<p>i am currently in 2 APs (us history and environmental), but my school's max is 3. instead of taking ap bio i took physics (which i think is fairly easy but i know people that got Bs). i don't know how much easier it is than ap bio, but i still think it looks bad that im taking a regular course over an AP course. i know wustl considers course rigor, and i have been extremely worried lately that i do not have the most rigorous schedule a junior could have. i am also in 2 honors courses, by the way.</p>
<p>should i be so stressed out about this?</p>
<p>i really want to prove to WUSTL that i can thrive and do well at their school, because i really feel that i can, but i feel that my current transcript does not reflect this well. i am hoping i can make up for this with my senior year course load as i am taking the max amount of aps (which includes ap bio). i am also planning on taking a statistics course and hopefully a course in the social sciences at a community college over summer. is senior year's rigor as important as other years?</p>
<p>If you are more interested in the physical sciences than bio it is totally appropriate to have taken physics. Don’t worry! It’s not like you took basket weaving. Two APs and two honors courses junior year is fine. And yes, senior year rigor counts too.</p>
<p>well i actually am more interested in the life sciences (cognitive sciences mainly). the reason i am so attracted to WUSTL is the PNP program, so i think biology would be a better class for me, although i am more interested in the Language, Cognition and Culture side of PNP as opposed to the Cognitive Neuroscience path. This interest formed only recently, so i didn’t really have a preference over physical or life sciences when i picked physics over biology.</p>
<p>High school is a time for trying different classes (as college is too, for many people). What I meant is that choosing to take physics is just as legitimate a choice to an adcom as is choosing to take biology. And since you now are interested in bio, you can take AP as a senior. In other words, your current schedule is nothing to be stressed about.</p>
<p>I only took 2 APs junior year (english and music theory) and 3 my senior year (physics, econ, and Calc). Only took three exams (out of the five classes) and none of them were near the subject I am majoring in (biochemistry). Still got in. It’s a holistic application.</p>
<p>Calm the hell down! I took 4 APs across all 4 years in high school (out of a possible 12). As long as you’re taking rigorous classes and are succeeding, they won’t care.</p>
<p>just one more question: will the admissions office know that my school did not offer honors physics? It would have definitely chosen that if given the option, but I had none. They only offer normal Physics and AP Physics, which I think is a bit weird…</p>
<p>When your counselor sends the transcript/recs to WashU she also sends the school profile. My kids’ school profile includes a list of honors/AP courses offered, average SAT/ACT scores, percentage going to four year college and colleges that students admitted to for the last three years. BTW, it’s not that weird the way your school doesn’t offer honor Physics. Ours does the same for bio, chem and physics.</p>