Senior Year Schedule - What do you think?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>My S is trying to decide his senior year schedule. We are VA residents, so the schools he is aiming for include VA Tech, William and Mary, JMU and UVA. He's taken all honors and APs when offered except for APUSH and AP Eng Lit (he took academic US History and Honors 11 English instead). Also, he has a weighted GPA of 4.35. Scored 30 on his ACT, which he is retaking in the fall.</p>

<p>This is his current schedule for next year:</p>

<p>English 12 Academic
Computer Math
AP Calculus BC
AP Biology
AP U.S. Govt
AP Stats
Advanced PE (just for fun)</p>

<p>Here's an alternative schedule, which has fewer classes, but is harder.</p>

<p>AP English Lang
AP Calculus BC
AP Biology
AP U.S. Govt
Advanced PE (again, just for fun)</p>

<p>So what do you guys think is the more competitive schedule? Better to take fewer harder (AP) classes or more classes?</p>

2

<p>My advice would be for you to take the alternative schedule plus another Ap. They want students to take the most rigorous courses. I think he has good stats anyways though!</p>

3

<p>I like the 2nd schedule, plus another AP.</p>

<p>His guidance counselor will be asked if he took the hardest possible courses in high school, and if the guidance counselor does not say that he did, that is a major blow to his application.</p>

4

<p>Thanks. I think you both are right.</p>

5

<p>I agree with the previous two posters. What is Advanced PE? Is that gym taken to the next level or something? </p>

6

<p>The 2nd schedule seems pretty short with only 5 classes. Maybe add another ap in there and it’s good.</p>

7

<p>@Hawkace advanced PE is gym taken to the next level. High school athletes take it to stay in shape. </p>

8

<p>Really the second one is harder? I’d say the first one is WAY harder. haha.
I took basically the same courses as his second semester in my junior year. It’s very manageable.</p>

9

<p>I think the alternative schedule, with Computer Math or some other class that interests him. Those 4 AP classes will be manageable together. AP Language and AP U.S Gov are pretty easy in my opinion and AP Bio is difficult, with a lot of reading and so many concepts (can’t comment on AP Calc because I have never taken it). </p>

10

<p>Ok. So this is what he is thinking about now:</p>

<p>AP English Lang
AP Bio
AP US Govt
AP Calc BC
AP Stats
Advanced PE</p>

<p>The goal is to take the hardest classes available so that the counselor can check off that box. Also, UVA says that is their #1 criteria.</p>

11

<p>Yes I think that’s good! I take 5 ap’s and advanced yearbook and I like it. Just compare your kid with the other kids who want to apply to top schools. </p>