My daughter received her junior class schedule. Unfortunately, she received only
1 AP. After requesting the school claims that all AP classes are filled.
She was hoping for at least AP biology & was studying it during summer.
We are currently in California, and junior yr she is doing EngH* / precal / US Hist /
AP Environmental Science */ Anatomy/ intro to stats ( * weighted ) , some of those classes were not in her choices
She hoped for at least 2-3 AP linked to her intended major - ( aiming Cognitive Sc preferably design ). I m afraid that the choice of classes won’t show much rigor .
It is incredibly disappointing to see that our children do not have the freedom to choose a class that interests them, especially if it is tied to a career path.
Please advise on how to handle this situation. Any ideas or suggestions
Does your school have a GPA or grade requirement to be eligible for AP classes?
My son’s HS started using a GPA requirement threshold for the popular AP classes however it was unweighted and did not take into account previous Honors/AP classes taken by the student so many students whom had never taken any challenging classes such as AP, were given AP classes their Senior year.
I called to complain to the counselor and became a “ squeaky” wheel rallying other parents that had students with the same problem and contacting the counselor. Miraculously, a few weeks later the counselor called me and my son was scheduled into all the AP classes he originally signed up for Senior year.
Be the squeaky wheel and make a fuss nicely.
Why does she have both APES and Anatomy? Did she request two science classes? Maybe they only give kids one AP science class/year.
Did she already finish foreign language? Often the 3rd and 4th year of LOTE are weighted by the UCs. You can look it up here. University of California A-G Course List
If she is interest in cognitive science with an emphasis in design, has she taken any CS classes? If not, that might be worth taking.
I don’t know how her school works but, at most high schools, there are lots of schedule changes and movement between classes the first week. Teachers prepare for it and often don’t start teaching content until the 2nd or 3rd week. Definitely have her talk to her counselor and be persistent.
I would start with the guidance counselor too. Explain the types of colleges your D is aiming for, and the need for AP courses.
I would at least ask if there is a way to shift AP Environmental Sci to AB bio.
If your HS has a strict cap on APs, make sure that information is included on the school report from the guidance counselor that goes with the common app.
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What are the school’s placement procedures for AP and other courses?
What AP and other courses did she want?
Some schools have a minimum grade in the prerequisite to take an AP or honors course (e.g. B in honors prerequisite or A in regular prerequisite).
Unfortunately, in some high schools, getting into desired courses is competitive, since they do not have enough space for all interested students. So some students get rationed out.
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