<p>You may want to remove honors bio and take AP chem instead (sophomore year). AP Lit if you love to read otherwise Honors English or a “fun English” class (or college essay writing). Taking art in 12th grade may be a problem, I thought that for UC’s the art requirement had to be completed by the end of 11th grade - see your guidance counselor about it.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 The arts requirement is covered. I have UC’s requirements stickied,since I keep referring to them.</p>
<p>“Visual and performing arts (“f”) – One year chosen from dance, drama/theater, music or visual art.” No mention of before senior year.</p>
<p>Individual high schools like mine, have the requirement that it be completed before senior, or in my case junior year.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 </p>
<p>I’m taking Honors Bio for the required 1 credit we need </p>
<p>and AP Chem is a Double Period </p>
<p>I’ll think about whether I should replace AP Lit or not </p>
<p>Are you sure about the UC’s needing the Art requirement done by the end of the Junior year? I’ll ask my GC about it</p>
<p>@skieurope </p>
<p>Oh, so I don’t need to complete the Arts requirement before Senior year. Thanks</p>
<p>@Kawaiiii</p>
<p>See my post above yours.</p>
<p>@skieurope </p>
<p>Saw it and thanked you for it.</p>
<p>Yeah, we just crossed paths, I guess.</p>
<p>Start the ACT/SAT testing and see which you are better at. Also see what SAT section testing you may need for one of the dream schools.</p>
<p>Honestly challenge yourself and do well academically, but realize that preparing yourself academically is important for your own development. Merit and financial aid packages may vary at specific schools to be lacking what you need, even if you are admitted - so do not put so much emotional energy on beating yourself up to get into a particular school which may not work out. Also your family may want you within a particular distance range from home.</p>
<p>Start to feel all these things out so you do not build yourself up to unexpected surprises due to lack of communication.</p>
<p>@SOSConcern </p>
<p>I’m a freshman in High School, so won’t I be taking the new SAT? Should I only study the ACT? Thanks for the advice</p>
<p>I guess you will be taking the new SATs. At the end of sophomore year, I had both my DDs take both the ACT and SAT for a ‘baseline’. Some kids do better on one than the other. Prep courses and practice testing, and other related material can help raise scores with repeat testing. However some colleges/admissions folks do not like a student to take it too often (see other CC threads). One DD had a little one-on-one tutoring; one had more (17 half hour sessions over a 6 mo period, but it definitely paid off). We focused on getting the in-state scholarships up via the few additional points on ACT (one DD increased $3000/year, so $12,000 for 4 years; the other increased over $25,000 with scholarship $$). Doesn’t sound like a lot compared to some private school tuition and financial aid packages, but you got to remember what is your out of pocket, and is that higher out of pocket cost - effective?</p>
<p>GPA and SAT/ACT test scores are numbers that in some ways can compare students in those two dimensions (of course how challenging of courses the student took to what was available in their HS). ECs. Leadership.</p>
<p>Try to learn from students ahead of you in school that you admire, as far as the opportunities and good choices. Learn about your area colleges, and think about what career path and majors interest you.</p>
<p>By the time you are entering your junior year, perhaps you have visited some of the ‘likely’ colleges. Research campuses via various info sources and school web information. Can see some campuses via on-line tour, but you really need to visit.</p>
<p>Pace yourself. Listen to GC and any programs at school. College fairs available. When on campus, talk to other students in hang-out areas, cafeteria.</p>
<p>Some parents know a lot and some do not. It helps to have parents involved because they know their kid, their financial situation, and have the student’s best interest at heard. Good communication.</p>
<p>I did not have daughters apply to any schools that were out of our financial picture. We have some solid in-state schools and programs (I worked for two universities and had a lot of college expertise). IMHO it did not make sense for either DD to go OOS or to a private university. They both got great merit scholarships.</p>
<p>@SOSConcern </p>
<p>A lot of great advice! Awesome! Thanks for that.</p>
<p>If you are allowed, try skipping Calculus AB. The best students at my school take precalculus their sophomore year then go straight into BC. You seem capable based on your interest in math. </p>
<p>Like someone else said, you will need Chem/Bio in college with any BS degree so take them now and get the bump in weighted GPA as well as getting them out of the way and leaving more room for college courses (or taking a slightly lower load while you acclimate)</p>
<p>Don’t assume that the Calc BC program covers AB. Many school don’t, they treat AB and BC as a sequence.</p>
<p>Also, don’t assume that AP Chem and/or Bio can be for credit. Many top schools either won’t accept it or just force you to start at a higher level. For Pre-Meds, it’s pretty universal advice that one should just take the normal pre-med courses and not accelerate using APs. The key to pre-med is GPA, not level of class, sort of the opposite of what everyone does to get into college in the first place. Rigor has no place in pre-med, other than preparing you for the MCAT.</p>
<p>All right people, everyone needs to take a step back and breathe, because this is going way off course. Everyone needs to keep in mind that this is a 13-14 year old kid who asked a legitimate question, and for people to come in and start implying that if s/he does not follow the path of taking some schedule souped up on steroids that s/he will be working at 7-11 can be demoralizing to the OP.</p>
<p>If you have something legitimate to add, fine, but please refer to the initial post to see what the OP is asking, and not assume facts that are not in evidence. To summarize what we know:</p>
<p>1/ OP is looking at a career in computer programming. Nowhere is pre-med mentioned, so do not muddy the water with pre-med requirements.</p>
<p>2/ Intro bio, chem, phys is a prereq to AP.</p>
<p>3/ AP Sciences are a double period</p>
<p>4/ Whether by choice or by mandate, OP is meeting requirements to UC system, so don’t tell him/her to eliminate a class that is a requirement.</p>
<p>So please do not come in with suggestions that are not possible (e.g. 9 classes in an 8 period day) or suggestions that are not aligned to the OP’s career aspirations.</p>
<p>Thank you. Carry on.</p>
<p>@mtodd1 </p>
<p>I’m not sure if I should. Recommendation in math for next year are based on what you get in the first quarter in the first semester. You get an A - Honors Precalc, B - AP Prep Precalc, C or less - Regular Precalc.</p>
<p>Honors Precalc -> AP Calc BC</p>
<p>AP Prep Precalc -> AP Calc AB</p>
<p>Regular Precalc -> Calc w/supplements (I think?) </p>
<p>@TheTruthPolice </p>
<p>What courses would I take out for a Double Period Science? </p>
<p>@MrMom62</p>
<p>Pre-Med?.. I don’t even…</p>
<p>@skieurope </p>
<p>Thank you. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Haha, I laughed at that.</p>
<p>Sorry to go off topic about pre-med, it’s just that so many people assume that you want to use credits earned through APs, when there are many circumstances where it’s a bad idea or impossible. Was more directed at the general reader than the OP.</p>
<p>AP Prep Precalc -> AP Calc AB is perfectly fine.
:)</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 </p>
<p>I hope so.</p>
<p>Is it bad if I don’t have a science for my Senior Year…</p>