Senior Year Courses & Questions

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hey all! So I have a unique situation for my courses for next year. Unfortunately, I am probably going to get 3 B’s this year in classes because I took too many. Here is the progression of my courses:

Summer:
Health: A

Freshman:
Algebra 1 : A
English 9: A
Intro to CS: A (1 sem)
Honors physical science: A
World History: A
Spanish 1: A
Engineering 1 (full year) : A

Sophomore:
Honors English 10: A
Honors Biology: A
Honors geometry: A
Honors Algebra 2: A
Spanish 2: A
DE American History @CC (3 credit hrs): A
Engineering 2 (full year): A

Summer:
DE Digital Art @ CC: A (3 credit hrs)

Junior Year (1st Semester):
English 11: A
Intro to CS (Python): A
Chemistry: A
Engineering 3 (full year): A
DE Gov @CC: A (3 credit hrs)
Honors Pre-Calc: B
Spanish 3: B-
AP Computer Science A: B

I’m not sure where this puts my GPA for HS so far, but obviously it isn’t good. I took way too many classes this year (9 total, I had to drop AP Physics 1 because I couldn’t devote any time to it.) For next year, I only plan to take 6 classes, and hopefully that will bring my GPA back up just a bit.
Summer:
DE English @ CC (3 credit hrs)
Option 1:
Spanish 4
AP Calc AB
AP Chemistry
Physics
ONLINE: DE Econ @ CC (3 credit hrs, 1st semester)/ DE stats @ CC (3 credit hrs, second semester)
STEM mentorship (3 periods)
Option 2:
Spanish 4
AP calc AB
AP physics C
ONLINE: DE Econ @ CC (3 credit hrs, 1st semester)/ DE stats @ CC (3 credit hrs, second semester)
ONLINE: Some other CC class
STEM mentorship (3 periods)

AP Chemistry is easier than AP Physics C at my school. The downside by taking AP chemistry, however, is I would have to still take some form of physics. Since I was in physics for a while, I know my biggest downfalls: concepts. I can do the math, but I don’t understand where to get the numbers from to start, or how to pick which equation (so, conceptually, I struggle, BIG TIME.) Also, the chem teacher guides you more than the physics teacher, is what I heard. I talked to both the AP chem teacher and the AP physics C teacher; they both obviously favored their classes and didn’t exactly help me in guiding my choice.

Chemistry= way easier conceptually to me; however it’s not as relevant to my future career; and I would have to take regular physics with it; teacher is more helpful
Physics= Harder conceptually to me, and I will struggle more, but more relevant to my future career; teacher wants students to be very independent

I talked to my Spanish 3 teacher, who also happens to teach Spanish 4. She said that she thinks I could pull off an A, because it’s mainly about comprehending full Spanish conversations, rather than grammar (which is what Spanish 3 focused on, and partically why I’m doing so bad-not enough time to study grammar.)

Would an A in Spanish 4 show improvement, and possibly override my B? I also think I could pull an A in calc; same situation as Spanish-- I just didn’t have time to study for it this year. Anyway, I just need advice in general! As for my future career, I either want to be a math teacher, engineer, or math/CS researcher.

2

Also another thing to consider is that with AP physics C, I would have to concurrently learn calculus with it at a faster pace than my AP Calc AB class. Many students in past classes said first semester was hard because of this, but I am a math person. I asked the AP physics C teacher about that, and she said I would be fine. So that’s another thing to consider.

3

I think Option 1 would be the best. In placement of Physics, do you have Honors Physics at your school? If you don’t think you will be able to pull an A in AP Physics, it may not be for you. Take Honors Physics (if possible) and if you feel that it is too easy, then switch into AP Physics. Schools usually have a 10-14 day policy where you can switch your classes without penalty.

4

We do not have honors physics, but we just added AP physics 1 this year (which I tried to take, but ended up having to drop because I just didn’t have time to get a good grade in it). Ironically, kids say that physics C is easier than AP physics 1, but that’s partially because the AP1 class is a full year course only taught in a semester and then retaught the second semester; it’s new this year; we had like two tests a week; and the teacher used to be a nuclear engineer, who had a hard time teaching concepts he thought was really easy. Also, he never curved very much.

Technically, content wise, AP1 is easier than APC; but the way the teachers do their thing is different. However, both classes require you to be very independent, as the teachers don’t want to help you out much. I know a kid in APC who’s in calc BC, has taken all other AP’s with A’s (over 10…) and has a B- this year in APC. Similarly, I know a kid with an A in AP1, but he spends his ENTIRE weekends doing physics. So both are hard classes, regardless if it’s algebra based or calculus based. @ab2002

5

URGENT I need to decide about AP Chemistry or AP Physics C by tomorrow, because teacher recommendations are due then.

6

Does AP Physics C at your school cover both Mechanics and E&M, or just Mechanics? Does your school allow you to enroll in Physics C with no prior Physics course? At the end of the day, if you have not had physics, then the schedule that includes physics is the better one, although I’m not sure that Physics C is your best option.

7

It covers just mechanics in physics C. Yes, the school allows you to enroll in Physics C without any previous physics course. If you are not strong in math, you usually take conceptual physics or regular physics; at my school, physics is generally a senior year couse, although other grades can take it.

If I were to take AP Chemistry, I would take regular physics with it, so I wouldn’t be missing out on it. @skieurope

8

The flip a coin. Or make the selection on who has the better teacher/which has the better AP scores/some other parameter of your choice.

9

bump I would like some more opinions before I make the decision!

10

^^^

11

Okay so I have decided on AP chemistry, but now must decide on AP Physics 1 (algebra based) or regular physics. If I take AP Physics 1, I will not take DE stats and only a semester of DE Econ, which is supposed to be really easy.

My schedule would then be:
AP calc AB
AP Chemistry
Spanish 4
ONLINE DE Econ (1st semester)
Either AP Physics 1 or regular physics
STEM Mentorship

12

Once again, flip a coin. Personally, I’m a believer is taking courses your HS offers before taking DE, but for college admissions, it really won’t matter. Also, you might want to consider if the colleges you are targeting give credit for DE courses, or if in college you need/want physics credit vs. econ/stat credit. But really, you can’t go wrong either way.

13

@skieurope It’s a graduation requirement to take economics and government at my school. Stats was just an option that I was interested in. I am in the stem program, so I do not have room to take some courses in my actual schedule, hence why I’ve taken 3 DE courses over HS.

I just don’t want to overload myself senior year. Similarly, I want a good intro to physics b/c I’m considering engineering. One that will prepare me for the rigor.

14

I wasn’t saying not to do DE; I was saying you don;t necessarily need to do 3 DE courses.

OK, that helps. Since you won’t be able to use AP physics 1 credit for engineering, and since regular physics covers (i’m assuming) more breadth (albeit less depth) than AP Physics 1, I think regular physics would be your better choice.