My high school course load?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Freshman year: no AP options, only Honors English and math were offered
English 9, moved to Honors for Sem II (A++, A++)
Honors Algebra I (B, A)
Health backed with New Mexico History (A, A+) < required by the state
Biology (A++, A++)
Art (A+, A++)
Journalism (A, A+)
Spanish III (A+, A+)</p>

<p>Took 6 <em>elective</em> courses at local college that summer</p>

<p>Environmental Ethics: A+
Cultures of the World: A+
Ancient Religions: A
Eastern Religions: A+
Geography/Cartography: A
Advanced Intermediate Spanish, equivalent to HS level 4: A+ </p>

<p>Sophomore/junior year, this year (I'm an early graduate): again, very little to choose from as far as advanced placement. Sem II grades aren't yet finalized, just the marks I'm making right now.</p>

<p>Honors English 10 A++/A++
AP English 11 A++/A++
Honors Geometry A/A+
Honors Algebra II / Trig. A/A+
AP World History A+/A+
Int. Chem/Physics A++/A++
Astronomy A+/A++</p>

<p>Here's my plan for next year, my graduating year. I'm only required to take an English class, a math class, and the school's US history course, but I'm starting to feel like I should fill up my schedule.
Looking for a knowledgeable second opinion... pros and cons? (thank you so so much)</p>

<p>AP English 12
AP Calculus A/B
AP US History
~
AP Biology
AP Spanish (HS "level 5")
Mythology/Folklore, backed with College Prep Composition
Philosophy or Art II, depending on availability </p>

<p>Thing is, my parents' combined income is less than $50,000 and I've been working to help support the family since the age of 12. Taking just 3 courses would give me time enough to work full time, do more volunteering, and boost my extracurriculars. How much would going for the extra 4 benefit me in college admissions? Thanks again.</p>

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<p>What type of school do you hope to go to? Are you hoping for merit aid where you’re in the top of the class, or need-based (primarily the very top schools)? I’m surprised you can not only compress 10th & 11th into one year, but also have a light load senior year. Have you worked with your counselor on this plan?</p>

<p>I don’t think that if you’re working and contributing to the family income you’re expected to ALSO be doing a lot of ECs/volunteering. </p>

<p>My <em>guess</em>, coming from a different financial situation, is that you should worry about school and work and any EC/volunteering you absolutely love, and maximize school and work and minimize the rest. You can use your essays to talk about your work. </p>

<p>More specific advice is to keep the Bio and / or Spanish, depending on your interests, and to nuke the other two, IF you will actually use that time well. If you’re not going to actually work more, I think it would be a mistake to cut down on your classes.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>There are schools that give ++ grades?? If you are graduating next year you should have taken the PSAT already. How did you do?</p>

4

<p>A regular, public high school. Yes, I’ve been working with my counselor since learning about early graduation freshman year. Registration is next week, and I’ve decided to take all 7 courses. The first semester of the F/M/CC class is devoted to college application; definitely a good use of my time. I don’t keep track of my volunteering; at all, but I do all kinds of work within my community and would guess that I’ve put in something ~400 hours in this past year and a half of high school. Thanks for all the info; I don’t think my low level of involvement within the actual school devalues any of my various separate passions and interests. </p>

<p>No PSAT, but I’ve already tested - 2380 on the actual SAT and a super surprising almost perfect 35 on the ACT.
Not sure why I did the ++ thing, more of a note to myself that I made more than 100% in that class. I copied and pasted the majority of this post from a log I keep on my computer… my school doesn’t hand out “A++”'s. :-)</p>