Schedule Conflict! (The End of The World)

Applying to College
1

I had junior orientation today, and I had a scheduling conflict between my advanced choir and BC Calc - and choir and math are my two favorite classes. Both are 6th period only, so I HAVE to drop one or the other.

This was my plan:
Junior Year:

  • Choir
  • English 3 AP (This is Lang or Lit and I don’t remember which.)
  • French 4 (or French 3, which I’m skipping mainly because I feel like it would show my work ethic)
  • APUSH
  • AP Computer Science (or Physics C, I don’t care if I do it junior or senior year)
  • AP BC Calc (or AP stats, same as above)
    Senior Year:
  • Choir
  • English 4 AP
  • French AP
  • AP Euro
  • AP Physics (or APCS)
  • AP Stats (or BC Calc)

I chose choir, because the idea of missing the choir trip to Europe, which happens once every third year, is just horrifying. One of the counselors says I can take BC Calc over the summer. But the idea of not taking a science class (I’m taking CS) and not taking a math class either is just purely petrifying. As you can tell from my username, math may be one of my few defining characteristics, and I just love it. It actually never in my life occurred to me to not do math for a year.
Anyways, because I’m not taking BC Calc, I’m taking a semester of Psychology and a semester of Aerobic Walking instead.

However, if someone decides to drop out of AP Stats (which is currently full) early in the year, I can drop Psychology/Walking, French 4, and CS, and do Stats, French 3, and Physics C instead. Unfortunately I will not know if this is a possibility until early September, and I don’t know if I can stand the uncertainty that long.

I’m not sure what the repercussions of taking no science or math for a year (I mean, I want to major in physics or math) will be on the college front, so I’m currently frantically searching the internet about how colleges view schedule conflicts, particularly of the variety where potential math majors choose choir over BC Calc. I love Calculus, I really do, but this is actually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

On the bright side, I now have a reason to take psych, which I’ve always wanted to take, and always denied myself the joy of taking, since it’s not AP.

Also, if the math-saving total schedule change involving Stats is a possibility, I still don’t know if I want to mess up my schedule again by making all those changes. I am actually really worried about French 4, so that supports switching. But I really wanted to take psychology, and now that I’ve gotten my hopes up about taking it I really don’t want to disappoint myself again. Also, I was getting comfortable with the idea of only taking 3 APs this year… And I don’t want to disappoint that hope either.

I’m really confused, I don’t know what I want to do, or what I can do, or what my priorities are. It’s like my entire existence is in limbo - which is one of the unfortunate side-effects of basing my entire existence around school and college admissions.

Anyways, if you managed to get through my emotionally fraught blocks of text, do you have any advice? On whether or not a Calc class at a community college would look as good as one during the school year, and generally how colleges view this kind of conflict?

I’m also pretty sure I’m blowing this totally out of proportion, but I can’t convince myself of that, so please tell me I am.

2

Do you have a free period to take calculus at a community college?

3

You’ll have lots of chances to take calc. How many chances to tour with your choir. Take calc in the summer. Then I’d swap CS for physics. Set your schedule based on what will be productive rewarding and fun. Colleges will be fine if they see you go with what you love and made the other stuff happen around it.

4

What about doing your math class on-line? D did her math with Johns Hopkins senior year due to a schedule conflict… Stanford has classes as well. It was self-paced, which was wonderful. But expensive. Both were around $1,400 for the year, I believe (and this was 5 years ago). Worth checking out in any case.

5

Is there a local college where you can take calculus 1 and 2 (for math/physics/engineering majors, not business majors) at a time that does not conflict with your high school schedule?

6
  1. I would talk again to the GC and see if you can be placed in AP Stat even if it means the class is one over. You scheduled math in good faith and with this last minute conflict it seems that the school should provide you with some reasonable alternative. (I’m not sure aerobic walking is a comparable alternative to Calc BC especially if you are aiming for a top college). Perhaps even ask your parents to call and help you make a case.
  2. I agree that alternatively you can consider taking calculus at a CC or local college.
  3. You can also try to speak with your choir teacher and see if he/she would let you participate and go on the trip if you can’t take the class (maybe go to all rehearsals that are before/after school etc.). If you have a history with the teacher something may be able to be worked out.
7

First off, stop with the drama; it is not the end of the world as you say in your title :slight_smile:

As you say, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity; you made the right choice.

Yup!! Clearly your counselor is supporting your decision and has given you valid suggestions, as have all of the users above. The Europe trip will undoubtedly make a good admissions essay. There is enough stress in the admissions process, don’t add to it. Enjoy and good luck!

8

BC Calculus as a Junior is fully two years ahead of the normal math progression in the US. Most students don’t take Calculus (if at all) until they are in college.

If you are a serious math student, you will probably prefer a dual-enrollment college Calculus class anyway. If there is one you can squeeze in during the regular school year, then fine. If not, you certainly can find lots of good places to study Calculus at the level that you want next summer.

9

Make a schedule that works for you. Go to Europe and learn a lot. The college stuff will fall into place. Relax your mind.

10

Thank you everyone for all the advice! I’m going to email my counselor today about doing Stats even though the class is full. If that doesn’t work out and no one drops the class by September 6th, I think I’ll do Calculus at a CC, or online.

I can’t do Calc at a CC during the school year due to huge timing issues, so if I do it over the summer, I probably won’t be doing the AP test for it: is that a problem? If it is I could probably do it online during the school year and do the AP test when I would have originally. Speaking of which, will I be prepared for the AP test after a CC or online class? I am also nervous about the idea of taking online classes during the school year - do you think I would be overloading myself?

11

The AP test is to show whether or not you have learned the equivalent of what you would learn in a college class. If you take Calculus at a CC, you will be taking a real college class. There isn’t any reason at all to shell out the money for an AP test after that. You will have a transcript from the college with that college grade on it.

Online classes require a terrific amount of self-discipline in addition to just the plain old time required to do the work. Your schedule is really full as it is. You don’t need to overload yourself.

12

Just take the AP Calc your senior year! And forget about AP Stat.
Your schedule is plenty rigorous as is without that class.
As long as you will have taken Calc C by the time you graduate you will be fine!

13

I’ve considered that, but for some reason I really want to be able to say I’ve finished all my high school’s math classes - I just have BC Calc and Stats left. I suppose that won’t really be happening if I take Calc at a CC, but I can mentally have it be the same thing…

14

The single MOST IMPORTANT factor is for you to take a rigorous class schedule- [check] and DO WELL in those classes . There are no extra points for taking more AP classes if your GPA might suffer.
You have not recognized one very important thing- the whole process of applying to colleges during the first semester of your Sr year is like having a mandatory part time job, in addition to all the homework your classes will require.
NO college admissions officer is going to be impressed with anyone taking a second Math AP Class who then suffers a subsequent drop in the all important first semester grades.
Take it a little easier on yourself- you’ll save your sanity…