<p>Here's my tentative Sr. schedule:
AP English 4
AP Biology
AP Statistics
AP Economics
AP Government
AP Economics
AP European History
AP Environmental Science</p>
<p>(AP English/Biology have spring semster trailers that take up the 8th block).</p>
<p>The trouble is that, due to some placement mistakes, I will have only completed Algebra II by the end of my Jr. year. My mom thinks I should take PreCal, but I'd really rather take stats (It sounds interesting and is weighted more heavily). I figured I could take PreCal and Physics this summer at a local CC, but now I'm looking into Northwestern's summer program. What do you think would be the best move to make?</p>
<p>I've already taken/am taking AP English (Language and Composition), APUSH, AP Psychology, AP Art History, and AP World History (10th grade-got a 5). </p>
<p>Also, what should I do about foreign language? I've already taken through IV and will finish V this year. I don't think they will be offering VI, but I'll have to ask sensei to be sure. Will this lack of 4 years foreign language hurt?</p>
<p>Wow! that's all I can say. No, of course, I've got more. :)</p>
<p>I take it you are on block schedule, so that each course is only one semester long?
You do not need to have so many APs. You will not look like a slacker. Only take the courses is they are of interest to you and if you like the challenge. Remember that you will also be applying to colleges and for some students, it seems like a full-time occupation.</p>
<p>If you are not going into math/science, you may be better off taking AP-Stats. Many (most?) colleges will not give you credit for it, but it's good to know some statistics. But it's a toss up between AP Stats and Precalc.</p>
<p>If I remember, you've taken Japanese, and you've learned some other languages, right. You should be more than okay with five years! Most colleges look for only 3. Remember, their recommended high school curriculum is just that: a recommendation.</p>
<p>Here are the AP heavy-weights on your schedule.
AP-English (11)
AP-USH (11)
AP-World History (not sure, 10) Congrats on the 5!
AP-English (12)
AP Biology (12)
AP-European history (12)</p>
<p>Colleges show a great deal more variation when it comes to the others. </p>
<p>Since you are already planning to do AP-Bio and you are not intending to be a science major, thee is no real reason to do physics this summer, especially if you prefer to do the Northwestern summer program.</p>
<p>Do make some space on your schedule for fun.</p>
<p>I concur with marite, but I'd recommend pre-calc over Stats. Nearly all college science courses, and many social sciences courses, require pre-calc, so that background would be better, IMO, to provide flexibility in your college scheduling. Plus, Stats is considered AP-lite, by some adcoms.</p>
<p>Wolfp - some others seem to already know your history/interests. I would just emphasize that if you have interest in engineering/hard science college major, you would want the pre-calc. Otherwise, follow the wise advice already posted.</p>
<p>wolf: My high school senior skipped precalc. There was Functions, Statistics and Trig in 10th grade, (skipped precalc), AP Calc AB in 11th and AP Calc BC in 12th. He has always been pretty good at math and has always gotten A's, but you do have to put in the time with the problems. It may come down to your natural ability and your willingness to do the necessary work. But, it certainly can be done.</p>
<p>AP English 4-Is a joke, I don't really do much of anything...especially now second semester
AP Biology-Only offered as a double period at my school...fairly rigourous
AP Statistics-deceptively a hard class to get an A in...but the material is very interesting. I agree with the above statments and you should take pre-cal
AP Economics-Very boring subject...I had it 7th pd last year in a room full of seniors...as soon as the lights went off for notes my head dropped like a brick. Still mainted As, a lot of common sense
AP Government-Not really a history class...if you have a solid base knowledge of our governments this class shoulld be a breeze
AP Economics-uhh...you put econ twice....
