<p>Okay, this is my senior schedule. Due to scheduling conflicts between by high school and the local community college where I take classes and limits on how many APs I could take (2--It's also the first year my school has offered APs, so I don't know if I chose the right ones), it isn't all I had hoped for. I ask here because I'm sure you have done this with your children. How does it look?</p>
<p>Fall/Spring</p>
<p>Free Period/Economics
Honors English 12
Math 115/125 (Precal/Cal)
AP Biology
AP U.S. History
Yearbook</p>
<p>Good question, Martha. But before responding, I have a number of questions in return:</p>
<p>Do you have a plan for what your college major will be? Or general field - eg, science/engineering/liberal arts/humanities/social sciences? Not necessary to have such a plan, but might help in evaluating your proposed schedule.</p>
<p>Have you been taking a Foreign Language? What lab sciences have you already had? </p>
<p>What type of colleges are you targeting in terms of selectivity?</p>
<p>I'm planning on majoring in business right now, though I'm starting to think about going into medicine.</p>
<p>I've taken Spanish I and II in 9th and 10th grades. Those are the only two foreign language classes my school offers and I can't get credit for ones at the cc. However, my school will be offering Latin I this year, which I thought sounded interesting, but I'd have to give up an AP for it. I could possibly self-study APUSH, though--I'm doing the same for AP English.</p>
<p>I'm probably going to my state U, where I can get a great scholarship, and the other schools to which I'm applying are moderately selective (besides Georgetown)</p>
<p>Without knowing you, your school, your teachers, it's almost impossible to say anything. There are four main questions (well, maybe sets of questions) I would ask you if I were your parent:</p>
<p>(1) Are you going to have good teachers? Are the kids you like and respect going to be in these classes with you? If not, can you do anything about it? These are probably the questions I think are most important. </p>
<p>(2) Is this what you want to be taking? What are your goals? What are you trying to accomplish in the classroom this year? What choices have you turned down?</p>
<p>(3) Have you talked to your guidance counselor about this? When you apply to college, is he or she going to be able to say you took the most challenging curriculum available? (I assume the GC will say your curriculum was "challenging", at least.) If not, is there some other set of classes you could take that would get you there? Does it matter to you? (Yes, if you really care about Georgetown, probably not if you don't.) </p>
<p>(4) Do any of the colleges you plan to apply to recommend 3 years of a foreign language? Whether or not you get credit for it, can you take more Spanish at the CC? Can you set up an independent study with one of the Spanish teachers? (Note: I love Latin, but I wouldn't drop AP US History to take high school Latin I. That's just me. If you want to study Latin, one semester at college is probably worth two years of HS Latin -- I'm assuming from what you've said that your HS does not have a great language program -- and HS Latin I probably won't even place you out of Latin I in college. "I" of anything is next to useless, although a little bit of Latin can probably be more helpful than a little bit of almost any other language. I might think differently if the Latin class will only be offered to kids who have taken two years of another language.)</p>
<p>Also -- only four substantive classes in the fall? That seems light, even if you are applying to college, etc. Is that what kids do there?</p>
<p>Usually it's Government/Economics. I took government at the community college this summer, though. There aren't any one semester classes that I haven't taken. I'll graduate with 12 or 18 hours of college credit. It would be possible for me to take Macro/Microeconomics at the cc, but I'd have to give up Honors English and take AP English instead, giving up one of my other APs. Since English is my strong point and I've been studying for the AP English exam on my own, I'm iffy about that. If I do that, I may be able to take Physics (the only science class I haven't taken), but I seriously doubt it. There is only one Physics class offered during the day, and it will most likely be during my Math classes at the cc.</p>
<p>Should I even take the math classes? I've already taken 4 years of math and it's optional. That would leave my schedule open for two more classes each day, though I don't know what I could take, since AP's aren't offered then.</p>
<p>JHS:
1. I know that most of my teachers will be pretty good. The AP's are over the internet, though, so I don't know anything about them.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I'm decently happy with my schedule. Honestly, I only have to take two classes next year (Economics and English) to graduate. I need something challenging to keep myself motivated.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes, I talked to my guidance counselor just the other day, and she thinks that my courseload is very challenging. </p></li>
<li><p>I will look into Spanish at the cc. I could probably at least audit a class. Plus, I haven't had it in 2 years and am getting rusty.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>This is from a student, but I think you might get something out of it regardless.</p>
