Senior Year - Foreign Language & Conflicts

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hello, I currently have an issue with my senior schedule as there are conflicts with my classes.

I wanted to take AP French as I already have taken 3 years of a foreign language, and this would be my fourth year. However, it conflicts with me taking AP Physics 2 and AP Government. If I were to take AP French, I would give up AP Physics 2 and AP Government, and instead, I would be taking AP Physics C and AP French. I was wondering which would be better, if I were to take AP French and AP Physics C or AP Physics 2 and AP Government. Physics isn’t my strongest subject, and I feel as though I would do a bit poorer in AP Physics C than AP Physics 2, and a bit poorer in AP French than AP Government. I wouldn’t completely fail the classes, but it’ll just be like I’d get a bit of a lower average taking those classes (French and Physics C) than I would with Gov and Physics 2. AP French and AP Physics C are very hard classes in my school, and I don’t know if I’d do as well in them, but I would be willing to put in the extra effort if it really is my last resort. I’m thinking of applying to highly selective schools, such as UPenn, NYU, Ivys, University of Cali - LA/Berkeley, etc, and I was wondering what would be better for be in the end with admissions. My schedule already has plenty of AP classes, and I was wondering what the best decision would be for me. It’s not possible for me to take AP Gov with AP Physics C either. How would me not taking a fourth year of a language affect me in the admissions process? I was also considering to major in Psych, but go onto grad school as well.

Option #1
AP Physics 2
AP Government
AP English Lit
AP Statistics
AP Microeconomics
HN Philosophy
Gym

Option #2
AP Physics C
AP French V
AP Physics 2
AP Government
AP English Lit
AP Statistics
AP Microeconomics
HN Philosophy
Gym

Once again, if I do end up taking Physics C and French, my GPA would be lower, but I don’t know what would be more important. My GPA or having that 4th year of a foreign language.

2

For Option #2 I meant
AP Physics C
AP French V
AP English Lit
AP Statistics
AP Microeconomics
HN Philosophy
Gym

3

Did you take AP Physics 1?
If you got an A and have taken calculus already, and think you can get a B in Physics C, it’s a good option.
If you took AP Physics 1, take AP French and take a “fun” elective class instead of AP Physics C - does your school offer cooking or woodworking, or perhaps sculpture? These classes would help you stand out and would guarantee you have more time to dedicate to your other classes. Your schedule is plenty rigorous, the only thing missing to definitely qualify for the schools you listed is the foreign language, and if you’ve already taken one AP physics class you don’t need either Physics 2 nor C. (Remember that even for the Ivies, more than 8 APs total means the law of diminishing returns applies, so basically taking every AP your high school offers if it offers more than 8 isn’t going to help you much in the sea of students who did the same, whereas taking 8 APs and a class few of them took is going to be better. And working with your hands is sure to be different.)
If you did NOT take AP Physics 1, take it or AP Physics 2, in which case you can take AP Gov but can’t take AP French (Foreign language is considered a “core” course, whereas Gov is considered a “supporting” or “complementary” course.)