<p>My S just started his Junior year in HS. After reviewing his schedule for this year and the school's requirements for graduation, it looks like he will only need to take Senior English next year to meet the requirements. He brought several HS credits in from Middle School and has kept a pretty rigorous schedule. </p>
<p>He has already completed 4 years of foreign language, he's taking AP Calc AB this year and the school offers no more AP math after that. He's taking AP Physics AB this year and the school offers no more AP Physics after that.</p>
<p>He is leaning towards Engineering in college and is looking at schools like Cornell, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, Wash U STL, Lehigh, as well as some large schools with strong Engineering programs - tOSU, Illinois, Purdue.</p>
<p>Besides taking his Senior year English and a couple "fun" classes (which I totally support), it appears he has a lot of time to begin taking post-secondary classes. The state of Ohio, where we reside, provides that opportunity to kids at no cost from what I can tell. </p>
<p>My questions for anyone who has experience/knowledge on this:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Would he be better off taking college courses that will help him down the Engineering path (more calc and physics I assume) than AP courses at his HS in areas he's not as interested in (like History, English, etc.)?</p></li>
<li><p>How will colleges he is applying to look at college courses on his transcript? I assume it helps if he does well.</p></li>
<li><p>Will it matter a lot which college he takes courses from?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks in advance for any insight.</p>
<p>Maintaining a high GPA is critical to his chances of acceptance at the colleges he’s interested in-e Cornell, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, Wash U STL, as he will have lots of competition. So, if he can achieve a great GPA by taking AP classes at his High school his Sr year, even though they aren’t in his “favorite” areas, he will be better off than taking college classes that, 1] may put a dent in his GAP and 2] he may not even get credit for. He will ll have plenty of time to take many more required math & physics classes in college. By adding AP classes his Sr year, He may get the nod over a less “well balanced” student by taking the toughest classes offered in History and English, especially. And it will be in his best interest if his guidance counselor CAN say in his LOR to colleges that he DID take the “most rigorous” classes offered in HS.</p>
<p>If he had ALREADY taken the hardest classes available by the time he finished his Jr year, then that’s the time to look outside his HS for additional classes.</p>
<p>Menloparkmom - Thanks for your input. Sounds like very good advice. I have some coaching to do on the value of taking some AP’s in areas of less interest.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>GO ahead and get started on the Engineering curriculum. Even though he may have already satisfied Calc 1… there is still Calc 2 (the hardest), Calc 3, DiffEQ, Chem 1 +2, Physics 1 +2, and more… DO IT!! I came to UF with Calc 1+2, and Chem 1+2 done and have a significant advantage over my fellow freshman… Also, I saved a lot of money as my courses were paid by the State of Florida as well. Do anything and everytihng to get ahead in Engineering. It’s difficult and time consuming – An Industrial & Systems Engineering Student.</p>
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<p>This is true. I have also taken advantage of this program, and I live in Ohio. However, the credits are only guaranteed to transfer to Ohio public schools, although many Ohio privates are very flexible. But many of the tops schools on your son’s list probably won’t recognize the credit. With that being said, your son could still benefit from the experience of college classes in high school. The GPA is important, but if he does well in AP, he can do well in college level classes, too.</p>