<p>Hey guys, I've been a long time observer of the board and I posted just a few times under a different account, but anyway, you guys seem to be pretty on top of things and seem to know what it takes to get into Princeton. I'm looking at Princeton and a few other very competitive colleges (and a few easy state schools) for the Class of 2010. Here's my question..</p>
<p>Next year (my senior year) I will be taking 3 APs (english, govt/eco, biology) and regular pre cal, swimming, yearbook, and theater. Obviously I have alot of ECs.. but here's the question, if I end up winning the class elections for Student Council (Vice Pres), they want me to take a class called "Student Government" ... yet another EC. I am already committed to my previously mentioned ECs, so should I drop AP Biology and only be taking 2 AP courses yet be in another elective? I'm thinking this looks not so great to colleges....</p>
<p>I'd really appreciate some of your opinions! I haven't been able to get in to see my counselor yet so I'm not sure.</p>
<p>you onyl have to take this class if you "end up winning"? Like you didn't really win yet?.....</p>
<p>Yeah, but I only have one other person against me and I <em>think</em> I have a good chance of it. I'm just wondering a little ahead of time.</p>
<p>I think that the most important thing is to do what you're interested in, and generally, if you follow what you really want to do, colleges will recognize that and reward you. That being said, many applicants have incredibly strong extracurricular loads and are recognized on a state/national level for their outside accomplishments in arts/sciences/etc., yet still manage to find time for a demanding courseload. Even this type of intelligence and accomplishment isn't anywhere near a guarantee, as you can see from these boards. So, if you're set on going to Princeton or an equally competitive school, I'd say that you need to push yourself academically as well as in the other aspects of your life in order to be a competitive candidate. Maybe you should consider a class at your community college.</p>
<p>Instead of taking AP Gov this year, I interviewed for and was selected to be in my school's competition government class. It was honors, and we did a lot more work than any AP class ever did. We didn't win state, but I had a blast and I learned a ton. Even though, or maybe because, it wasnt an AP course on the transcript (it was honors government), it is the best class I ever took in high school.</p>
<p>Don't compromise on what your passion is. Don't get caught up in APs and all- if you truly are committed to something, show it off to colleges in your essays- that will more than make up the difference, if you do it right.</p>
<p>Excellent post, silmon, and that's the philosophy that every high school student should operate on--regardless of where he wants to go to college. I just wanted to add, though, that in your current situation, pinkdillo, although it seems like you're following what you want to do, your academic courseload simply doesn't seem rigorous enough. It's not really a matter of AP-whoring, but the fact is that you'll only have three academic classes next year, and the academic record is still the most important factor in deciding admission to any university. I was in your same situation last year when deciding my classes (I could only fit 4 academic classes because I had 4 nonacademic classes that were also important to me). So, I enrolled in a class I was interested in at a local university. </p>
<p>I think that the main point to this is, while it's important to pursue your extracurricular interests, it's also just as important, if not more important, to pursue your academic interests. Although having only 3 classes won't eliminate you from consideration, it certainly will not be viewed in your favor when you're being compared with other applicants. I'm not suggesting that you give up on your outside interests: I'd just find an academic course that I'm interested in at a local college, and I'd take it.</p>
<p>I had the same "problem." I was going to take AP Gov, AP Spanish, AP English, along with other binding classes but I won the Student Governemnt elections, so I had to drop one of my APs. I choose AP Spanish because it was the one I was the least interested in. So suggest you decided what you are really interested in (majoring) and take the classes that deals the most with it.</p>
<p>But I must say that my electives weren't cake classes. I took Accounting, Statistics, Marketing Co-op and Physics. So maybe you considering taking more academic elective to make up for the increase in electives. you may want to try Internation Relations or Asian & African American Studies (or something like this.)</p>