AP European History-Varying from school to school...this has been one of my most rigourous history classes because of the vast amount of information to absorb and my teachers style. Very interesting class
AP Environmental Science-No experience here...</p>
<p>Seriously...you need some room in your schedule to breathe...you would probably go insane on this schedule.</p>
<p>You already have a fine number of AP courses....all these APs your senior year is not all that neccesary, plus the fees for the testing will bankrupt you!</p>
<p>Re: Pre-Calc vs. AP Stats. Think of Pre-Calc as part of the sturdy trunk of the math tree. AP Stats is a branch. Calculus is a course that keeps the door open to many majors, so pre-calc in high school should be seriously considered to maintain your options. Very few selective colleges offer pre-calculus courses these days and their adcoms expect you to have taken this course as part of 4 years of high school math. I teach both pre-calc and AP Stats and recommend both if it's possible to fit into a student's schedule. In fact, taking them concurrently works well at our school (some topics overlap). Previous comment that stats is deceptively a hard class to get an A in and that the material is very interesting rings true.</p>
<p>Graduate study in social sciences like econ and poli sci can get pretty math-intensive, so even a math-evader like me would recommend the pre-calc route if a math/science major or serious academic study in one of those majors above is likely. Otherwise, fine to stick with AP Stats; I think everyone, regardless of major, should take a good stats class at some point in their academic career.</p>
<p>I really don't want to take PreCal at my school because the teachers have "less than stellar" reputations. The more I think about it, the more appealing it seems to take PreCal and Physics at a CC for half the summer and look at colleges the orther half.</p>
<p>It seems AP Enviro will probably not be offered next year because enrollment is generally low (it's been cancelled the past two years for that reason), and my school will NOT be offering Japanese VI, I was thinking I could do a psuedo Independent Study. If I can get my sensei's permission, I could be enrolled as an "office aide" for her for one block. I would like to work on an independent project (translation) during that time as while as helping if needed. I need teacher approval for this option (but it wouldn't be counted in GPA).</p>
<p>My mother, however, wants me to take either late arrival (no way!) or creative writing. She thinks I have a gift for the latter, and I do enjoy it, but it would bring down my GPA and rank.</p>
<p>Wow. You're taking 8 AP classes?! My school only has 6 periods.</p>
<p>Actually, I think it's REALLY weird that everyone here is doing all-AP. A really serious student at my school might take 3 AP's. I guess now that our calc is AP, it would be four. And they'd have to get special permission for that. GOSH.</p>
<p>You asked, so here it goes:
Well, I would definitely not take "late arrival", as it may be viewed as not taking full advantage of the resources available to you. You might be able to skip precalc and go right into calc (my son did this), if you have strong math skills. How is your algebra and trig? ALso, statistics would be nice, if you have time, but I'd go with calc if you have to choose.</p>
<p>You have two sciences listed (Bio and Env) and two "social studies" listed (Euro and Econ/Govt, which I assume are one semester each). Do you really need two of each? If not, you would have more latitude to take two maths or foreign language, and I think foreign language fluency is a great skill to maintain.</p>
<p>And finally, as a mother who gave this advice to my own son, take what is meaningful to you. If a creative writing class (or music, or art, or ???) is unweighted, but nurtures some part of you, I would take it. I personally don't think it is necessary, or even preferable, to choose classes based only on how it will affect your rank. I just hate to see young people so driven to superficial success (ie, rank) that they lose sight of themselves. About one second after graduation, nobody will care if you were #1 or #10 (IMHO). </p>
<p>And, one final thought. While taking classes at a community college is a good idea at first glance, I would think twice. You may not want to spend your senior year disconnected from your friends and school activities because you have to commute to the local community college by bus or by car three afternoons per week. It really depends on the distance and transportation arrangements, though. Good luck!</p>
<p>Oh, I just noticed that you haven't had Physics...definitely take that, and you will most assuredly need calc to do the physics. Many colleges want applicants in sciences or engineering to have had Bio + CHem + Physics + a fourth science. Check with the Physics teacher at your high school and see if concurrent calc is ok, or if it is a prerequisite. I know someone who had to drop out of Physics because his calc skills in the fall term were inadequate to do the physics problems. If you want to take Physics in the summer, calc will definitely serve you better that stats.</p>
