Hi, I’m currently a junior in high school and it’s scheduling season. My school and state have officially recognized Ap Psychology as a Soc. Studies credit which is great because I’m taking it this year as well as APUSH and have already taken government and World Geography. So, in theory, I could not take a soc. studies next year and I would prefer not to, however, I’m afraid colleges may look down on not having World History. My stats overall are pretty good with a high GPA activeness in a few clubs and a little community service. I was wondering if it would be ok to not have the one course which would make 5 soc studies credits anyway. Or if I would be straight up rejected even though I’ve taken 4 years and have good stats. Please help!
Unless the college specifically requires a world history credit, you’re fine.
There are very few things that get you “straight up rejected”. If a school specifically says you must take World History to apply, then yes. I haven’t seen any school with this requirement - it not a core/critical course.
At schools like Harvard, where they “recommend” a world history class, it might be detrimental, but it depends on what you replace it with. Two identical resumes, one with World History and one with Basketweaving would be looked at differently. But even then, it’s one course out of 25+.
Unless there’s a school with a specific WH requirement that you’re looking at, it sounds like you’ve met most schools’ expectations in the social studies area. Just take a quality course in its place.
What is your intended major, or likely majors? If you do not take world history what would you take instead?
I think that you will get into very good universities without taking world history. Getting into Harvard seems unlikely regardless of whether you take it or not.
Personally I would not distort my high school course load to try to comply with a guess regarding what a school that I am not likely to get into might want me to take. But then neither I, nor my spouse, nor either child had a major that had anything to do with history.
I’m planning on majoring in environmental science and AP Psychology would be replacing World History.
And where will you apply? Some higher tier colleges like to see the core history courses before govt or psych. That means either world or Euro. But it does depend on what the particulr college targets want. This generally isn’t like hs grad requirements.
But if the schools you’ll apply to are not among the Harvard sorts, you may be fine.