<p>From just glancing over your schedule, you are taking solid coursework with science, math, history, and english. You're looking into majoring in business, so my suggestion is to knock off yearbook for a more rigorous class. Yearbook is universally known as a "slack off" class, and although your school might be different, and yearbook actually challenging, I think you would be better off with a year long class that is actually applicable to your possible career future. Perhaps you can take a business class, or continue your foreign language like someone suggested. Either switch up would be considered better preparation for entering college.</p>
<p>Do you have a leadership position in yearbook? Do you really like yearbook?</p>
<p>If yes, then IMO stay with yearbook. </p>
<p>IMO, do not even consider giving up AP English.</p>
<p>IMO, yes, take the math classes.</p>
<p>IMO, keep your basic core of hard classes, and yearbook if you answered "yes" above. If, given those, you can't get anything else hard/challenging into your schedule, that's the way it goes. Your counselor will then vouch that you are taking the hardest courses available to you. In that case, find stuff at cc or outside of school to occupy and challenge you in your spare time.</p>
<p>Things to think about: If you've already taken 4 years of math and will get to Calc in your planned schedule, I'm confused about the math part of your post #6. If you are thinking med school, I would like to see as much science as possible in your hs schedule, and I think Physics is worth serious consideration.</p>
<p>Since Georgetown is the most selective school on your list and <em>may</em> therefore be the only one where these scheduling issues come into play, I recommend carefully looking at their required/recommended hs preparation. I'm pretty sure you'll find 4 years of Foreign Language on the list - so, I suggest you or your GC call one of the Admissions Counselors at Georgetown and get their opinion of the trade-offs you will be making (esp. non-credit Spanish at cc or not; start Latin or not).</p>
<p>I, too, don't like seeing Yearbook in place of a "serious" class. But... I don't know how that works at your school. Can you be as involved in Yearbook as you like without taking the class?</p>
<p>I'm really worried about the lack of foreign language. I know most of the schools we've looked at require a minimum of three years. I think AP Bio is a must if you're thinking pre-med and APUSH is a good solid course too - well worth it. I wouldn't drop pre-calc/calculus either. Technically you may have done 4 years of high school math, but you haven't taken an unusual amount of math for pre-med. AP English should probably stay too. So there you go - if you can possibly take more Spanish at the CC even if the high school doesn't give you credit, I expect colleges would count it, that's what I would do. I must say it seems weird for Yearbook to be a course - it's strictly an extra curricular activity around here.</p>
<p>Physics
Economics
Honors English 12
AP Calculus
AP Biology
Latin</p>
<p>I dropped Yearbook for Latin and dropped the college classes in favor of AP Calculus. This was actually the only other way I could work my schedule out because of time conflicts.</p>
<p>^^^ Now <em>that</em> is a solid-looking schedule. I still would contact Georgetown, if I were you, to find out their views on cc Spanish vs. Latin. Most schools want to see 3-4 years of the same language, I think. But that is a "recommendation", not a requirement. Still, I'd hate to see you choose the wrong direction simply due to lacking info on their viewpoint.</p>
<p>I'm visiting Georgetown this week, and I'll ask them about it then. I looked at the schedule of classes, and there are night classes in Spanish that I could take.</p>
<p>EDIT: I had looked at the schedule for a different campus. It turns out that my cc offers no foreign languages at all.</p>
<p>Your schedule has flaws. Here is the 2 cents of advise.</p>
<p>First, all major univeristy and colleges DEMAND a 4-year study of a foreign language UNLESS you are fluent -- usually by home use. And, if fluent, take the AP test. That proves to them that the second language is accomplished.</p>
<p>Second, all AP's are not equal. Go to their site. You will see that AP US History is a killer to do well in. And, it is one of the most -- if not the most -- tested. Hence, taking the course can be a bear and become a liability. But, after having warned you of the experience, TAKE THE COURSE, as all serious colleges demand that you take as many AP courses as are offered. A slack course load with good grades is less admirable than challenging courses with above-average grades.</p>
<p>Third, take courses to your strengths your senior year. Do not take AP Biology if you are not a science whiz. After all, the concept of AP is to allow the overachieiving student, who is enriched or gifted in a particular area of study, to overachieve. If you are not the AP scholar in English and History and Science, admit as such. If you are great all around, bless you and go for it.</p>
<p>Conclusion -- take a language. Also, how many SAT Subj Tests have you taken? If you have not taken it, you should take the SAT subj test this fall in Math [take the higher level as you completed precalc -- level 2 I believe is your test]. And, be forewarned -- two years ago it was two (then called SAT II's) requried and one was always English. Poof. English is gone and is now part of the SAT. Hence, you need 2 SAT Subj tests for most -- and a growing number of schools are beginning to require THREE -- including Georgetown!!!</p>
