Scheduling Problems, please help!?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>Hiya, </p>

<p>So it's around the time that a lot of people are designing some four year plans for their HS careers, and I have some problems that I need some advice on. Any advice would be great. Thanks. Here's my current plan below.</p>

<ul>
<li>means mandatory, school requirement</li>
</ul>

<p>Freshman-
Honors English 1*
Honors Algebra 2*
Honors Biology*
Honors Latin 1
Honors US History 1*
Orchestra
Choir</p>

<p>Sophomore-
Honors English 2*
Honors Pre-Calculus*
Honors Chemistry*
Honors Latin 2
AP Economics
Orchestra
Choir</p>

<p>Junior-
AP English Language/Composition
AP Calculus AB
AP Chemistry
Honors Latin 3
Honors US History 2*
Orchestra
Choir</p>

<p>Senior-
AP English Language/Composition
AP Calculus BC/2
AP Physics B
AP Latin: Virgil
Honors World Cultures*
Orchestra
Choir</p>

<p>So, the problems that I have is that I would like to take more classes, but I don't know which classes I should take out. I'm aiming towards a more rigorous school, like Stanford, Northwestern (HPME), or Brown (PLME). Those classes that I can't fit are AP Psychology and Genetics, which is basically like a specialized AP Biology. Thanks in advance for all responses. :D</p>

<p>P.S. I know that I'm kinda crazy, taking all Honors and AP classes, but I'm really ambitious, and I think that with hard work, I can do it.</p>

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<p>Have you already taken Geometry and Algebra I? Dang. </p>

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<p>@tacoperson123,
haha yeah, it’s a program at our school. I’m currently taking them. XD</p>

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<p>Also, I wanted to do Art 1, 2, 3, and AP Studio Art as well. :(</p>

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<p>Do you have to take a lunch period? I realize that it is not listed, but I know that some schools require it, but others may allow you to take a class instead.</p>

<p>Also, how many classes can you take total? I know it differs from school to school.</p>

<p>I think answers to there questions could help me help you more!</p>

<p>And I know this is probably something you may not want to think about, but in the long run, some of those classes may conflict with the school’s schedule! (Which stinks, but happens!)</p>

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<p>@‌ t11518
We don’t have to take a lunch period (I don’t think), but I wonder if I could go through the day without a social hour/relaxation/FOOD, haha.</p>

<p>Also, we can take 8 classes/year total. This includes PE/Health. Also, I don’t know if this helps, but AP Economics is semi-mandatory: we have to take a financial literacy class, but we have the option of using AP Econ as a substitute. I think that this would be a great way for me to get a taste of a moderately difficult AP class, while concurrently getting rid of one of my requirements.</p>

<p>I don’t understand what you mean by conflicting with the school’s schedule; could you elaborate, please? (I used a template that they provided for scheduling, if that counts for anything.) </p>

<p>THANK YOU SO MUCH for your response! I hope that my responses help! :smiley: </p>

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<p>Whoops, @t11518 (response above)</p>

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<p>By what I mean about conflicting with the school’s schedule, sometimes (at least with my school) classes will be one-run and if you have two classes that only run once at the same time, you can’t take them both! (A friend of mine wanted to take AP Comp Sci but it was the same time as French IV, so she had to choose.)</p>

<p>But looking at your overall schedule, it doesn’t really seem that there is a need to change any classes you have planned (unless your school offers AP USH as an alternative for your second year of US history or AP World instead of world cultures) without giving up your lunch period. (I, personally, have one class (45 minutes) every other day (how my school runs) free in my schedule, and it’s hard work and lots of classes but not impossible!)</p>

<p>Just be prepared for your schedule to change in the future, if your desires change! You could look into maybe not taking Calc AB and just jumping into BC and opening up a class period senior year, but that may not be an option for you!</p>

<p>And I think taking Econ is a wise choice; why not go the more challenging route when given a choice?</p>

<p>That’s my input! You may want to consider the fact that I’m a high school student myself (a junior) who obviously doesn’t really know you or what’s your best course of action. But good luck with your high school life, and feel free to ask more questions from me if you need! :)</p>

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<p>@t11518 Ok, thank you for your input! It was really helpful. I’ll talk to the high school counselor as the year goes on. I will PM you for further questions? :)</p>

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<p>@JustinDaMan1141‌ yeah, feel free to do so! :slight_smile:
(Though I can’t promise promptness, school is a lot of work!)</p>

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<p>

This only works if the class includes the Calc AB topics; each school structures the class differently. Also note that the AP Physics B exam no longer exists.</p>

<p>The schedule looks OK in theory. How it will play out without schedule conflicts remains to be seen. You could look into taking something over the summers to make room in your schedule.</p>

