My Dilemma

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>Ok, so I just started Freshman year of High School and I kind of want to major in astronomy/astrophysics in College. I heard to be an astrophysicist, you need to have taken and accomplished high leveled math. Though I know this Is true, I'm taking Algebra 1 Freshman year of High school. This is a low start, and I want to be in the higher classes, but I don't know how. Do good in my math class and they'll move me up? Possibly. But if I stick to this schedule will it be really hard for me to become an astrophysicist? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance</p>

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<p>You may be able to take a math during the summer to then skip a level at a school.</p>

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<p>I think with the absence of both a math and science the senior schedule will not look as rigorous compared to others.</p>

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<p>Two things:

  1. Don’t worry too much about what you want to major in at this point. You have like five years to think about it.
  2. What you do in high school has essentially no effect on what you’ll be able to do as a career. </p>

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<p>They won’t just move you up, because high school math has a fairly linear progression to it and you can’t just skip stuff without learning it. But anecdotally…
I took Algebra I freshman year. Sophomore year I took Plane Geometry first semester and Algebra II second semester, but you can take them at the same time if you want. Then I tested out of Trig/Pre-Calculus at the end of sophomore year and Calculus at the beginning of junior year. I self-studied AP Calculus BC junior year and now I’m a senior taking several university math classes.</p>

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<p>If you double up freshman year, you’ll take Alg. 1 and Geometry (presumably).</p>

<p>If you double up sophomore year, you can take Algebra 2 and Precalculus.</p>

<p>You can take Calculus AB+BC junior year.</p>

<p>You can take Calculus 3 senior year.</p>

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<p>@Travis
What do you mean by the absence if math AND science? I’m not particularly worried about science in this case.</p>

<p>@Haly
Ok, I see where you’re coming from. Also, would you mind explaining what you had to do in order to test out of those classes? So, I won’t have to take a summer course to go into another, but I can just self-study the material myself, and then take a test to get out of it? Or is it that I study the upcoming course I’m taking over the summer, and test out of it? Sorry if this is confusing.</p>

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<p>Some schools don’t allow this, but I just took the final without taking the class and got credit for it. (And the grade on the final was my grade in the course.)</p>

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<p>Ohhh! Well ok. I’m not sure if my school will allow it because its new. At my middle school one kid doubled up, taking both math classes. I really hope ill be able to double up. If not, then I’ll try next year.</p>

<p>@Slu</p>

<p>I hope so! I’ll try my best. Tomorrow is my birthday. I’ll probably ask for books and such. Toys aren’t really entertaining at my age XD</p>

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<p>Sorry posted wrong place.</p>

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<p>Lol, it’s ok</p>

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<p>Most high schools seem to allow kids to take two math classes a year (assuming each class is a semester). I did that last year, and will probably do it next year.</p>

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<p>I’m gonna consider doing that next year. Definitely. Thanks :)</p>