<p>By the time second semester comes around you will not want that huge courseload. </p>
<p>Seriously being a second semester senior is great. </p>
<p>lkf725 gives good advice. You don't need calc exactly to do physics..pre-cal would be fine. I am actually the only student in my AP physics class who is not taking a calc course, or has never taken one and I am doing fine. The teacher gives you the integrals/derivatives. I managed to pull off a B last semester...which is actually a pretty good grade considering that this class absolutely crushes me. This is your senior year...relax a little bit.</p>
<p>Alot of what I wanted to say has already been said... but here are some more thoughts:</p>
<p>... Can I assume that you've already taken environmental/earth science honors level? I think that you need to cover all the base sciences(bio, chem, physics, envir) before going into the advanced(APs and such). If you haven't taken a physics course I would highly rec. doing so. AP Environmental was very easy to me but out of about 50 students that took the course at my school only 3 got A's. Don't think of it as a filler course. </p>
<p>... take precalc at your CC and then take AP Calc at your school. This is what I did and I have do not regret it. IMO, regardless of your major, calculus is a general foundation that all students should have. I'm not saying that AP Stat isn't a good course, but I put calc in a higher category.</p>
<p>...at my school atleast, AP Comp Gov't and AP Econ(micro/macro) are joke AP courses. I don't know how colleges view these courses but I think that a foreign language might be of more benefit. </p>
<p>In general, if you're worried about your GPA(which it appears you are) consider taking more courses at the CC and not so many at your school. Do you have an early release program which would all you to spend HS time at a CC? This is what I do and the courses I take there are NOT calculated into my GPA but will allow me to get more credit then I would with APs alone. I think alot of kids do this....</p>
<p>Good luck and remember- it's your last year of highschool- have fun and relax.</p>
<p>This is probably a dumb question but one that I have often wondered about -- this thread just reminded me to ask it.</p>
<p>I read so many posts about HS kids taking courses at their local community colleges. This has never been suggested as an option to my kids at a private Catholic school. I think it's a great idea but I don't know when they would fit it in. Are such courses offered at night or do you take them in the summer? I can't imagine my kids having the time to fit in another course at night with the homework that they already have from the 7 courses they take daily in HS.</p>
<p>I will check with our local CC to see what course schedules look like but I was just curious as to how you all manage it.</p>
<p>Several comments. First I concur with many posters here that this schedule is crazy. Any GC who would let a student take so many AP courses is doing that student a disservice because it would be impossible to keep up with the work. An alternative would be that your school does not treat AP's as a college level course and the workload would be adjusted accordingly.</p>
<p>I know at our HS, AP courses are both difficult to get into and are treated as college level courses. Students with full schedules are normally allowed to take no more than 3 AP courses. If they leave room for a study hall, they may schedule a 4th if there is room in the class section. For instance our son's APUSH course was assigned 2 primary texts and 2 supplemental readings texts. In addition they were required to do a short research paper each 4 grading periods, a book report each grading period from a reading list of about 50 nonfiction and fiction books, and had a major research paper which was used as the final exam grade. Students were expected to use some primary source material for this final paper and internet sources were discouraged. In most classes he had a about 2 hours of homework for each 1-3/4 hour class block. If he had tried your schedule that would have meant about 8 hours/day!</p>
<p>Honestly, if I were an adcom I would look at your schedule somewhat warily. I might think that your school's AP classes might be classified as AP-lite in order for you to survive time wise. Or I might think that you were somewhat OCD'd unless there was something else in the application to indicate otherwise.</p>
<p>My advice would be to lighten things up. Select the 4 classed that are of most interest and take those as AP's. Take a few other academic classes as honors and save the last two periods for something new like music, art, A/V production, Yearbook, etc.</p>