Should I take a half schedule or a full one for my senior year?

Applying to College
1

I’m about to start my senior year, and I am trying to apply to schools such as MIT and Johns Hopkins. I have a 3.9, and a 2270. I am also in a lot of extra circulars and do a lot of volunteer work. The schedule I have set is as follows:

  1. AP Chemistry
  2. AP Calculus BC
  3. AP U.S. History
  4. AP Literature
    and then a college class every 4th PD

I’ve already taken
AP Physics
AP Biology
AP Environmental Science
AP U.S. Government
AP World History
AP Human Geography
AP Calculus AB
AP Language

And the other Ap classes offered such as AP Philology, AP Art History and AP Statistics don’t work with the schedule I already have.

I have thought about taking AP Physics 2, but I feel like that would be too much of a workload.

Should I stick with these 4 classes or should I add classes like Gym and cooking

Thank you

2

I’m in college now and what your current plan is seems fine. You’re going to be a senior, so the major course work to do is already over. Instead of adding another AP, focus on your college apps. Those essays are SUPER important.

3

AP Philology???

4

AP psychology

5

I wouldn’t take APPhysics at the same time as AP Chemistry. You need time do college application.

6

Would AP CS be redundant for you?

7

My daughter took ceramics. Nice easy A and it fulfills the art requirement.

8

I need to have taken Java before I can take AP Computer Science

9

Could you take Java then?

(Our school doesn’t have a lot of required prerequisites for APs, and kids who are reasonably good with computers do successfully take AP CS without a previous programming class.)

10

What class have you taken to fulfill art requirement. One of my kids took Intro to Video, easy class.

11

If the OP isn’t in California or applying to any UCs, he/she may not need a year of art.

12

Oh I see.

13

MIT specifically, however, does like to see kids who “do interesting stuff”, so an interesting-sounding art class might be interesting to MIT adcoms.

14

My coworker’s daughter was admitted to MIT last year and she was very good in art. Not just taken a few art classes. She went to an art school. I saw some of para wings, she’s really good.

15

I can’t take Java and AP CS at the same time. And I took Foundations of art. I only need to take a English class to graduate. So I could basically take 1 class senior year. And I would be fine

16

Knowing some programming will be very helpful to you in college with any STEM major, perhaps with the exception of biology but not biochem. Programming isn’t just for CS majors. I’d suggest taking the Java class if you don’t already know Python or C.

17

I think you have enough APs that not taking another APs on top of the 4 APs you listed is fine. Take anything. Photography, journalism, whatever you want but not gym and cooking. That’s my take on this.

18

“MIT specifically, however, does like to see kids who “do interesting stuff”, so an interesting-sounding art class might be interesting to MIT adcoms.”

No, I don’t think MIT is interested in superficial things that sound interesting. And, my impression is that MIT adcoms would suggest taking the course that was going to be most helpful or meaningful regardless or independent of colleges desires. The author of this blog is on this site abut I’lll post the blog that addresses that point here. Maybe he’d comment. http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways

19

What college course are you taking? I am assuming that is what you meant by “college course every 4th PD”.

20

I’m taking Global Communications