Scheduling thread! Yeah!

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So I'm a current sophomore, soon to be junior, and this is my junior year schedule:</p>

<p>AP Eng Lang
AP Calc BC
Hon. Chem
AP Econ
Spanish III
AP Comp Sci
Band</p>

<p>So that's all set in stone.</p>

<p>My question pertains to my senior-year schedule. (Yes, I'm looking ahead a bit...)</p>

<p>2 things:</p>

<p>1) Would colleges rather see me take that 4th year of Spanish (non-AP) or take AP Chem in its place? I would also have honors physics for sure.</p>

<p>2) My school offers Calc III through a local college, but the thing is I'm not sure if I'd want to take it. I would be required to have a study hall (which is hard with doing band), and I hear there's a ridiculous amount of homework. I'm really good at math, but I'm not sure if I'd want all of that work and have to somehow fit a study hall in there. My other option would be AP Stats, and I actually would be interested in taking that course (not just for the AP credit).</p>

<p>So basically, I guess I have 4 options for senior year:</p>

<p>1)
AP Lit
AP Stat
Hon Physics
AP Gov
Spanish IV
Accounting/Public Speaking (each a semester course)
band</p>

<p>2) sub out spanish IV for AP Chem</p>

<p>3) sub out AP Stat for Calc III, and then remove accounting and public speaking (which are both useful courses for LIFE (college is not everything LOL).</p>

<p>4) sub out AP Stat for Calc III, and then remove AP Chem/Spanish IV (then I'd only have 2 AP's senior year/no 4th year of foreign language, but Calc III is a bunch of work).</p>

<p>I'm definitely leaning towards option 1, and maybe option 2. But I'm not sure if I'd want all of the work with taking two hard science classes.</p>

<p>And here's my schedule from this year if it helps at all:</p>

<p>Hon. English 10
Pre-Calc
AP Bio
APUSH
Spanish II
Intro to comp. prog/health (each a semester)
Band</p>

<p>...So I do already have an AP science under my belt (not too interested in going into science though - probably something in math or politcal science).</p>

<p>So let me know what you guys think would be best, thanks!</p>

2

<p>I think the first plan was great. I would keep the Spanish and take the Stats: </p>

<p>AP Lit
AP Stat
Hon Physics
AP Gov
Spanish IV
Accounting/Public Speaking (each a semester course)
band</p>

<p><em>It seems like a great schedule and I applaud you for thinking so early. I just wouldn’t take all that extra work for Calculus. Good Luck</em></p>

3

<p>College Lit
College Stats (Since you like stats)
AP Physics A/B/C or College Engineering Physics
AP Chem or College Chem
College Spanish
Advanced Linear Algebra/Topology/PDE (Partial Differential Equations)</p>

<p>Do Calc III over summer.</p>

<p>Join speech/debate. Go to training sessions.</p>

4

<p>I would wait until you take Honors Chem to make your decision. Bio, Chem, and Physics are very different subjects. You may not like/be particularly awesome at Chem. </p>

<p>I was good at Chem and am taking AP next year. I struggled in/really didn’t like Physics this year. IMHO, taking Physics and Chem at the same time would be difficult because they are so different. </p>

<p>Your schedule looks strong. See how it goes and try to do well in all your classes next year, and it will all work out.</p>

5

<p>It is pretty weak for a senior. I would suggest all college courses as a senior.</p>

<p>I will be taking AP Chem/AP Physics/AP Calc sophomore year with no formal experience in any of them, and am expecting little difficulty.</p>

6

<p>^Position: I don’t think his schedule looks particularly “weak”. The difficulty of AP classes greatly varies in different schools. Also, some schools require that students take general level courses (i.e. Honors Chem) before taking AP classes. It is never a <em>bad</em> idea to have formal exposure to subjects before taking advanced level courses.</p>

7

<p>Take multivariable calculus. AP Stat is basically probability, how to use the statistical functions on your calculator, and basic hypothesis testing. If you’re really interested in statistics, you can take a real stat class in college after you’re done with calculus. Calc III would be significantly more impressive to colleges and significantly more useful too.</p>

<p>Calc III
AP Lit
Hon Physics
AP Gov
Spanish IV
band</p>

<p>This all assumes no scheduling conflicts anyway…</p>

8

<p>AP Gov is a joke class.</p>

9

<p>True, but it’s often a graduation requirement.</p>

10

<p>Position69 - I already am in debate, but our coach is kind of awful. I do think that public speaking would be helpful just in general, as debate doesn’t really focus on that so much as evidence.</p>

<p>And I’m certainly not doing Calc III over the summer. To me, summer = no school. That’s why I hate summer reading… I’m a camp counselor at a day camp, so that’s a nice break from the stress of the school year. And then of course I have band…</p>

<p>And we have to take the honors class in a science before the AP.</p>

<p>And government is required, and I love politics, so ya…</p>

<p>I’m really not that worried. I think as long as you show that you can perform well in advanced classes, which I have shown this year (4.2ish GPA), then colleges shouldn’t really be counting the number of AP classes that you have. If you are just taking a bunch of blow off classes, fine, but I think taking some advanced classes and actually doing well is sufficient.</p>

<p>In all honesty, my first choice for college would be Ohio State, preferably the honors college which I hear is very good. I should get in with my GPA plus my extracurriculars (debate, band, treasurer for youth group).</p>

11

<p>I’m curious why you’re interested in statistics. Also, what are you planning on majoring in?</p>

12

<p>OH. Ohio State?
LOL. You’ve got no problems there.</p>

13

<p>thiscouldbeheavn - Well, I am definitely very obsessed with sports statistics and such. It’s not like I’m in love with stats or anything, but I think it’s a requirement in college for many majors and I would, if I had to choose now, probably be majoring in something in math. Calc III is important, but I would obviously take it in college without all the strings attached.</p>

<p>position69 - what’s wrong with OSU? I know it used to be considered a joke school, but it’s not anymore. Someone I know got wait listed with a 3.75 GPA! He eventually got in, but still… </p>

<p>My cousin also goes to the honors college there, and it’s not easy to get in.</p>

<p>I also have pretty much no interest in going to an ivy league school, and I’m pretty sure my parents’ checkbook doesn’t either…</p>

14

<p>I would go with your first choice and senior year is suppose to be the easiest not the hardest. Go with the first choice PLEASE, lol. OSU is a great university and a great deal money wise. I went to Columbus, OH and loved it and it was so much better than Cinn., Sandusky and the Amish Country. I loved the zoo too and the area seemed newer.</p>

15

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<p>I was interested in sports statistics too, but AP Stat has nothing to do with that. Most of the test you learn is used in regards to clinical testing or dice games. There’s the occasional sports thing but not much.</p>

16

<p>OSU is actually becoming much more competitive to get into, especially given the economy. It’s a very good school, albeit a really huge one.</p>

17

<p>Well, thanks for the advice guys!</p>

18

<p>One more question actually - what exactly would I be learning in Spanish IV? I had to start Spanish as a freshman, so I am not on the “AP” track right now. Would I be able to make the jump (basically without self-studying too much/at all) straight from Spanish III to AP Spanish? My school uses the En Espanol! series if that is of any help.</p>

<p>I also do very well in Spanish.</p>