<p>Good luck to what is about to become a very stressful year.</p>
<p>I think that we're maybe not being sensitive enough to the OP's situation. I gather that she lives in a community where there isn't a lot of advanced educational opportunities -- her AP courses are all on-line; the school has never offered them in the past; her community college does not offer language courses at all. We're obviously not talking about Stuyvesant, Scarsdale, or Lower Merion here. I assume Georgetown will make some allowances for that.</p>
<p>The student is obviously at a disadvantage -- but that does not make the playing field any less even. It is unfortunate that the foreign language curriculum ends after two years. It is also unfortunate that there are no AP's until senior year.</p>
<p>And, from those weaknesses, I conjecture there are other flaws -- including the possible oversight by a counselor to have the student take SAT Subj Tests.</p>
<p>Hence, as much as the student may be alarmed by my statement, I think he or she must understand that there are rigidly applied rules which he/she must be aware of -- if they are seriously looking at schools like Georgetown. This forum will be one method of learning the "process."</p>
<p>And, through this forum, I hope he/she realizes the handicap imposed upon the student by the lack of depth offered by the high school and how that will affect the student's application.</p>
<p>I think JHS makes an important and thoughtful point. And I think that you are overstating your case, Father of the Boarder. With the best of intentions, I realize. And even though I agree with your general point re taking a strong course schedule, I believe you are off the mark in several respects.</p>
<p>To say that "all major colleges and Universities DEMAND 4 years of language," is just plain wrong. I know this first-hand from conferring with one University re an applicant who did not meet that criterion (and had no good excuse other than poor advising, btw). This student was admitted despite the lack. You can find many such counter-examples just from cases discussed here on cc. This is why I recommend the OP speak directly to colleges important to her (such as Georgetown, which she plans to do). </p>
<p>Second, your advice is internally inconsistent. You state that an applicant needs to take as many AP courses as are offered at her school; then you advise her to take only those which play to her strengths? Which is it? I believe you are closer to the mark on the latter recommendation. My S took 4 AP's (out of around 8 or so offered at his hs) and was admitted to one of the most selective schools in the country.</p>
<p>Third, the statement that the student "must understand that there are rigidly applied rules which he/she must be aware of " is frightening in its disrespect for the approach taken by many of the most selective schools. They contend that they look at each applicant individually, in the context of what his/her hs offers, and I believe them. "Rigidly applied rules" is just what many of these admissions offices are trying to get away from. Granted, there are some schools which go "by the numbers", but I'm not even sure your statement would hold water with them.</p>
<p>Fourth, the contention that the student has a "handicap imposed" due to the lack of depth offered by the high school is unsubstantiated. Yes, schools will have to look at her transcript differently from that of a student from (as JHS says) a Stuyvesant, or whatever. Whether she will have a better chance applying from such a "strong public" or a top private hs - in competition with numerous others from that self-same school or its equivalent - versus applying from her own hs is something we cannot know.</p>
<p>Like I said, the intentions may be good, but to speak so strongly and authoritatively, without the back-up, is a disservice to this student. IMHO.</p>
<p>Coincidentally, this was just posted (by an Admissions Officer) on the JHU board, in response to a question from a student who had not taken a foreign language. It reflects my understanding of how a great number of "major" colleges and Universities look at your high school preparation:
<p>Despite these recommendations, there are no official requirements in terms of course selection to apply to JHU. So yes, you may apply though you have not take a foreign language course.
</p>
<p>Note, especially, the second-to-last sentence.</p>
<p>Copying another post from the above-mentioned thread, as I think there are many students and parents concerned re meeting "requirements" for hs preparation. Again, this is from one school, but I believe it represents thethinking of a number of very selective schools.
<p>Choosing to take courses at a local college is a practice many students do and we neither encourage nor discourage it. Pretty simple -- in high school take a breadth of courses that represent the five core areas (English, History, Math, Science, and Foreign Language) -- take the most advanaced courses you can and remain successful with your grades -- and if provided the opportunity do pursue your interests with additional/elective courses as well. Every high school is different with different sets of requirements, and we have no desire to be telling students what they must do throughout school.