<p>As a Senior with one free period, I have the choice to take a regular physics course or not take a class at all. I have taken 3 sciences classes (APES, AP Bio, Advanced Chem) in my high school years. There is no other AP science class offered at my school.
Some people said that I should take it just to show the colleges that I have taken 4 years of science. But others say that if I took physics, it will lower my GPA since it is not an AP class. And it would be a bit nice to have one less class during the day. </p>
<p>So do you guys think I should take the class or not?</p>
<p>P.S. If it's not super important to have 4 years of science then I prefer not taking the class.
P.P.S I am applying to Stanford, USC, UCB, UCLA, UPenn.</p>
<p>I would take it.</p>
<p>Colleges want to see that fourth year of science, especially physics. Most applicants will have had chem, bio, and physics.</p>
<p>Hey! We have the same target schools and I have almost the same issue! I would go with the fourth science, just so you’ll feel like you’ve fulfilled a complete HS curriculum (3 sciences: bio, chem, phys). I’m trying to make my CP Physics an AP by doing the relative coursework, so we’ll see how this turns out with the administration.</p>
<p>As for you, take it! IMO, the more core classes, the better. Stanford agrees, too. They say their most competitive applicants have 4 years of math, English, foreign language, science, and social studies. But like everyone else, you probably aren’t going to get accepted anyway. The same standards probably go for USC, UCB, and UCLA, anyway. Do you think not taking Physics will higher your chances? I think it might do the opposite.</p>
<p>Also, I just wrote in another thread that the college you go to doesn’t matter. It’s what you do there that counts! Experience would be preferred over a reputable name any day to employers. I did research of average salaries of entry-level graduates from CSU San Jose and from UCB, and the Comp Sci majors earned essentially the same! Apply to some CSUs also, and you might be surprised at how your goals might change by the end of senior year.</p>
<p>I had a problem similar to yours, except I’m a junior. My school went from an 8 period day to 7 this year so either I had to drop a study hall & pick up physics, or keep study hall & have no AP physics senior year. I decided screw it I’d rather learn how fast a boulder is rolling down a mountain than play paper football in study hall. Moral of my story…take physics!</p>
<p>No offense, but I don’t even know why you’re debating this. Colleges care more about how prepared you are for their curriculum than some lame number known as the GPA. Right now, my fellow students and I are in a state of distress since we can’t take Physics, AP Literature, and AP Gov all in one schedule.</p>
<p>Just take Physics.</p>
<p>“I’d rather learn how fast a boulder is rolling down a mountain than play paper football in study hall”</p>
<p>^I lol’ed</p>