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<p>@skieurope‌ I recommended they look into that as one of my good friends skipped Pre-Calc altogether and just jumped into BC with only Alg2/Trig as her highest math, with some self-studying over the summer she is doing decently well, especially when compared to the seniors taking the class! But with how my school does Calc either you take one or the other, so it didn’t quite occur to me that there may be a lot of material that overlaps! :slight_smile: So checking that out would be a great idea! Schools seem to vary much more than I would have thought!</p>

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<p>@skieurope @t11518Well, at our school, AB is like Calc 1, and BC/2 is like Calc 1 review, then 2. Also, about the Physics thing, thank you! That was really helpful. I am required to take Physics though, do you have any recommendations for an alternative?</p>

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<p>@JustinDaMan1141‌ AP Physics 1, 2, or C?</p>

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<p>

As the OP s looking at pre-med, AP Physics C might be overkill. Also note, most med schools do not accept AP credit to satisfy the science prerequisites, so expect to retake in college or take further courses beyond the prereqs.</p>

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<p>Have you thought about not taking either choir or orchestra? This would give you a few more possible classes and, if filled with AP or honors classes, would definitely give your schedule a bump in rigor. </p>

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<p>^I totally disagree with that. While it may, on paper, give a bump in rigor, I highly doubt that OP’s GC will check any box lower than “most rigorous” on the Secondary School Report for “only” having 5 AP/Honors classes senior year.</p>

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<p>^I agree. A schedule is considered “most rigorous” if it includes 4-8 APs (depending on how many are offered) for all high school years + mostly Honors classes. Taking Orchestra + Choir indicates concistency and a sustained personal interest, which is always a plus. The only changes you could choose would be AP US History instead of Honors US History
Physics B doesn’t exist, instead you’d be taking Physics 1 or 2.
I don’t recommend learning precalc over the summer unless one is extraordinarily gifted. It’s the background for all the math you’ll be doing in college and rushing through it tends to create nasty surprises down the road.
However, a few art classes might be added, either online or over the summer, or perhaps as a community college class?</p>

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<p>Wow, everyone, thank you for being so invested in this thread! I didn’t think that anyone would really comment at all, this is great!<br>
I put up another post with a revised schedule on it, so please check it out, if you guys could! :slight_smile: Here is the link: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/1711965-revised-schedule-please-give-feedback.html?new=1”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/1711965-revised-schedule-please-give-feedback.html?new=1&lt;/a&gt;
@Kawaiiii I plan to take A, now that I have knowledge that the B test doesn’t exist anymore. I don’t really want to pursue physics really deeply, but I do enjoy it as a supplement to biology and chemistry, since they all go together. It gives me a better understanding of those two subjects.
@Skieurope Thank you. I have knowledge that the medical schools don’t accept AP credit, so I plan to, as you said, retake or explore deeper into the subjects that I have taken. Besides, if I already know most of the material, it can’t hurt my college GPA, can it, hehe? Regarding Orch/Chorus, I now plan to take both in Freshman yr., then either eliminate one if I really don’t enjoy it, or continue to take them both, since the music program at the HS is so different from my middle school.
@‌MYOS1684 That’s great advice! Thanks so much! I was really sad that I wouldn’t be able to take AP Studio Art, but now that you brought up taking it at a Comm. College, I realize high school isn’t the only way I can take art, haha. Also, about APUSH, my school doesn’t offer it. I planned to get permission to substitute it, initially, but I then found out that it’s not even available at our school :frowning: Thanks, though! Now, regarding the art/music classes that I’m taking, do you think that it would affect adcoms’ opinion when applying to BS/MD programs? The thing is, I love music and art; I really do, however it’s not what I want to do as a livelihood for the rest of my life, unless by some miracle, I become mainstream or something during the 3 years that I have before I make my ultimate career decision. I wouldn’t mind pursuing it on the side as a hobby. What I really want to do as my career is to be a doctor, because of the sheer knowledge that I would be able to heal people with my own hands; that I would be able to restore life to someone. I want to be a doctor, because I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. That being said, I will never give up on the arts, because I believe that they are imperative to my life, should I live it to its fullest. I consider myself to be a well-rounded person, as I like to be involved in many things, like the arts, ALL of my academics, and certain sports, therefore, I’m worried that the adcoms will perceive that as “uncommitted passion” (or something like that). Basically, I really can’t be restricted to one super-specific thing forever. Could you give me your opinion on this? Thanks. :slight_smile:
@t11518, Sorry, I forgot to thank you for your previous response.</p>

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<p>You can major in art AND do premed, that’s a profile I’m sure medical schools wouldd be interested in.
Also, remember that inc ollege, you’ll only take about 1/3 classes in your major. :slight_smile:
You’re not supposed to restrict yourself to one field or have only one passion, but you’re expected to try many things, find which one(s) you like, and excel to the best of your capability. :)</p>