Hi, I would really appreciate some insight into my senior year schedule. This year due to scheduling issues my course load turned out to be a lot more rigorous than I had originally intended. I wanted to spend more time this semester focusing on college apps and polishing activities, etc. So do you think this load is too much?
AP Physics 1
AP English Lit
AP Psychology
AP Economics
Arts
AP Enviro
Calculus D
If I were to drop a course, which should it be? Thanks for the help :-)))
I definitely think this course load is very rigorous. If I were going to drop a course, I would drop either Physics or Enviro, since you have two sciences- Honestly, I would drop physics since it is the hardest course.
The one caveat is if you are applying to the tippy-top colleges, you would want to check with your guidance counselor that she will still say your schedule is “most rigorous.”
Do you already have honors physics? If so, you can drop AP Physics. If not, drop APES.
Also, you could probably drop down to Honors English, unless you plan to major in the Humanities.
AP Physics 1
AP English Lit
AP Psychology
AP Economics
Arts
AP Enviro
Calculus D
What do you want to major in?
If STEM, keep Physics, Calc.
Get rid of AP Enviro…some colleges don’t give you credit for it.
Keep or drop AP Psych/Economics as you wish…but keep one.
Decide if Honors English is fine with you.
I want to major in STEM, and I’ve never taken Physics before so I guess I need that class. Our school doesn’t have honors…only AP or regular…-_- So basically I guess that leaves me to dropping APES or AP Lit. Thanks guys. Also, I was wondering if for UC schools, does first semester senior year GPA factor in at all? I’ve been generally hearing that it doesn’t count at UC’s…
Way too much. Senior year is more about taking classes that interests you and will be helpful for your future, not causing unnecessary stress. First semester, depending on your school, MAYBE they would see your GPA of senior year but this possibility is unlikely. But by second semester you would already know if you’ve made it into the UC you wished therefore you could relax. Just don’t get a D.
UC’s only consider course rigor for senior year, your UC GPA is based on classes taken previously (since, when you apply in October, you don’t have senior grades yet.) However if you get D’s and F’s you’re automatically rescinded (an top UC’s may frown on an A turning into a C.
@MYOS1634 does this mean that at UC schools senior year grades won’t factor into admission at all? I’ve always been slightly confused on this. I had always gone with the thought that technically UCs don’t count senior year but they can still see it when you send in the grades at the end of first semester and therefore affect admissions (possibly), is this correct?
Senior year classes (/rigor) count for admission. Senior year grades do NOT count for admission BUT they count if you get a D or F in which case you’re rescinded.
So do UC’s even see your senior year first semester grades before making an initial admissions decision? I’m sorry for being so stupid on this…
Also, to kind of go back to my original question, would it look bad to take a free period from dropping APES? I really appreciate the help. 
UC’s do not consider Senior year grades in their admission decisions unless you are given a supplemental review, then you could send your 1st semester Senior grades. You have a very rigorous schedule so one free period should not affect you plus give you time to study for your other classes.
why are u taking 3 sciences? That seems intense. I would drop Physics (cuz that’s the hardest). Or I would drop AP Envir and AP Psych. Either way, no need to take that many. Also, are you a humanities or stem person? Based on that, drop either the humanities or sciences/math. I had a friend that took 3 sciences like you did but she took easy humanities.
I guess I had the notion that some of the more selective schools look at and take into consideration senior year first semester grades and classes for admissions. But I realize I have probably bitten off more than I can chew…don’t know why I’m having such a hard time deciding my schedule for senior year of all years…:-(((
Would a slight dip in senior year grades be okay/understandable in the eyes of colleges?
UC 's don’t count senior grades, but private universities do.
And anything below a B is questionable. Each year plenty admitted students end up rescinded for grades of D due to thinking it doesn’t matter.
Cool, thanks for the info
Okay so I’m still kinda conflicted :-/, and I thought I’d give some more info about my situation. Don’t know if anyone’s willing to read and give advice, but it would be <3ed.
So basically my original schedule was
AP Physics 1, AP Comp Sci, AP Psych, AP Econ, Art, English 12, Calc D
I had wanted to change AP Physics 1 to C to increase the rigor of my schedule, but counselor -_- wouldn’t allow me/it was full…So I decided to level up to AP Lit instead and it bumped Comp Sci to Enviro. Now I’m kind of regretting the change to AP Lit because I don’t think I can do well (didn’t take Lang).
So I guess my question is, do you think my original schedule (with reg English) is rigorous enough even though it doesn’t have AP Physics C or AP Lit? I’m trying to apply to schools like Dartmouth and Duke, etc.
Or, in my situation, what would you do? *feeling desperate
Colleges would understand that you couldn’t take Physics C because you’ve never taken it before. And I do think you should drop one AP if you want to focus on your college app! You could also explain your schedule conflicts in your additional comment section, so I would drop AP Psych or AP Enviro.