I’m a junior, and so far I’ve taken APUSH, US Gov, and Lang, but I’m only taking AP lit for senior year. Instead of doing an AP social studies course, I’m taking two semester electives- law and honors sociology. I could swap out sociology for AP Human Geography since it’s also a semester at my school, but will one more AP matter if it’s not super related to the major/career I want? I’m planning on majoring in political science and doing something law related (maybe civil rights law?). Would colleges rather see me taking more APs or electives that are more relevant to my academic interests? I’m just a little worried, because I’ll have taken less AP classes in 4 years than some people do in one. Will I be at a disadvantage if I choose to take less?
(For context my school has quite a few APs, so it’s not like I’m taking everything that’s offered)
Also, my top two schools are Wellesley and BU if that helps with whether the extra AP would matter.
AP Human Geo will not impress anyone. How are your other stats? Do you have significant ECs?
@ChezCurie 3.75 UW GPA, 1310 SAT (taking it again in august)
ECs: I started a club for gun control activism/youth civic engagement which I’m heavily involved with, 10ish years of horseback riding, 9 years of flute, NHS, and National French Honor Society. I’m involved in several other ECs, but those are my main ones.
What’s your schedule like? For a future Poli sci major at a school like Wellesley, it should look like this
AP lit
AP stats or Precalculus honors
APES or another “light” science
AP foreign language (or foreign language level4)
AP euro or AP world or AP comp gov/econ
Social science electives
Just AP lit won’t cut it for Wellesley. Your senior year should have as much rigor as your Junior year. 3-4 APs is a good number.
High school ‘law’ classes are pure electives, totally different from what law school will look like. So, if you must take those two classes that interest you and can’t take AP euro/world, take sociology honors. As for aw v. AP human geography, the difference won’t be made there, but in the classes listed above.
@MYOS1634 most of those aren’t offered at my school, APUSH is the only AP history available, and my school doesn’t have APES or comp gov. I’m taking honors french (AP isn’t offered), CP precalc (I’d waaayy rather take AP stats but I have to at least get up to precalc, and knowing myself, I couldn’t handle it honors). Honors sociology and law are semester courses so I can take both. I’m taking CP physics, my school’s science department strongly encourages everyone to take physics, and my AP options would be Chem (which seems too intense and not relevant to my major) or Bio (which I averaged a B in), I could do honors A&P, but that doesn’t seem super relevant. I’m also taking band as an elective. AP Econ is a full year (for both the macro and micro exams) which I couldn’t fit into my schedule, but since I’m taking honors econ this year, I’m considering self studying for macro, is that doable?
If you can swing it, I would think AP econ (macro and micro) would be a far stronger choice than the law and sociology electives, especially as you are light on APs. Economics is an enormous aspect of social/political systems so understanding it would be helpful to your future major (and many other fields of study you might pursue if you change your mind).
High school is not a time to speciaiize. Admissions officers will be looking at whether you perform solidly in the major disciplines. The highly selective schools you are targeting will be looking at whether you chose the most challenging coursework available to you. It’s OK to veer more strongly to either math/science or to language/humanities but admissions officers aren’t going to scrutinize each course selected as to whether it matches your future major (most high schools don’t offer a law elective, btw).
IMO, if your grades in French are high, the French 5 will be in your favor since AP French is not available in your school.
I’ve noticed you haven’t posted much yet, and don’t know whether that means you’re new to this forum or have been reading for a long time. If you’re new, keep reading and you’ll see how crazy-competitive these elite schools have become. Don’t let that discourage you, as you’ appear to be a fine student and there are many excellent schools that will want you…but cast a WIDE net when you apply and don’t set your heart on these two schools…there are plenty of 4.0 students who didn’t get in anywhere because they assumed their grades and ECs would get them into at least one top-tier school. Good luck!
My kid took a half year of Honors Economics (Micro followed by Macro) following his 1/2 year AP US Govt class. ( why they set it up that way I have no clue). Anyhow he signed up for the AP test for both and although the micro probably was ok, the macro was a disaster according to him. Probably a 4 and a 3. I think if you want to self study you need to study the full year, not just 1 month like my kid did. ( and it wouldn’t surprise me if he studied for only a couple of days, since he mentally checked out of school in late March after getting his college acceptances).
Right, for a school like Wellesley, electives don’t replace a balance in rigor. (Have you got all the math and sciences the college will expect?) And for poli sci, not just a few school clubs, but involvement in the political process, one way or another. Sometimes, advocacy on behalf of others in need, established local groups where you join with and learn from adults. Not just a hs club.
Your GC will need to check a box indicating the rigor of your courses taken. It’s often comparative (with other students who stretched.)
Wellesley has a great econ department and a student needs a 5 to waive the intro courses. I wouldn’t plan on self studying for that.