I am a junior and we are in the middle of choosing our classes for senior year. I am debating on whether or not to take a science next year, which would be AP Bio, or instead taking both creative writing and AP psych, which both really interest me. I think i could probably get an A in AP Bio, but Im afraid with my other classes I already chose, it would be too much and I’d be miserable.
My high school gpa is 4.0 uw and ~4.4 weighted
Im considering UVA, UNC chapel hill, uconn, etc.
Other senior classes I’m taking:
AP english
AP gov/honors econ
AP stats
spanish 4 honors
ap psych or creative writing
Thanks guys!!
I’m a current senior, but the schools I applied to weren’t as selective. Knowing that I wouldn’t be applying to selective schools, I took a bit of an easier schedule so I could enjoy myself and have a cushion for when “senioritis” kicked in. You have to be honest with yourself. You sound like you’ve made up your mind because you said you are really interested in the AP psych and creative writing. I would keep those courses. Also, it sounds like your school is willing to count psychology as a science. I would stick with this plan. There may be days when you literally don’t care about high school work at all next year. You will be much better off in a class that you at least like or find interesting if you ever start to feel like that. Above all, don’t pick misery over happiness. You have been an excellent student thus far and will have a solid senior schedule with or without AP Bio.
thanks for the advice @futuredoc96
ap psych doesn’t count for a science at my school though, which is why Im a little concerned. Reading the CC threads about people rejected from these good schools when they have great gpas and scores is nerve-wracking
I wouldn’t advise you to go a year with no science if you are applying to those more selective schools. Perhaps someone with more expertise on the admissions process will be able to help you! I just wanted to give you some advice from personal experience.
What’s in-state for you? Can your parents cover full out of state costs for you without debt or financial aid (because you’re “only” allowed to borrow $5,500 for freshman year and two of the schools you listed will be OOS, ie., not financial aid. Depending on your SAT/ACT you may have a shot at merit aid.)
You’re clearly not a future stem major so your schedule is fine, however you should have more humanities APs (ie., Ap Spanish, AP history - world or euro. Also, you would really need 6 classes, not 5.
How many AP’s or dual-enrollment classes have you taken so far, and which ones?
How many honors classes?
Ask your guidance counselor: will she check the “most rigorous” box on the School Report?
If not, what would you have to do so that she can check it?
I agree with futuredoc not to make things too complicated - applying to college is like having an extra class in the Fall, and in the Spring you’ll have serious senioritis ;).
However, for the level of schools you’re aiming for, you need to make sure your GC will check the “most rigorous” designation.
Thanks for the reply @MYOS1634
I live in CA, so all of my interests are OOS
I will not be receiving financial aid, so I will need some sort of merit help. My psat was 202 no studying
It is not possible for me to take AP spanish (only honors), and seniors are required to take gov/econ
By senior year i will have taken AP euro, APUSH, AP environmental science, and AP english. (all thats possible)
As for honors classes-honors english 9th and 10th, honors math 10th and 11th
I would have 6 classes-- either AP psych and creative writing, or one of those and AP bio
Thanks so much for helping me figure this out!
Okay then, I’d advise AP bio + Creative Writing. Check with your GC but that should guarantee the “most rigorous” designation on the SSR.
UVA gives need-based aid, but its merit (Jefferson Scholars, etc) is as hard to get as to get into Harvard.
UNC-CH only has need-based aid AND unless you’re an athlete or legacy, it’s almost impossible to get into the university from OOS since the university has been created for instate residents and there’s a cap on out of state students that can be admitted.
I don’t think your PSAT is sufficient for NMSF/NMF in CA, right?
If you want to study out of state, you should aim either at schools with merit scholarships (ie. UAlabama’s famous-in-these-parts Honors College has a full tuition scholarship if you reach 1400 in one sitting CR+M) or at private colleges who will actually slightly prefer applicants from far away (although CA is very well represented so not really a big boost).
thats super helpful, @MYOS1634 , thanks!!