Hi all, I’m sorry if this is the wrong place to post it, but I didn’t know anywhere else to post, so here goes.
I am a rising senior who has completed most of what my school has to offer me in terms of what I am interested in. I am a most likely going to be a physics major, possibly math (maybe even double major).
I have taken 9 AP’s overall, and have qualified for national ap scholar (8 ap’s with 4’s or 5’s). I have 5’s in Physics C (both mech and e&m), Chem, Stats, Envi Sci, Calc BC, and Japanese, a 4 in Comp Sci, and a 3 in World History (I’m not a history guy lol).
I am taking a Optics&Thermodynamics and Multivariable Calculus from an online Stanford course (for credit) over the summer.
What I wanted to know was what to do next year. I know for sure I will take Lang and Gov/Econ (these are required). I have a couple courses which I can still take.
Psych AP- an easy class, I know the teacher, fun times
Bio AP- I have 0 interest but I heard it’s something colleges look for
Modern Physics coupled with Linear Algebra from Stanford- this is online, so I will probably take it if my school helps me financially
The question is, what should I take? Just chill out and take Psych, or will colleges see that as slacking off and that I’m not motivated?
Thanks for any comments and suggestions!
Nothing about 9 APs and two on-line advanced level STEM classes says ‘slacker’ (assuming you have the grades and test scores that go with the academic rigor) so don’t worry about the Bio AP if you have no interest. I assume you’ve had regular bio already - this is the second year, right? AP Psych is fine - sounds like you’ll enjoy it and there’s enough stress in applying to schools that a little less intensity senior year is a good thing.
My son is in a similar situation but class of '17. He has a small interest in AP Bio (mainly where it overlaps Chemistry), and it taking it junior year mainly to improve on that part of Science Bowl, he says. After that, he will have taken all the math, science, and CS at his school, except for AP Envi Sci and AP Stats, which are his 0 interest classes.
Do you have a local CC or 4-year college where you can take any advanced classes?
What about a class after AP CS, like Data Structures or Discrete Math? Does your school have any hands-on engineering-type classes, like electrical stuff or machine shop? Both computer science and machine shop/wiring can be more useful than you’d expect to a physics major, especially if you can get involved in undergrad research early.
@Ynotgo I do not have any close CC or 4-year courses, and thus I looked to Stanford’s courses, which offers transcripts and continuing credit. Unfortunately, there are no classes after AP CS for me, and all the hands-on type engineering classes are very basic, and are still very new, thus not really offering anything to me.
For Stanford, I am taking courses from here: http://ohsx.stanford.edu/
These are the pre-collegiate courses, and are past the high school level, which I assume your son is interested in after finishing math/physics.