<p>Hey guys. I am currently a high school sophomore, and my interests are highly centered in environmental science and ecology. I have done volunteer work, internships, study abroad programs, summer programs, and Intel-level science research all related to environmental science/ ecology (more specifically conservation biology, but that still falls under the umbrella of environmental science).</p>
<p>Recently, I found out about an opportunity called The Mountain School of Milton Academy. It's a semester boarding school where high school juniors spend four months in Vermont living and working on an organic farm. Students take five classes, take care of the gardens and livestock, and live in small houses with their friends and teachers. If I go, it would probably be the fall semester of my junior year because I would want to take the SAT in the Spring at home.</p>
<p>I come from a competitive public school in NYC. In junior year, I'll probably be taking the following APs: AP Chem, AP English lang, AP U.S. History, AP Psych, and AP Calculus BC. This is their curriculum listing: Mountain Mountain</a> School of Milton ~ Curriculum The classes I would be missing out on are AP Chem and AP Psych as they don't offer it. I would also be missing out on a year's worth of language study, as I learn a very obscure language at school (Russian). </p>
<p>Money isn't that big of an issue-- the only thing is the limited curriculum and course offerings. But environmental science is truly my passion.</p>
<p>I plan on applying to a large variety of schools... state universities (mostly as safeties) and selective liberal arts schools and also the Ivys. </p>
<p>So I guess I'm in a bit of a pickle here. If I do end up doing this program, will it help or hurt me for college admissions? I am concerned that it may hurt me more than help because I will be missing on AP Chem (one of the "hard sciences" that impresses admission officers and because I will be missing a full year of language [4 years of language is better than 3]).</p>
<p>I don’t think it’ll hurt you in college admissions at all. Colleges will see that you’re devoted to environmental science. </p>
<p>The FAQ for the school says “The seven colleges most frequently attended by Mountain School graduates in the last seven years are Middlebury, Yale, Brown, Princeton, Colorado College, Oberlin, and Wesleyan.”</p>
<p>I doubt most colleges would care if you have 3 years of a language instead of 4 years. And couldn’t you just take AP Chemistry in your senior year? You could also take AP Physics C if your school offers it, its generally the most impressive AP.</p>
<p>Well if I take four years, I would take AP Russian (if not College Russian) as a senior. I could take AP Chem senior year, but I as hoping to take AP Bio and AP Physics C senior year (so I would have taken all the three major science APs)</p>
<p>I think having a unique semester trumps taking AP Chem. Think about how many applicants have AP Chem compared to how many have this awesome semester doing something you’re truly passionate about. You’d be in the minority and that will help you a lot more than AP Chem could. Plus, you could always self study and take the test…</p>
<p>Thanks. However I should also add… I will be doing a research project at a university that will be entered into NYCSEF (NYC regional science fair) next year and Intel the year after that. Participating in the Mountain School will not affect the research experiment itself (as the entire experiment and analysis will be done over the summer) but it will be an impediment when it comes to contacting my research adviser and mentors. Also some of the deadlines for the competitions are in the time when I would be in The Mountain School. So this is something else to consider… doing this program will probably affect the quality of my research project for NYCSEF and Intel.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about not having AP Chemistry on your transcript. I’m sure admissions officers end up glazing over it anyways. They are more interested in the experiences/personal qualities that you can convey in your essays.</p>
<p>I’m sure that you could work out a way to contact your adviser and mentors during your semester at the Mountain School.</p>