Hi everyone,
I am aiming for highly selective schools (t20s + top LACs) and am worried if my schedule will hurt me. I have taken physics, biology, and chemistry, but decided to not take a science course senior year. I also did not take foreign language junior year, but due to taking Spanish I in 8th grade, I was still able to have 4 years (taking Spanish IV this year). I am taking 4 AP courses this year, and took 2 in sophomore year and 4 in junior year, so my rigor seems fine. But on almost every highly selective school’s site, they say you should be taking 4 years of science and foreign language. My application is clearly focused around the humanities, as is my major.
Can anyone please give advice on this? I am fairly worried now. Thanks a lot!
Foreign language is not an issue. For almost every college, completing level 4, even in less than 4 years, meets the recommendation.
Verify your target college’s suggested HS preparation by googling the Common Data Set and looking at section C5. Even for many of the top tier colleges, they only suggest 3 years of science. But there are several who do ask for 4 years. For those colleges, be aware that most of the competition will have 4 years. That said, all these schools evaluate holistically, and the schedule is just one part of the equation and your choice will not lead to an autorejection. As a senior, it is what it is at this point. Good luck.
Thank you for the reply @skieurope. Do you know how much it would help if my counselor explains the scheduling conflicts that made me unable to pursue a science unless I traded it for AP Research (second part to AP Capstone Diploma) in her rec letter?