In junior year, I will be able to take either AP Physics or a post-AP Spanish class. Should I take the Spanish class because HYPSM recommends 4 years of foreign language, or should I take Physics because I am an (exception?) to the foreign language “recommendation?” I should also note that I will be taking a different post-AP Spanish class in senior year (i.e., 3 years of foreign language if I take Physics). In other words, should I take three years of foreign language (one post-AP Spanish class and AP Physics junior year) or four years (two post-AP Spanish classes, but no AP Physics until senior year)?
Why are you an exception? Did you skip a Spanish class?
@Madeline25 I will have taken AP Spanish (not a heritage language) in sophomore year, which is usually accomplished in 4 years of high school.
Do what you want to do, not what you think the college would like you to do. That way you will receive a better score in the class.
@mango727 Sorry, but your answer was rather vague. I want to know how taking only three years of foreign language (at a post-AP level) will affect admission into HYPSM.
If you’ve reached AP or post-AP, you’re considered to have maxed out all your course offerings.
Finishing the Biology, Chemistry and Physics track is more important.
AP level foreign language is considered level 4 or 5 of foreign language. Colleges look at the level reached, not the number of years, so you have four years of foreign language.
However, it is best not to skip a year of language instruction because you’ll lose some of your skills. I think you should take spanish this year and then AP physics senior year. It doesn’t matter what year you take a course in.
@guineagirl96 I’d really like to take AP Physics C though. The post-AP class is a conversational class, which doesn’t require much grammar of Spanish (more vocabulary, however). The other post-AP class is advanced literature, which I am not interested in taking.
If I were you, I would take AP Physics C. In my opinion, you have had enough experience with taking Spanish classes. Would you really be challenged if you took the post-AP class? You really don’t want to appear as strong in one section (foreign language) and weak in another (science). Honestly, I think you would benefit more by taking AP Physics C. In my opinion, science is more important when it comes to colleges, not foreign language. While it does depend on your major, science is “weighted” more than a foreign language, as a science is (typically) more difficult than a foreign language. I’d also go with AP Physics C because you said that you’re really interested in taking it. If you do take AP Physics C as a junior, what science would you take senior year? If possible, I would still try to get 4 years of foreign language somehow.
I thought you said you could take physics senior year. Why must you take it junior year?
And I disagree that science is more important than foreign language. In terms of college admissions, both are considered core courses.
No it’s not; both are considered core subjects by colleges.
To the OP, you’ve met the recommended preparation in foreign languages, but if you want to get in another year of Spanish, I would recommend doing it junior year, and saving AP Physics C for senior year. Colleges will not care when you take Physics C; you will get no bonus points for taking it as a junior, if that’s your concern.
@skieurope If I’m going to take AP Physics B (or whatever it’s called) in junior year, I won’t be able to take a foreign language in junior year. I really like physics, so I want to take AP Physics C by graduation; to do so, however, I cannot take Spanish during junior year.
Do you need to take the other physics course before taking AP Physics C? It sounds like you already have experience with physics. It is definitely not necessary to take both AP Physics sequences.
I would take spanish junior and senior year, and then take AP Physics C senior year. I’m not seeing the issue.
@guineagirl96 I need to take Physics B before Physics C.
Why? Is that a school requirement? That’s not a college board requirement. Most people do not take both physics sequences.
Now, I’m starting to understand…I think, although I also think we’re only getting half a story here, and this is like pulling teeth to understand.
I’m assuming that AP Physics 1 (as AP Physics B no longer exists) would be your first physics class, correct? So you are saying that the only section of AP Physics 1 and the only section of this post-AP Spanish conversation class meet during the same period? If that is the case, can’t you just take honors physics instead? That way you would still have the one year of physics prerequisite for Physics C and you can fit Spanish in.
@skieurope Finally someone understands the situation! There’s no Honors Physics in my school; there’s only regular Physics, which will not let me into Physics C.
Please tell your school that I said that’s a stupid policy. AP Physics 1, while certainly fine as a first physics course, does not cover E&M in any degree of depth that would be helpful going into Physics C. Additionally, this policy tells me that the school is ending up pushing kids into AP Physics 1 who have no business being in an AP course. And people wonder why there was a 63% failure rate on the exam this year. Plus none of the AP Physics courses prepare students adequately for the SAT Subject Test.
But I digress. You’ve come up with a common situation that happens in high schools all over the country - course conflicts. That’s one of the reasons I LOL when kids in the 8th grade post their entire HS schedule and ask if it’s good.
Anyway, as I said earlier, you’re covered on foreign languages, so from an admissions perspective, there is no need to take more. If somewhere along the line you can fit one in, fine; if not, no big deal. For your proposed college studies, AP Physics 1 → AP Physics C makes the most sense. If you are somehow able to keep up with your Spanish through Spanish Clubs or watching the news in Spanish, that would be better than nothing if you decide to pick up Spanish again in the 12th grade.
So really, you’re actually in a good spot; there really is no “wrong answer” to your question. Best of luck.
@skieurope LOL, I already know which 8th grader you’re talking about! He recently PM’d 6 or more of us asking if we could plan out his 4 year high school schedule. He did this after posting multiple threads!
@Hamlon Unfortunately, that’s such a common occurrence with 8th and 9th graders on here. That particular user PM’d me too.
OP, you really can’t go wrong in this situation. I was just trying to understand why you couldn’t take the spanish course (which I understand now). Thats a stupid policy on their part.