I took ES in 9th. right now, in 10th, i’m taking bio. next year, 11th will be chem. Then, I can choose to take either AP bio or college credit physics, or I can do both at the same time. A lot of colleges only accept AP credits, so taking an AP rather than a dual enrollment would work more in my favor.
The most selective colleges don’t accept AP credit either since AP is the default expected preparation.
See with your GC whether you can take Physics alongside chemistry junior year, if not I guess it’ll have to be AP bio and physics but it’ll be harder to juggle.
She’s so strict about what classes I can take, though. It’s almost as if she doesn’t even want me to succeed.
I seem to recall that you’ve discussed your anxiety issues with her? Probably more like she’s being cautious – she doesn’t want you to overload yourself and crash/burn.
True, but NOT taking the extra classes is causing me more anxiety than taking them would.
Look, if I am going to go to college, I have to go somewhere that can cover 100% of the cost for me. Which schools can do that? The incredibly selective ones. What do you need to have to get into those schools? Among other things, a rigorous courseload. My GC can’t say I took THE MOST rigorous courseload available if I don’t take calculus and both AP bio and college credit physics. It’s as simple as that.
No, it’s not as simple as that. If your high school does not allow kids to “double up” on core courses as a school policy, then those schedules are not available to you. Also, one rigorous core course per subject (English, math, social studies, science, foreign language) for each of four years is acceptable in most cases.
P.S. If you have to choose between AP bio and physics, take physics. It’s better to have both chemistry and physics and only one bio credit than to be missing one of those three subjects entirely.
But since I want to do bio in college isn’t it better to have that preparation?
Then it sounds as though you have resigned yourself to not being able to take those courses, so what else can we tell you? I don’t understand why you think you need college level physics? Colleges don’t expect you to take college level physics, but mny of th more selective ones expect you to take physics in high school.
There are many colleges apart from Ivies and the like that meet full need. Have you looked at LACs? Personally, given how anxious and stressed you seem to be, you would probably do better in a LAC environment than at a research uni. Colleges such as Connecticut College and Frankilin and Marshall meet full need and have acceptance rates in the 30-40% range. There are others too.
On the other hand, you could come up with some other plans. Have you actually had a conversation with your parents about money? If you have a good GPA and good test scores, you will have other options.
Look at these websites: http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com and http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com
There are colleges where you might be an auto admit and have all your tuition covered.
It is not a case of “Ivy or nothing.” If you carry on with this attitude, you may end up nowhere. Why don’t you post in the financial aid forum to try and figure out what your options might be realistically?
it’s college level physics, but it’s the only physics my school offers. I’m not choosing between regular physics and college-level physics. I just know I need to take physics.
Yes, I’ve looked at LACs. In fact, there are some on my long list. Plus, I DO want to go to a research uni. Obviously, I’m majoring in the sciences so that’s kind of important.
Yes, we’ve had a conversation. My parents went to CC and the cruddy local state u. They know nothing about college or financial aid other than “college is really expensive. you have good grades, so you can get scholarships.”
Like SO many other people have said, I haven’t been in HS long enough for anyone to really gauge what any of my options might be.
Most LACs have strong science programs. People don’t just major in English and anthropology. Furthermore, LACs offer undergrads many opportuntiies for research because everyone is an undergrad. Grads of LACs do very well in med school admissions.
You need to drop your preconceived ideas about what college is supposed to offer, what college you should go to, and what the point of college is. There are MANY happy and successful people who don’t get their degree from Columbia and its ilk. I went to CC and transferred to a four year “cruddy” State U. I have a nice life. So do many other people who did the same.
Remember that your application is assessed in the context of what your school offers. You are not going to be compared to a kid from a high school that offers all the AP classes available. I personally know a ton of kids who go to good colleges who did not do calc in hgh school (Harvard, Northeastern, Binghamton, Bates, McGill, and others.) Not taking calc is not a death knell for your app. You take the most rigorous courses you are able to take. Do ECs you care about. Work hard, be a good person, and you will end up where you are supposed to be. Do your best with what you have.
I will not have the most rigorous courses if I don’t take calc and AP Bio and physics. my school offers all of those, so in the context of my school, It’s not the maximum or anything.
I’m going to be blunt. Your issue isn’t Calculus or Physics. It is your not realistic expectations. Kids that go to schools that you want to go to are self go getters, self thinkers, they figure out how to get from A to B. From all your threads, at this time in your life, that isn’t you. You admittedly have anxiety, and possibly others issues which are preventing you to progress. Take a step back and get help for your problems, and then regroup and carry on. Hopefully then you can reach your goals.
You don’t know me, though. I’m a self-go getter. I’m a self-thinker. I can figure out how to get from A to B. If one were to ask that of any of my teachers, parents, people I’ve worked under, peers, and family friends that’s what you would say. In fact, it’s kind of exhausting to go around all day having people tell you you are “bright” and “amazing” and “going to do amazing things” and “going places” when your conscience is telling you otherwise.
We can only know what you tell us, and what you’ve told us is that if you were a color you’d be beige. [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/20844524#Comment_20844524%5DVerbatim.%5B/url”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/20844524#Comment_20844524]Verbatim.[/url] Do you not want us to believe what you write here, then?
There’s a difference between reality and perception. Both statements are true, they just happen to come from opposing viewpoints.
You gave us both the viewpoints. Two hours apart, you say that you’re boring and unaccomplished, and now you’re a go-getter and self-thinker. I’m guessing the second viewpoint is closer to the truth and the first is just you being hard on yourself, but you can’t tell us something that doesn’t reflect reality and then chide us for believing you.
exhales
I’m sorry, ok? I know what’s true and what’s not, but it’s easier to be negative, which is what I default to, even if it’s not the truth.
OK, I’m going to agree with most of the folks here who have given you advice to relax, lighten up, and just do your best. You need accept the fact that you no matter what your grades and test scores are, there is nothing you can do that will guarantee that you will definitely be admitted to ANY highly selective college.
But I will also offer my opinion, that if your are so he ll bent on taking calculus in high school, then get your parents involved and make that happen. If you need/want to take two math courses in one year in order to fulfill your need to have calculus on your high school transcript, then insist on it, and have your parents talk the the school and be your advocate. My kids have taken two rigorous math or science courses in one year and they aren’t intellectual phenoms. I feel that you’re completely capable of taking two math classes, but you need to get some help with your anxiety and obsessive thoughts because they will be your downfall, not your curriculum, grades, or test scores.
I’ve contacted my kids’ schools and gone to bat for my them to get them into the classes that I felt were best suited for their abilities. A couple of times it was to get them into more rigorous courses that they felt they could handle and once it was the opposite of your problem. I insisted that my daughter be taken OUT of an AP course to move down to an honors course in the same subject which worked out great for her. We’ve focused on one year at a time and adjusted things along the way to make sure she finishes high school with a good academic record. She’s currently in the top 2% of her class of 420 as a junior, so she’s confident that she’ll have plenty of good schools to choose from next year, though none will be a highly selective college and she’s OK with that. Even though she’s a perfectionist and wound up tight like you. She’ll end up taking probably four or five AP courses, and may not take Calculus in high school. We’ll wait to see how she does in her Precalc and AP Stats this year.
I would recommend that approach with your high school curriculum - just regroup and evaluate your plan based on how well you do each year in school. If you get through this year with good grades and no meltdowns that send you to the counselor’s office, then you’ll have a stronger case to double up on those math classes your junior year.
Good luck and try to relax!
Do you really think that pushing the issue like that will work? The administrators might just hate me for it and not write me good recs when the time comes around.