Schedule Plan and the Value of Dual Enrollment?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>Hello: First post, but longtime site visitor. Woo. I am completing my sophomore this year at a rather average public high school in NY. I am a top achiever, and very goal oriented: I hope to attend either Dartmouth or Cornell for Earth Science or a related degree program. </p>

<p>This post has two main points that I'd like answered. First off, I would like my current schedule plan evaluated and commented on, keeping in mind my goals. Second, I would just like some of your opinions on the value of Dual Enrollment classes. My high school offers very few AP Courses, but offers many College credits. How do top colleges feel about the value of Dual Enrollment classes when evaluating for high school 'rigor' compared to AP's (especially when top colleges often do not accept college credits earned in high school?) It would be helpful if you were able to answer either question or both. Thanks!</p>

<p>9th Grade:</p>

<p>Biology
Geometry
Spanish II
Honors English 9
Honors Global History A
Concert Choir
Wind Ensemble
Swim</p>

<p>10th Grade:</p>

<p>DE Environmental Science
AP Lit
AP World History
Honors English 10
Spanish III
Algebra II/Trig
Health
Lifeguarding
Chemistry</p>

<p>11th Grade: (tentative)</p>

<p>DE Pre-calculus
DE Spanish IV
DE Advanced Algebra/Statistics
AP Computer Science
AP United States History
Honors English 11
Lifeguarding
Intermediate Swim
Physics</p>

<p>12th Grade: (tentative)</p>

<p>DE Government/Economics
DE English Comp/Critique (SUPA program)
DE Spanish V
AP Calc AB
AP Physics B (or whatever it will be when they remake the course)
AP Euro
Concert Choir
Lifeguarding</p>

<p>Senior year I could take AP Bio as well but I am so not interested it's not even funny. My sophomore schedule did not involve a lunch, and my junior year one will not either. Comments, concerns, notes? Thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>AP > dual enrollment > honors > regular</p>

<p>If you’ve exhausted all your school’s AP courses or want to take a class above the level of AP, then take dual-enrollment classes. I would suggest taking the AP tests that correspond to your dual-enrollment classes.</p>

<p>(In some cases, though, I don’t think your DE courses will be viewed as much better than an honors course. I mean, what college is going to give you credit for pre-calculus?)</p>

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<p>Thank you, @HalcyonHeather. My school is kind of foolish like that. The do not offer Calc BC or even AP Statistics, so my AP math option is only Calc AB. I will have taken every AP Class my school offers except for Bio, if that counts for anything. Would it be worth taking the AP Spanish exam to supplement my DE Spanish courses to show that I am indeed proficient?</p>