Senior Year Schedule Help

Applying to College
1

Hey y’all,

I’m in a bit of a pickle with my schedule. Any help would be appreciated. I’m a rising senior looking to apply to some top colleges.

I recently found out I have a schedule conflict between two classes - AP Computer Science and AP Chemistry. Since I was planning on taking both of them, this messes up my schedule pretty badly. I really want to learn how to code so, everything else being equal, I would choose compsci over chem any day. However I know that chemistry is one of the core sciences colleges like to see. My first question is whether or not choosing compsci would hurt me in top college admissions given that I’m genuinely interested in the class and I’ve already taken Chemistry, although it was regulars during freshman year.

My second question concerns how I should deal with the gap that this schedule conflict creates. If I choose compsci over chem, this leaves me without a “real” science class. My only option is AP Enviro, which I understand to be a lighter, easier class - not one that would replace something like chem. Would taking it in substitute of chem be acceptable given that I don’t have any other options, or would it be advisable to look into dual enrollment (or take chem instead of compsci)? I’ve already taken AP Bio and AP Physics.

I’m also concerned that choosing enviro would put too many elective-type APs in my schedule: enviro, compsci, and stats, along with AP Gov (required), AP Lit (required), and an elective towards graduation. I’m sure I’d still get the ‘most rigorous’ designation given that I’m near the top of my class, but this seems lightweight considering that I took harder APs last year. I don’t want it to appear that I’m avoiding challenge this year. My options are quite limited unless I look into dual enrollment, however.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

2

Since you already took chemistry, and you are more interested in CompSci, I would recommend you choose AP Computer Science over AP Chemistry. I don’t think doing so would hurt you in the college admissions process (your GC could even include a note about the scheduling conflict in her school report).

I also don’t think your schedule is too easy if you go with AP Environmental Science- it’s the AP that’s available to you, science wise.

3

You are fine taking AP CS since you’ve already taken all three of physics, bio, and chemistry, AND have taken two AP science classes to boot.
You don’t have to take APES. (CS IS a science - not a lab science, but a lab).
Make sure our gc mentions the schedule conflict as an added bonus, and take a 'fun’class ounce alAys wondered about, not apes.

4

Thanks so much for the advice. As long as compsci covers me as a sciencey class, it seems like I’d be alright in that regard.
This leaves me with two choices: I could take enviro and stats, or I could take multivariable calculus at a community college instead of those two classes (our school works on a block schedule so it’s the only way). This would leave me with five classes: mv, compsci, lit, gov, elective. Any thoughts are appreciated!

5

Have you reached level 4 in a foreign language?

6

I’ve taken it up to level 3, which is all that’s offered at my school.