<p>Well I'm a Sophomore that has a little mix up with my school.</p>
<p>Although I had taken Algebra 1 as a Freshmen last year, and received a B+, they are forcing me to retake Algebra 1. (Long Story)</p>
<p>I was planning on taking Geom + Algebra 2 this year, so I can aim for AP Calc as a senior.</p>
<p>Now as far as being on par with "average" Sophomores, I'll be fine, as I can just double up next year.</p>
<p>However, I wanted to be one of those Over Achievers that can post on College Confidential with pride.</p>
<p>My goal was to get into either UCLA or UCB, (long ride from a kid living in New Jersey), and those Schools are accepting students that have taken AP and Honors classes.</p>
<p>Atm, as far as being an average Soph, I guess I am. </p>
<p>I can try to bump my self up into Honors Classes, but right now I am taking CPA classes. </p>
<p>Is it worth the trouble to bump my self up to honors?</p>
<p>Or should I just let it go, as my chances of getting into UCB or UCLA for a Comp Sci major just got ruined due to the whole Math situation.</p>
<p>Have you ever heard of UCB or UCLA accepting anyone who took Pre-Calc as a senior?</p>
<p>A girl from my previous HS got into Harvard with Pre-Calc in her senior year, so I’d assume that having AP Calc is not a requirement in order to be competitive for top colleges like Berkeley, although it’s definitely preferable.</p>
<p>My question, though, is why they’re making you retake Algebra 1 in the first place? If I were you, I would try to avoid doing that as best as I could…</p>
<p>fledgling – was your friend a Computer Science applicant? I cannot imagine that it wouldn’t be almost a sure disqualification for a CS major applicant to have not performed well enough in math to have qualified for AP Calculus … and BC, not AB.</p>
<p>OP – TAKE HARD CLASSES! This is the #1 requisite for adcoms. There are over 3000 colleges and universities in the US. Therefore, the USNWR National Unis top 70, plus Liberal Arts Top 30, which sum to 100, are in the to 3% of colleges in the US. Now think about it – why would a top 3% school take an applicant that premeditatedly avoided classes that the top 10% or 20% of students in your high school take?</p>
<p>By avoiding the toughest classes, you might boost your GPA a little, but at the expense of not getting a sympathetic review from the adcom. At the top half of that 100 I referenced, avoiding tough classes is an AUTOMATIC disqualifier.</p>
<p>Berkeley only takes 8% or less of out-of-state students, so you would have to be exceptional, especially stat-wise to even have a second look. Why would you target schools that only accept 8 percent of your demographic? Just think what a slim chance that is. You would have better luck at some Ivy’s. While UCB has a great grad school, and likely great upperdivision classes, I’m not sure it is really an ideal undergrad school. Have you looked at what it would cost you? My daughter was instate and got accepted, but choose another school. It made me a little sad, but the finances worked out better and in hindsight it was best, cause in the end, it isn’t about saying where you went to school, but what you got out of it and where it got you. There are tons of good schools you should be learning about at this stage, not picking ones yet.</p>
<p>As far as repeating Alg I with a B, I don’t get it. There is nothing to say if you can’t explain that.</p>
<p>My daughter also only took Alg I in 9th, and doubled up in 10th with geometry and honors Alg II, took Hon precalc as a Jr and AP Calc BC in High School. It meant giving up electives, but turned out to be worth it. That is a best case senario. If you can’t do that, you can try to double Jr year, but it is less advisable. You need the Alg II to do well in PreCalc. Also you will have your hardest year Jr year and should be stretching in all classes. Upgrade to honors if you can.</p>
<p>what is this?:
“but right now I am taking CPA classes” waaaat???</p>
<p>if you are taking extra classes are the expense of your grade in core HS classes, I can’t see that it is advisable.</p>
<p>here is a really useless objective:
“However, I wanted to be one of those Over Achievers that can post on College Confidential with pride.”</p>
<p>CPA, at my school, is the hybrid between “average” classes and Honors classes.</p>
<p>One below honors. Not sure what you meant by ‘extra classes’. </p>
<p>And if you honestly want the true story behind why I am retaking Algebra 1 this year, it is because of my transcript from my previous school, did not state which math I took.</p>
<p>It simply said, Math.</p>
<p>Which is why, next week, I will be taking an exam to test out, and possibly be placed into geometry, and if I’m lucky, drop one of my electives and double up with Algebra II.</p>
<p>If it works out, then my problem is resolved. </p>
<p>And the last line you had quoted had the sole purpose of adding humor to the post.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply, and kudos to your daughter for doing what she did in HS.</p>
<p>If you are even thinking about applying to Berkeley or UCLA, I would recommend that you take as many difficult classes THAT YOU CAN HANDLE. GPA is very important to both UCLA and Cal, but they also consider rigor of schedule. They want to see you push yourself with the classes that you have available to you. That being said, you don’t want to push yourself so much that your bomb your classes. Do you have an academic strength? If so, take AP classes in that area. Basically what I am trying to say is, don’t take the easy route in high school. Challenge yourself within reason. By the way, my son is a freshman at Cal. Let me know if you have any questions regarding Berkeley.</p>