<p>IB Italian SL
AP Calculus AB (Semi-self Study w/ my IB Math teacher)
IB Math Studies SL (Only Math IB---bored as hell in this class)
IB Bio HL
Chemistry (regular or honors---see which fits)
IB Physics SL
IB English HL
IB History HL
.5 credit TOK
.5 credit of regular Econ
no frees either semester + 0 period travel studies and after school skiing</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>IB Italian SL
AP Calculus AB
IB Math Studies SL
IB Bio HL
Regular Physics
IB Econ SL
IB English HL
IB History HL
.5 credit TOK
(this schedule means I will have never taken chem in high school) & would also give me 1 free second semester
+ 0 period travel studies and after school skiing</p>
<p>A typical senior has 2-3 frees each semester </p>
<p>Neither will actually get you into an Ivy since only your performance until now is being considered and NOT whether you missed a specific class or took a specific one in senior year. To be frank, no school actually cares about the classes you took as much as how well you did in them and whether they are considered the highest level of classes your school has to offer.</p>
<p>Either way the classes will be considered “most rigorous” and I have only one grade on my transcript (intro to music) lower than a 95, so I’m not worried about what I’ll get in the class…I know that the schedule won’t get me into an ivy; I’m just wondering which looks more impressive…probably should’ve said that instead.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what IB classes are whatsoever, but if you’re majoring in economics maybe you will want to take the one with IB economics? I think both schedules will look exactly the same rigor to college admissions, so I would do whichever pleases you more. Having one free secnod semester wouldn’t look that bad at all, and you might find it helpful.</p>
<p>Again - the colleges don’t care which specific class you take for them to be impressed with anything you take.</p>
<p>to be blunt.</p>
<p>Ivy league does nt give a rodent’s behind if a student took Chemistry vs Physics vs Astronomy vs sewing (this probably would be frowned upon but if you needed to fulfill a skill as part of graduation in your school district…) as one of 8 classes in a senior schedule.</p>
<p>Lot of kids around here seem to imagine that one class is somehow more important than another. If you expect to be STEM major and if you took none of science related classes, or expect to major in liberal arts but did nt take any social studies classes then it is problem with your transcript not matching your interests. </p>
<p>If your school allows you to graduate without ever taking a chemistry and physics class, then it is a problem. what you take in a specific year on the other hand has zero relevancy.</p>
<p>I am signed up for 2 classes first period (Italian and Calculus)
Every day I will go to Italian, but do the work and such for calculus…my teacher said she would meet once a week after school to go over anything I didn’t understand…my school is really trying to accommodate me so that someone will get into an ivy/top school…</p>
<p>Typically the top students go to SUNY Binghamton…this year (class of 2011) was tragically worse…Valedictorian went to St. Joseph’s in Downtown Brooklyn, Salutatorian went to Iona, #3 went to St. Joseph’s also…none of the top 3 had an SAT/ACT score over 1600/23…I’m totally a sore thumb at my school (2120/34)</p>
<p>For a school that offers IB, it does nt sound too good to have the top students having such low scores.</p>
<p>What is your profile (race, sex, state, sat IIs, ECs, income level)? Ivys are quite picky even if you have the best of stats. So it is better to consider other options for matches and safeties.</p>
<p>Race-Caucasian (Not jewish (if that helps)…I go to a catholic school and am very involved in my church)
Sex- Male
State- NY
SAT 2s- Math 2 800 Bio M 670 (retaking, last practice test from blue book was 740…so between 700 and 750) I’m also taking U.S. in October (should get ~700) and Italian in December (should get ~650)
Income- 80,000ish
I’m valedictorian if that helps too…conceived through in vetro fertilization, currently in the process of writing my common app essay on it…and I’m also first generation</p>
<p>My ECs are:
Math Club (10, 11, 12 President)
Student Council (9, 10, 11, 12 President of School)
Literary Magazine (10, 11 Editor, 12 Senior Editor)
Sophomore Committee, Junior Committee, and next year Senior Committee
NHS (11, 12)…means nothing
Internship with Senator (11)
ACT Math/Science Tutor (11, 12)
Babysitter of my cousin (9, 10, 11, 12)
Lector at my church (9, 10, 11, 12)
Usher at my church (9, 10, 11, 12)
Volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen (9, 10, 11, 12)
Summer Outreach Program with St. Vincent De Paul (11)
Fish Hobbyist (9, 10, 11, 12)
Cornell Summer College (11) (received a B+ (so close to an A -_-) in Business Management)
Geometry Tutor (10)
Retreat Program (11)
Hopefully founder of Ping Pong Club (next year)
Volunteer at various school events (tour guide at open houses, baccalaureate mass, freshman orientations, etc.)
CCD teacher (12)
and a couple of other things,
Calligraphy club (9, 10)
Inklings (9)
Photography (9)</p>
<p>First Generation in the sense that I would be first in the primary line of my family (parents, grandparents) to go to college. I only completed AP Euro in Sophomore year…that was the only AP class I have taken… (received a 3 on the test…history isn’t really my forte, out of the 20 kids in my class, 11 received 1s… :O) I completed IB Psych SL last year and received a 4 -_- (was a predicted 6)… I hate that my teachers have to go so slowly because of the not so smart kids in the classes…I’m not going to send either score</p>
<p>If your parents have nt gone to college, you have the right definition.</p>
<p>The trend has been that Ivys have been admitting about 10% or so students in this category which is your hook. So forget about in vitro baby essay and make this as your personal story, i.e., how you are striving to be the first in the family to get to college and the odds you are trying to overcome to get there.</p>
<p>If your family income was 60k, you could have applied to several ivies through questbridge but I don’t think you meet QB at 80k.</p>
<p>Whoa, no offense, but I don’t think you should be telling people what they can and can’t write about. If the OP has some great essay topic related to in vitro, then there’s nothing wrong with that.</p>
<p>As to your fear about not taking chemistry, are you planning on taking a lot of chemistry in college? If you wanted some experience, you could always start off with basic chem classes your freshman year in college. At most colleges there’s a science requirement anyways.</p>