<p>With school coming up they're finalizing our schedules. Me and another person have taken the same classes all through high school, and are tied for valedictorian. However, for senior year we each went separate ways:</p>
<p>I signed up for:
AP Spanish Literature (a continuation of 5+ years of Spanish)
AP English Literature
AP Art History
AP Psychology
Calculus (a community college course offered at our school)
Political Science (same as above)</p>
<p>The other person decided to ditch Spanish, and that calculus was too hard, and went for
AP Statistics
AP English Literature
AP Art History
AP Psychology
Political Science (community college)
AP European History</p>
<p>However, with the way they ended up setting the schedule, they put no weighted classes 6th period, and I would have to drop AP Psychology and have an open period 6th period. </p>
<p>My question: Would I be better off with my schedule, minus AP Psychology with an open period, or taking the other person's schedule, with easier classes? Would it look bad for college admissions that I'm only taking 5 classes, even though it is the fault of the master schedule? Thanks.</p>
<p>First of all, “me and another person” should be “another person and I”…</p>
<p>Secondly, please do not decide what classes to take based on what someone else is taking. That’s ubsurd that the thought would even cross your mind (even if the other student and you are gunning for valedictorian).</p>
<p>As for your dilemma, I would do whatever is possible to keep 6 classes (since that’s the norm at your school). If you drop AP Psych, what other options do you have 6th period? I wouldn’t drop AP Spanish or advanced calc just for the sake of AP Psych. Can you take another class 6th period instead? If not, then maybe switch out AP art history or something. It’s not a core subject (math, science, foreign lang, social studies, English).</p>
<p>Finally, valedictorian isn’t all that its cracked up to be. And if you don’t get valedictorian, its not a big deal, and don’t be a Stephanie Klotz. Valedictorian status won’t be determined until after you have acceptances from colleges anyway.</p>
<p>Sorry for the English mistake…</p>
<p>But the big part of the dilemma is that my school is offering no weighted classes 6th period, and I was wondering if it were worth keeping my 5 period schedule over taking a 6 period schedule with some lesser classes. I have to take AP Art History to fulfill a fine arts requirement at my school.</p>
<p>who is Stephanie Klotz?</p>
<p>I agree with Jason. Admissions will see 5 classes as slacking. You should take 6 classes, even if your 6th class turns out to be just an elective. Take a ‘fun’ class. It’s OK.</p>
<p>I don’t know what type of major you are planning on going into, but you really shouldn’t drop calculus. It’s pretty much general knowledge among admissions that stats is easier than calc.</p>
<p>Don’t compare yourself to another person. It’s not healthy. Look how uptight you are about this already. Chill. Everyone I compared myself to ended up going to a lower ranking college than me, even my valedictorians. Besides, valedictorian means nothing to admissions. Decisions are made before valedictorian is determined anyway.</p>
<p>I went to talk to the administrators and found out they my school is now offering online courses through Apex Learning. I was considering taking either AP Psychology online as a 6th period class, or taking AP US Government and AP Microeconomics instead of PolySci. However, for college admissions, would it be bad to have two online courses on my transcripts?</p>
<p>My GC suggested to my S that he would be more competitive with a full six class schedule (he had one gap period) so he decided to take a combined Psychology/Sociology class. The HS does not offer AP Psychology.</p>
<p>So, his senior year schedule looks like this (meaning by the time he graduates, he will have taken 10 AP classes plus two college level math classes):</p>
<p>1st Multivariable Calculus (on line class from JHU CTY)
2nd Psychology/Sociology
3rd AP Chemistry
4th AP English Lit
5th AP Macroeconomics/US Govt
6th Team Aquatics (Water Polo and Swim Team)</p>
<p>He’s taking on line classes from JHU CTY because, logistically, it would be a nightmare (but less expensive) to take the same classes from the local CC. He took Linear Algebra last year and got an A. The only minor rub is the HS refuses to consider these classes for weighting, as they do for some honors and AP classes, due to some screw ball state level policy. </p>
<p>Here’s what we figure. JHU CTY is a well established program that ad comms will be familiar with, so if S is clearly taking college level on line classes from them and doing well, it will cause his application to “pop” to their attention. This is not to say his situation is unique. Clearly, other students do this. Also clearly, it’s not casts of thousands who are doing this.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>One of several students who sued to be valedictorian. Go to this 2005 article from The New Yorker magazine, and scroll down to the section beginning with “S”. Rumor has it that she quit medical school after 4 months.
[Annals</a> of Education: Best in Class : The New Yorker](<a href=“Best in Class | The New Yorker”>Best in Class | The New Yorker)</p>
<p>Some of her quotes are surprising. I would not talk like that to a reporter if I knew whatever I say could be published.</p>