So next year will be my final year of high school and I want to end it strong. I’m having some difficulty deciding what I should take.
I’m currently taking (junior year):
Symphony Orchestra (A)
AP BC Calculus (C+ first semester but A- second semester!)
AP Physics (A)
AP Spanish (A)
AP Language and Composition (A-)
U.S History (A)
As of right now, these are the classes I sign-up for next year (senior year):
Symphony Orchestra
AP Statistics
AP Biology
AP Literature
Government and Economics
Multivariable Calculus
The classes I’m debating between are MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS and AP COMPUTER SCIENCE for my senior year. I have to choose between these two.
The pros and cons of each class
Multivariable Calc
-highest level of math taught at my school (pro)
-taught by great teacher who I could ask to write my letter of rec (pro)
-shows I’m still challenging myself (pro)
-I most likely won’t get an A, it’s said to be super hard (con)
-only a 4.0 class (con)
AP Computer Science
-heard to be an easy A (pro)
-barely any homework, mostly classwork (pro)
-5.0 class (pro)
-still “technically” challenging myself (pro)
I’m most likely going to major in the science field (thinking of bio-physics) and I’m aiming for the top UCs and some private universities. Please leave any suggestions or ideas as to what I should do!
I think having multivariable calculus on your app will look far more impressive. However, since you have already taken the hardest math that is generally available in high school (AP calc BC) I really don’t think an extra more difficult course would really matter in the long run, especially if your trying not to stress yourself out. Just take the class you have more interest in.
there shouldn’t be much of a difference in how in terms of how it will look for college and the grade you receive will not really have too much weight (even on the midyear report). So, take whichever one you find more interesting/helpful. I think Comp Sci is good because it introduces a different kind of thinking and you can potentially get college credit for taking it unlike multivariable. But if you like calc, go for it.
Why did you get a C+ first semester in BC?
The fact you brought that to an A- is a good sign for mastery, but may indicate you find the subject boring - AP CS would be a better choice then.
For UCs, having AP CS will not make or break your application. Multivariable is more rigorous, rarer class, but keep in mind that you’ll have the equivalent of an extra class with having to write those applications, so CS may be the safest choice - NO college is impressed with a high level class in which you get a C, and remember that you can be rescinded (as many have found out) if your grades slip senior year.