So, I turned in my senior year schedule already, but I can still change it and wanted some feedback.
These are the classes I am taking this year, as a junior. I am able to keep all As and predict 4s or 5s on all AP exams, except maybe Calculus:
AP English Lang
AP Calc AB
AP Biology
AP US History
AP Environmental Science
Honors Latin III
Study Hall [mandatory]
And this is what I signed up for next year:
AP English Lit- pretty easy class, much better teacher than Honors
AP Stats- I hate, hate, hate calculus
AP Physics: Mechanics- my only option 
AP Comp Gov
AP Art History
AP Economics
Latin IV H
Study Hall [mandatory]
Of these classes, I am really looking forward to Stats, Comp Gov, Art History, Economics, and English Lit. I’m only taking Latin because a few of the schools I am interested in require 4 years of language. I am not looking forward to Physics, but it is my only option for a science. I don’t think my schedule will be too difficult based on knowledge of the teachers and experience with a similar workload; I made sure not to overload, so all of my classes are easy or moderate workload excluding Physics. I know how insane college app season is.
I just want to know if there is anything that looks bad about my schedule. Is it very important that I take Calculus instead of Stats? I know Stats is considered AP lite (and so is econ), but I really hate calculus and am interested in stats. Is there anything else that you would recommend changing? Advice would be great!
Not if you are planning to major in something that does not require more than Calc I.
I’ll take your word for it since I don’t know your school, but are you saying that you have no other science options, or no other AP science options? Since your schedule does look like you’re trying to cram in every AP offered, which is not necessarily the best strategy. Just be aware that most students that take AP Physics C are the hard-core science people. If that’s not you, taking the class may be more time-consuming than you think.
@skieurope I’m definitely not majoring in something that requires more Calculus, so I’m glad to hear that I should be okay!
So, I may have exaggerated the science thing. I have one other option, AP Chem which is a double block class in a subject I dislike. At my school, every senior is required to take an AP science and the options are Bio, APES, Chem, or the two Physics. I already took Bio and APES and am not a huge fan of Chem, so I chose Physics. I know that it will be a lot of work since I have classes with seniors who complain about it constantly, but I know the teachers have lots of tutoring hours and other opportunities, so I’m just hoping that I can pull through somehow.
I know it looks like I’m trying to take as many APs as possible, but that definitely isn’t my goal! I actually switched from AP Latin to Latin IV H to keep from giving off that impression, but I guess that didn’t work. I want to major in something like International Relations or International Economics, so a few of those classes are related to my major and subjects I genuinely am interested in. Comp Gov, Econ, and Stats seem to be kinda related. Art History is just a class I’ve been waiting to take since freshman year. I’m so excited for it!
I really hate the fact that it looks like I’m trying to rack up APs! (though I totally understand how my schedule gives that impression) Maybe I’ll switch out another elective to look less like an obsessive AP class taker…
@foliontai It was not the number of AP courses that I was questioning; it was AP Physics in particular when it came across that you are not a STEM-person. The balance of your AP classes make sense, and your explanations confirmed that. If your science options are AP Physics vs. AP Chem, then your choice is fine. If the HS truly requires students to take an AP science as a senior, then the school profile that the GC send will sate that, so at least the AO’s will understand why your schedule looks so AP heavy. Best of luck
You do NOT need to take an AP Science. Considering your course rigor already, taking plain CP/regular Physics should be fine… Give yourself a break: it’s better to have an A in an easy science class, than struggle, waste time, and lose sleep for a class for hardcore science students (likely the most competitive future engineering majors).
For international relations, you’d REALLY need to take something else than Latin. At least one foreign language will be expected, and if at all possible, you should try to start now to give yourself a bit of a headstart. Anyway you can take French (language of diplomacy) or any other language (Portuguese could be a good one, Arabic is in-demand but VERY HARD, as are Turkish, Urdu…)
AP English Lit
AP Stats
Any Science of your choice (NOT AP Physics C)*
AP Comp Gov <- typically a half year class: check with your school (second semester you could take an easy class that fits with your goals of IR, such as Current Events or anything related to the world… even HUman geography?)
AP Art History <- have you take AP European History and/or AP World already?
AP Economics
Latin IV H
Study Hall [mandatory]
- A riskier, harder choice: take a summer intensive in a language (I don't know if Middlebury still accepts applications; Penn State does - and I think they have scholarships for Arabic; for a funner "camp" language class, Concordia Language village which you'd have to complement with an online course) then jump into the appropriate level. Penn State's program allows you to jump into HS Level 3 or 4 (depending on your HS's strength) for 8 weeks of classes, and into HS Level 2 or 3 for 6 weeks. Rather than a science class you don't want, show you can prepare and jump into a higher-level language class quickly, and don't forget to mention the experience in Additional Information (CommonAPp). This would be more relevant to your goal of IR and certainly more of a personal marker.
@MYOS1634 OP mentioned that AP science is a school requirement.
OOps… sorry.
Then, any science will be okay. With such a rigorous curriculum, OP is perfectly fine without an AP science.
However, OP, you WILL need to learn a living foreign language for your desired majors (Tufts, which is one of the best schools for IR, would likely require you to take a language for 4 or 5 semesters + culture classes. If you can get a headstart over the summer, even by taking one college class after junior year and one college class after senior year*, you’d make that more manageable.)
- if your college allows it - some colleges don't accept any class taken after HS graduation.
@MYOS1634 Sorry for responding so late, but I had some further schedule difficulties that I finally cleared up. First off, I totally understand the importance of learning a language other than Latin, but I actually know a relevant language already. I am a native, fluent Urdu speaker which I’ve heard is a valuable language for IR. Please correct me if that is wrong.
I am also beginning to learn Arabic this summer but not through a language immersive program since I was required to get a job this summer by my parents. I will be learning it through a daily course at my mosque which should provide me with an okay foundation.
My school has actually decided not to offer Latin at all next year, so my plan to take Latin IV H to get 4 years of language won’t work out. All the intro language courses are already full, so it is looking like I won’t be able to take a language next year at all which is a serious problem. I’m trying to see if it would be possible for me to take Arabic at the community college, but it is not looking likely. If I can’t get that fourth year of language, my college list will shift dramatically since all of the reach colleges on my list either require or recommend (which means require) 4 years of language. Tufts was my dream school, but according to its CDS, it requires 4 years of foreign language, so I no longer have a chance. :(( I’m really upset at the moment because of the language problems, but there is nothing I can do about it.
To answer your other questions, I already took AP European History sophomore year. For some reason, Comp Gov is a full year class at my school. I know it isn’t supposed to be, but it is what it is. I already took AP Human Geography my freshman year as well.
My new schedule is looking like:
AP English Lit
AP Stats
AP Physics: Mechanics
AP Comp Gov
AP Art History
AP Economics
Russian History H- only open elective that looks interesting :-<
Study Hall [mandatory]
Unless something magical happens over the summer, my college list is insanely unrealistic now. Sorry for the long answer. I ramble when I’m upset.
If you’re fluent in Urdu and can prove it, everything 's still in play, especially if you can start learning Arabic.
Your guidance counselor would have to indicate that level4 isn’t offered - make sure to include it on your brag sheet.
@foliontai Lol Tufts doesn’t require 4 years of a language. I only took three and I got in.
@Bluetea2 That is great news. Maybe I still have a chance since my school isn’t offering the 4th year! I was just going off of their Common Data Set.
Read post #8 again please.