Hey Guys. This is my last question today. I am a high school junior with two AP classes and a Dual Enrollment class. However, I want to take an extra honors class that would force me to drop Italian since it does not fit into my schedule. Can I drop Italian and take AP or honors Italian online even though my school does not allow online classes to go on my transcript? I will explain to colleges that I took the class online and will report my AP score if I take the test. Could I also explain to colleges that I was trying to take a rigorous courseload and that in the process, my scheduling did not work out the way I wanted it to which is why I dropped my language? Any thoughts?
Aren’t you interested in foreign languages (and classics) as a major? If Italian is a language you hope to continue with in college, then stay in the class. It seems as if you’re flailing around, trying to register for anything that you think will count as “rigor” in hopes of offsetting your past grades. Take a breath, stay the course, focus on your interests and goals. (And again I’ll say that retaking chem will benefit you more than [random honors/DE class] ) If you overload yourself with arbitrary rigor, you’re more likely to end up with another year of spotty grades. Focus on the essentials and on doing well.
Have you considered studying abroad? That’s commonly a goal for students who re interested in languages. Rather than scrambling to position yourself for college admissions a year from now, you could add an additional year of high school abroad. This would give you more time to rehabilitate your GPA and fill in the gaps in your coursework. It would also give you more time to mature, develop discipline, and get clear on your goals before starting college. Consider something like this for a post-grad year after you graduate: https://www.afsusa.org/programs/italy-high-school/ Then you could apply with your junior and senior grades on the books, and a slate of more advanced classes planned during your “super-senior” year.
A rigorous schedule only matters if you have all the core classes covered and you do well in them. What honors class do you want to take that’s more important than a core course? What would your schedule look like? AP environmental science, AP computer science, a DE sports management class, an online Italian class, and an honors course? Where’s your history, English, and math? Will you have 3-4 years of English, foreign language, lab science, math, and history when you graduate?
1° What are your current classes?
2° What level have your reached (Italian)?
I will have all my core courses.
Italian is a core course though. Can you answer the questions in #3
@CollegeFreak9488, context is everything. No one class can make or break you; it’s the pattern of your coursework. No one can answer your question accurately unless you give specific answers.
You may well understand what a rigorous 4-year schedule of core classes Is and have that covered, or you may simply think you do. We have no way to know (nothing personal, we simply don’t know you). Some posters may take the trouble to dredge up and read your other threads to see if the information is there, but no one should have to. There’s a wealth of knowledge on this forum, but you have to help us to help you.
My current classes are AP Environemental and Computer Science and DE sports management. I have reached Italian 2, and am taking no other honors or AP classes.
You only have 3 courses now? Is that for the semester or the year? How many years of English, math, history, and science have you completed? Are you starting your 2nd year of Italian or is that what you want to take online?
@CollegeFreak9488, I did do some digging into your past threads and your coursework (and past grades) are not at all in line with the goals that you state. You are looking into some selective schools in the US and the U.K. You also say you want to study the classics. Your current schedule (sports management?)is all over the place. I don’t see a single core course!
These classes may be fine electives (my senior non-STEM daughter is taking AP Enviro along with a DE Bio right now because this year her school didn’t offer the AP bio she requested She took AP computer science as a seventh class one year because her HS has a tech course graduation requirement). But generally, selective colleges like the ones you say you are interested in want to see the five core subjects EACH year of high school, in progression. Depending on the student’s interests, there MAY be a little wiggle room in one area, but not much. Students are usually expected to have taken algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, precalculus and (if possible) Calculus. A non-STEM student might be OK stopping at pre-calculus and/or taking statistics instead of Calculus. An English class is expected every year. U.S. History, World History and one or two other core social studies classes (such as government or economics ) are the norm, and at least one each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics is expected among your science classes. Three, and preferably four foreign language classes (Or through AP level, if offered) rounds out the schedule. High school is not the time for specialization or picking random electives that seem interesting, It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree with this, because it is the college admissions officers who decide which students to admit.
I can imagine a future classics major being admitted to a strong program with a high school schedule that is a bit light in math/science. However, you would still have to have done well on the basics in these areas (showing persistence and good study skills). And you would be expected to have taken the highest levels of English, history and foreign language that your high school offers. Taking something like sports management would only make sense if you had fulfilled every other requirement.
Any chance you can still change your schedule?
We can’t play a guessing game.
I completed Italian 2 and have completed 2 years of math, English, and science.
The reason I was not taking these classes in the first place is because they would not fit into my schedule since I would have to drop both my AP classes.
Also, what if I take Latin classes outside of school? Can I do that instead of trying to impress colleges like Fordham with English and Italian honors?
A Latin class would certainly help if you want to study classics, but it’s still no substitute for a core English class! Taking an honors (or AP) English class each year is not something to impress, it’s something expected.
Also, I wouldn’t drop the Italian to take Latin because colleges would like to see you taking at least three years of the same language. The Latin would need to be in addition to English and Italian if you were to take it. You can’t just pick up and drop courses helter-skelter and get anywhere.
I don’t mean to be harsh, just trying to give good advice so you won’t find yourself stuck.
I’m still wondering if you are only taking 3 classes, first semester of Junior year. Even if it were a Block system you should have 4 classes per semester. What aren’t you telling us? Also, one Latin class is not going to show interest in Classics. You need some focus on what you want to do, not just ask what you need to do to get into X school.
Why are you choosing AP courses over core classes like English and math? You won’t impress colleges by skipping the core. You have 2 years of English and one of the grades is a C, 2 years of math and one of those grades is a C, and 2 years of science and one of those grades is a D, and you want to take sports management and Latin? Why? NYS colleges are going to look for the core classes and your grades in those first. Fordham requires 4 years of English, at least 3 of history, science, and math, and at least 2 of foreign language. You seem to have 2 each of foreign language, math, English, and science. Have you taken any history?
You need to be taking 5 core classes and 6 academic classes:
Precalculus or, if already completed, AP stats or DE intro to stats; AP English Language or AP English Literature or Honors English or DE English; Italian 3; Latin 1; Philosophy or Ancient History; keep APES and AP CSP. 7 academic classes.
Drop Sports management, which is an elective.
You don’t need 2 years of all core classes, you need 4.
Note that AP Italian requires Italian 4 to be completed and I don’t think there’s Honors Italian 3 online. Italian 3 is minimal for the universities you’re aiming for but there’s really nothing you can do about it. Latin should be ADDED to Italian.
I am not skipping core classes. I was transferring to a private school that does not offer Italian. I wanted to study for the AP Italian test by myself online. Instead, I will be taking Latin Honors, which relates to what I want to study.