Hi! I’m currently a junior and getting ready to schedule classes. I want to major in political science and become a lawyer. I HATE math. Would dropping it be bad even if I take 4 AP classes and am involved in a lot of extracurriculars and have important roles in them? I am taking college level precalc now so I would be dropping college level calc next year. This is how my schedule will probably look:
AP World (or AP Research)
AP Spanish
AP Lang
AP Environmental
(college level bc no AP option) government/econ
health/ issues in govt (college level for same reason above)
I will be president of Young Dems, Ethics, and of a leadership organization I created. I will also write for the school newspaper and continue being a volunteer Punjabi language teacher.
I’m struggling in precalc (my average is fine I guess it’s 95 weighted, 92 unweighted) but it’s annoying, boring, and I just don’t enjoy it. Would it look bad to admissions officers if I drop math even with everything else?
Colleges I’m looking at include Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Barnard, Boston U, Boston College, Georgetown
My GPA rn is 98.4 weighted and I’m sure it’ll go up at the end of this year. My SAT score the first time taking it was 1330 but I’m going to take it again with more prep because I didn’t really study the last time.
You want to have strength in math to handle the quantitative methods used in political science (consider analysis of polls and elections, and statistical analysis in social sciences in general). You also want practice in thinking logically, since the LSAT and law will require logical thinking.
In terms of admission to highly selective colleges, stopping math voluntarily after completing precalculus in 11th grade may be seen as a negative point by an admission reader considering your academic strength.
Yes, completing four years in all core courses, which includes Math, is expected at most schools, especially top ones like those you listed.
The phrase “did the student challenge him/herself with a rigorous schedule” is one you’ll see from many top school when discussing admission criteria. Taking no math course wouldn’t meet that expectation.
“Colleges I’m looking at include Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Barnard, Boston U, Boston College, Georgetown”
You are asking if you may submit a deliberately weaker application to those colleges and still have a chance at acceptance. Unless you are the child of a major donor or the hottest recruited athlete of the year, I’m afraid the answer is no. Rigor counts.
You should complete a full four years of math. My last year of calculus was so hard but I got online tutoring from Beestar and Kumon. I got some extra help there and passed the class. Good luck.
As much I feel you…I HATED math in high school and am now majoring in Criminal Justice and Political Science, you really should take 4 years of math. Most colleges require it or expect it.