We may still have an opportunity to update our course selection for Junior HS year. My DS is interested in CS /CE. We are in VA. His reach are Georgia Tech and CMU. Also some instate schools UVA, VA Tech and neighboring UMD. Below is his 4 year HS plan.
Please can you suggest if there are any courses he should change ?
Junior year plan
AP Lang, AP Chem, AP Calc AB, US Hist DE, AP Macro/ Micro, App Development 1 H,AP Stats
Senior year plan
AP Lit, AP Gov, AP Physics C, AP Psychology, App Development 2 H, AP Calc BC
Completed
English: 9H, 10 H
Hist: Intro to WH, AP WH
Science: Bio H, Chem H, Physics H
WL: Spanish 1,2,3
Elective: Intro to Com Math, AP CS A
Math: Algebra 2, Precalculus
ECs: Rec Soccer, Soccer Ref, Tutor at Kumon, Boys Scout ( currently at Life), Robotics coach, Minecraft Modder
So junior year he’ll have 5 AP courses, one DE course, and an honors course? That sounds like a lot. He may be able to handle it, but it does make me a bit concerned. Make sure he feels good about that workload. It sounds intense.
Looks like two of the AP courses are calculus AB and statistics, which should not be difficult for a student on the +2 math track. AP economics is unlikely to be difficult, since the college introductory economics it emulates is generally not a difficult course. However, AP chemistry may be significant work. AP English and DE history difficulty would depend on how good the student is in those subjects.
AP statistics is not generally considered a difficult course compared to either AP calculus, and students on the +2 math track usually see high school math (including AP courses) as easy A courses.
This is helpful. I feel so far he is doing well in English, Chem H and World History. Also teachers for AP Lang and DE US history are good.
Teacher for AP stats is not that good. Also I looked at the BS CS curriculum at VA Tech and UMD. At both the schools AP Stats is not a transferable credit. Therefore, confused if there is any point doing it and instead do AP Environmental Science so he can have another credit for Natural Science.
Yes, AP statistics generally gives no subject credit for a CS major – any statistics required for a CS major will typically be calculus-based. AP statistics typically emulates a non-calculus introductory statistics course that math-fearing humanities majors take to fulfill a math or quantitative general education requirement.
However, if the student is considering a major or emphasis in statistics, data science, big data in CS, industrial engineering, economics, or other statistics-heavy area, an introduction to statistics at the high school AP level can help determine how interesting statistics is for the student.
AP environmental science is not generally considered a difficult course, but also unlikely to fulfill subject requirements for a CS major in college. Given that the student already has the three basic sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) plus additional AP level courses in two of them (five total), additional sciences are probably more value as electives of interest (if interested in them) rather than for college admission.
In other words, if he is choosing between AP statistics and AP environmental science, choose based on interest or determining potential interest. Or choose some other course if some other course is a better match for this purpose.
That’s definitely a good idea because working on college applications is also time and labor intensive - so you definitely want to budget for that, at least in fall semester.
If AP Stats isn’t well taught and won’t be a good experience, I don’t see the point of it. Many colleges give nothing but elective credit for it; and more than a few would value a fourth year of Spanish more than doubling up on math when he’s already taking calc (plus a programming class and four other college-level courses).
No visual/performing arts at all? I guess it’s not required if he isn’t applying to UC schools, but it can be valuable.
With all due respect, it’s hard for me to read numerous “we” when a parent talks about a 2 year course selection plan for their student. It’s his own personal journey. He might be better served by developing his own agency, discovering his academic interests, deciding himself what classes he wants to take instead of following advice that his parent solicits from strangers on the internet.
Great point on visual arts. I had suggested it to my son as well but he has no interest. World Language, Music/Arts he just won’t do.
Also this is my child’s course selection and not mine. The only class I had suggested was AP stats and he took it but not sure now as the teacher isn’t great. That’s the reason I am posting hope it helps you
Be sure the student knows that lack of an arts course may prevent meeting base requirements for some state universities, such as those in AZ*, CA, SD, WA. On these forums, state universities in CA and WA are popular reaches for CS/E applicants, and those in AZ are popular safeties (at least for those who can afford them).
*Career technical education allowed as an alternative to arts in AZ.
He might swap out AP Stats for another year of spanish, IMO that makes him a stronger applicant for some schools. I would hesitate to swap AP Stats for second lab science (APES) to his schedule.
I agree on Spanish 4 but he won’t budge. For his Sophomore year last minute he changed Spanish 4 to Physics H. He has had a perfect A+ in all 3 years of Spanish but he says he will double up on science or Math over WL.
