."</p>
<p>Texas, people try giving you analogies to encourage or discourage your from taking these AP classes. No one here is bragging, except you. You look at others posts and take htem as an excuse to brag. no one cares abotu you taking AP psychology, just as no one cares that you got a 1510 on a practice SAT. You go a 168 on your psat and no one thinks your nearly as great as you do. People posted to be helpful. Don't criticize people trying to help you. I sure will not try again.</p>
<p>I think you should just do as your counselor advises. No one here can judge who hasn't gone to your school. As others have stated, the challenge and workload of AP courses varies hugely from school to school. Schools can use whatever labels they want... At one of my schools, non-AP courses were called "pre-AP." At my current school, the lowest level course is called "College Prep." And at my school current the most challenging class I've ever taken wasn't AP, though it did prepare me to get a 5 on the equivalent AP exam. Labels are pointless.</p>
<p>I agree sneveu. And my counselor said I was more than capable of the courseload I'm taking.</p>
<p>texas,
AP Chemistry
AP US History
AP English 3
PAP Physics
Independent Study in Science
PAP Spanish 3
PAP Precalculus
Teen Leadership (good for college according to counselors)</p>
<p>could you explain to me, becuase i really don't know, what PAP is...is it pre-AP and ifso would that be equivalent to honors at other highschools?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Our GCs are great and don't push outrageous schedules just for show.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is such a strange thing to say, bec. you are assuming a lot of wrong things about other people's schools. Suffice to say that your school does not provide AP classes to a great extent. Perhaps there are not enough teachers of that caliber to go around, and fewer classes are provided, therefore the number of classes 1 student can take is restricted. It does not matter why fewer APs are offered. Fortunately for us, our H.S has the resources to offer 16 APs, as well as excellent courses at Honors and College Prep levels.</p>
<p>How does one conclude that a school that offers 15 APs probably has a weak regular curriculum?</p>
<p>In general, a top student applying to HYPSM etc. from a school that offers no APs stands a better chance of getting in than a student from a school that offers 15, but the student took only 4. Basically the question asked by the college is "did they take the most rigorous courses offered by their school". If schools do not have the resources, or just provide fewer APs, the students do not pay the price. </p>
<p>My D, as an example, took 6 AP classes, plus lunch, gym, and band.</p>
<p>Changed that option. It should work now.</p>
<p>Our kids can take 6 periods a day, excluding lunch, one is religion, one is art, you have to squeeze gym in, then you have english, science, math, language, social studies (american history etc), that more then six a day, so you have 0 period, 8th period, and this is a one of the top college prep jesuit schools in California. </p>
<p>I am just saying that the colleges are starting to lose a little respect for the AP classes since they aren't counting for college credit so much anymore....but since our school has determined that our AP classes are really really tough, and that they don't allow kids to over schedule themselves, I have to respect that. It is not restricted due to number of classes, or quality of teachers, it is due to the toughness of our classes. And they are tough. Our honors classes are very tough as well. (This is a very competitive high school, 25% admission rate.) As well, you take the class, you must take the exam.<br>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=27864&page=2&pp=20%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=27864&page=2&pp=20</a></p>
<p>I am just glad that our school offers a very rigorous curriculum, from College prep classes, to honors, to AP, and therefore the administration is not the one making the choices for the students. No-one I know takes AP classes in order to get college credit. And obviously everyone takes the AP exam, we all know that, and our H.S does great in that aspect too. 4s and 5s mostly.</p>
<p>My friend moved to Georgia, and the H.S. there offers no APs to Juniors, and about 4 to Seniors. And she has already found out that it's not because of the excellent quality of their regular curriculum. And that is true for A LOT of states. </p>
<p>I don't know how anyone can make the leap from "a huge number of APs being offered" to "poor curriculum" . And to say that other GCs "push" "outrageous" schedules "for show", that's what I was laughing at. I would rather say what my own school does, than call other schools that I know nothing about outrageous
:)</p>
<p>About my AP schedule being watered down, I don't understand how you can adequately prepare for the AP test without going through a rigorous schedule, the AP test covers a wide spectrum of things, you can just focus on one area, plus AP classes at our school are forced to complete a certain curriculum. And I've said before, the majority of our scores on the AP tests are extremely good. </p>
<p>Texas - I don't understand why you are the only Freshman at your school allowed to take Psych AP... The test is notoriously easy and it really isn't that challenging. I don't think anyone at our school has gotta below a 4 or 5 on the AP test. I think about half the class is sophomores at our school.</p>
<p>Frankly, I don't think its any of the school's business to limit the number of APs a kid can take, if he thinks he can take it, he can take it. Otherwise, he can drop the class. I'm glad our school takes an approach somewhat similar to that.</p>
<p>Your AP scores at the end of the year will be the true test of how well prepared you were, sentient. People are just making wild assumptions here.</p>
<p>It's not as if schools that offer 6 APs total are doing a better job of teaching those APs, while schools that offer 15, are doing a shabby job, or have a weak curriculum. That is ridiculous. Because then the inner city schools would be shining here, if the # of APs is inversely proportional to the overall quality of the curriculum.</p>
<p>No one can call Sentient's AP classes or anyone elses watered down until they see the AP scores. If Sentient gets 3's and lower on all of them then his classes are certainly watered down. If he doesn't there is a good chance his AP classes are worthwhile. Anyway, it's the AP score that matters and the fact that the class is recognized as AP by the College Board.</p>