So I unfortunately have to start registering for my senior year courses by this weekend, which is quite early. Because I’ll be applying to selective colleges, I need some recommendations on what courses to enroll in.
I go to a public school with only AP classes, no IB, and want to know if it’s beneficial for me to not take a science as a senior so I can add two more AP classes into my course. I would take a general, non-AP science class but would take AP Psychology & AP Human Geology. I’m already planning on taking 4 other AP classes but I don’t have room to take a science and these semester AP courses. Science is often recommended for selective colleges and my counselor wants me to take it, but I could probably convince him that I would be more interested and do better in these AP classes. I will also be taking AP Spanish senior year which I know is often strongly recommended if not taking a science
Thoughts?
p.s. I will be taking AP Calculus, although I’m not planning on majoring in anything science-math related. I’m going to study Journalism/communications, English, Political Science and minor in Visual Art/Gender Studies.
@mom2twogirls Hi, so I’ve already taken Physics, Biology, and Chemistry. I wouldn’t take one of those because I wouldn’t want to take an upper level of what I’ve already learned because science just really isn’t my thing. So my options are anatomy, physical universe, environmental science and various similar courses. My main point is that I would be much more interested in an AP Psych class than an anatomy class, but it’s highly recommended to take a science. Should I take a science, just to complete a “recommended” transcript, though I have virtually no interest in the subject?
Ok honestly unless you can motivate yourself to do the work don take a class you know for lack of better word hate. ESPECIALLY if its an AP class you’ll hate yourself all year and you’ll hate your self when its starts to drop that GPA too. SO no if your hearts no into it don’t take an AP science class just don’t. And it would help if you defined selective colleges are we talking about private schools that are worth 40k or 50k, Ivy leagues or good out of state state universities that your interested in.
It is very very common and normal to take an AP version of a science you have already taken. If you do well on the AP test you can get college credit.
I woudl take some kind of science as that is generally expected. As a journalist, it will be relevant to understand science.
ALso, what are your HS graduation requirements? do they require 4 years of science? What do the colleges you are thinking about applying to require/recommend? What does your GC say?
AP Psych and AP Human Geog are very interesting but are “AP Lites”. They will not offset not taking a science senior year. Since you plan to go into journalism, the class that’d make the most sense for you would be Environmental Science. In addition, you should take Human Geog if at all possible, since it sheds light upon many stories you hear in the news.
Can you take
AP Calc AB
AP Spanish
AP English (Lit or Lang?)
AP Human Geog/ …History or AP Gov?
Engironmental science
AP Calc AB
AP World Literature
AP Spanish 5
AP World History
Concert Choir
(Empty slot)
There’s three options for me I realistically think…
1.) Bit the bullet and take two science courses, at my school the senior year science options are all one semester so I would be taking two different subjects over the course of the year. If I thought I could do well in AP Enviormental Science, I could also take that but I haven’t put too much thought into it. Taking another full-year of science sounds terrible to me because it doesn’t naturally make sense to my brain.
2.) Take AP Human Geo for one semester / Other semester is a science, or Honors Drawing & Painting 3
3.) Take Honors Drawing/Painting 3 then Honors DP4, that way I could supplement a portfolio for admissions. I know this isn’t the most academically rigorous thing, but art is such a strong influence of my life even a possible minor in college. It could help admissions officers understand why I took DP 1 & 2, fashion design, and choir as classes and also why I ran a fashion blog throughout high school. I feel like it makes more sense for me to go this route than to take a science in which I am very uninterested in.
I’m planning on talking to my counselor this week since I’m unsure on his views on the art department and college admissions…not that I really care if he thinks it’s an easy class because I really enjoy doing it.
Please let me know what you think, for your previous comment was very helpful!
If you’re going to do a portfolio AND you believe it will be really good(ie., add something to your application), you should take DP3&4. If not, take one semester of science and AP human geography.