Several Questions about summer and courses

Applying to College
1

<p>I am planning to apply to the top tech/engineering schools.</p>

<p>This summer I have to take a U.S. history class because there was no space for me to take it during the school year, needed for graduation .
That pretty much keeps me home the whole summer, so I can't really go to those cool summer programs.
On top of that, I need to cram for the SAT Reasoning, I'll be retaking Oct.
Also going to start working on my college apps.
My only interesting summer thing would be helping to start, plan and teach a summer robotics course at a local academy for grades 4-10 . (I am into robotics, in the school club all 4 years, and held officer positions 3 of those years , will is president for senior year)
i don't think it can be really count as internship, but at least it would be volunteering?
so i don't have any real interns or anything.
are there other things i can do in the summer at my own home? The U.S. history class is really limiting my opportunities. It even conflicts with most of the summer classes at community college.</p>

<p>And for next year
I am going to take classes at my local community college
i am picking between math and physics.
I really want to take physics since my school doesn't have physics AP, and there would be really interesting stuff to learn.
But do i really need a math class all 4 years of high school if i am done with calc BC and stats by junior year? I'll be taking APCS as a senior, but thats not so much math as programming
so physics or math would help me more?</p>

<p>and also at most of the top schools, Asian is the over represented minority.
although some school wants diversity.
I immigrated from China in about middle school, so i know more Chinese and the Chinese culture than most "Asian Americans", however i am yet just another Asian applying to their school. are the colleges going to see me as a bit more diverse, or just another Asian?</p>

<p>*recap: >.< *
are there other things i can do in the summer at my own home?
so physics or math would be more important?
are the colleges going to see me as a bit more diverse giving that i lived in another country longer than I've lived in the US, or just another Asian?</p>

2

<p>While diversity in terms of ability is important, I think it's also important to follow your passions. There's this guy at my college who took math/physics classes at P while in high school and now is taking 400-level classes in his sophomore year...
...you might worry about the fact that you're Asian, etc, but you can only worry so much. Think more of yourself as an individual and what unique perspectives you'll bring to the college you hope to attend.
You sound really into robotics; that's a cool thing.</p>

3

<p>whats 400 level classes?</p>

<p>iono
if i am taking physics , it would be 4A and 4B
if math, probably multi var, and/or linear algebra or something like that</p>

<p>i know a lot of people who took those classes and some other classes are at sophomore standing when they go to UCBerk , 2 from class of '05 were Junior standing when they got there.</p>

<p>my top choices are MIT and Caltech, so it's gonna be VERY hard</p>

4

<p>What I meant is this guy is taking senior level in his sophomore year; he took junior level classes in his freshman year - so in short he's done with his math major...yeah, exactly, he was soph standing by the time he got to Williams. </p>

<p>Good luck in your applications!</p>

5

<p>can someone answer my questions though?
1. are there other things i can do in the summer at my own home?
2.so physics or math would be more important?
3.are the colleges going to see me as a bit more diverse giving that i lived in another country longer than I've lived in the US, or just another Asian?</p>

6

<p>I can't answer #1</p>

<h1>2 If you're really passionate about those subjects, then consider them more important. What's important to you is important to them.</h1>

<h1>3 Definitely, living in another country is always a plus. Harvard and Williams both ask questions about countries you've lived in. It surely means you've gained different and possibly useful perspectives.</h1>