Yikes! Scheduling Help Requested

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi everyone. I just want to thank everyone ahead of time. Your help really is appreciated. Have some good karma. I'm a sophomore right now. I will be a junior next year. Anyway, I'm thinking of running for a state office in this organization. One requirement to run is that I take Marketing. I also have to take Intro to Economics in order to graduate. However, if I take AP Bio, I do not have enough room in my schedule for both classes. </p>

<p>You might be thinking "why not take Intro to Economics senior year?" Well, because that class is mandated, I have to take it, and as a result, my schedule may be messed up. There are many Intro to Economics classes, so a mess up chance is small, but it is still very present. </p>

<p>You might also suggest that I drop AP Bio, but then I'm scared that my schedule might not seem challenging enough. I'll list my possible schedules. There are no honors classes listed here. They are either AP or CP (regular). We have honors classes at my school, but most upperclassmen don't take them, or they are not offered for that subject (usually the latter).</p>

<p>JUNIOR YEAR
(A)
AP Lang
AP Calc AB
AP Us History
Gym
Spanish 5
AP Bio
Marketing</p>

<p>(B)
AP Lang
AP Calc AB
AP Us History
Gym
Spanish 5
AP Bio
Intro to Economics</p>

<p>(C)
AP Lang
AP Calc AB
AP Us History
Gym
Spanish 5
Physics
Intro to Economics
Marketing</p>

<p>SENIOR YEAR
AP Lit
AP Calc BC
AP Gov
Gym
AP Spanish
AP Physics
Independent Project</p>

<ul>
<li>With A, my senior year schedule has the possibility of getting messed up. </li>
<li>With B, I may not be able to run for this state office. However, I may get an exemption by saying that I cannot fit the class in my schedule.</li>
<li>A and B are both the most difficult schedules possible. </li>
<li>With C, I have the ideal schedule. It's not easy, but will lighten my workload/stress A LOT. In addition, it solves all my problems. The only problem is that it may seem too easy. Also, my school doesn't rank; school's only see top 5% (basically top 5 students). And my peers who do take AP Bio may get high GPAs as a result of the boost. However, I have perfect grades right now (all A+'s), so maybe I shouldn't be too worried?</li>
</ul>

<p>Again, I REALLY REALLY appreciate any help, advice, insight, whatever. If you have any questions or need clarification, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO SAY!! I REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!!!! HELP!!! Thanks!! :)</p>

2

<p>Honestly, it seems like you prefer schedule C. If that’s the schedule that will let you do what you want, then do that schedule.</p>

3

<p>But do you think that it will seem too easy to admissions officers?</p>

4

<p>You are still taking 3 AP classes. Is there any way you could take AP Physics instead of regular junior year and then take AP Bio senior year?</p>

5

<p>AP Bio and AP Chem rotate in my school, so AP Bio wouldn’t be available senior year. I could take AP Physics junior year, but then I would only have 3 years of science, because then I would have to take AP Chem senior year. my mediocrity at chem+the teacher=fail. </p>

<p>Also, I don’t think taking AP Physics junior year would solve anything, because it would just be replacing AP Bio and I would be left with the same scenario. Because all the AP sciences are double periods.</p>

6

<p>Well then just stick with C. If you score well on the AP tests, 3 AP’s is not a bad schedule.</p>

7

<p>You can always get AP bio prep books and take the exam. Colleges look at the exams (if I’m not mistaken). But then again, taking the classes is always the best option.</p>

8

<p>I’m looking to self study at least macro, micro, and stats. AP Bio as a class as barely any work, but the tests are difficult, and I’m not sure I will do well on the actual AP test. I just worry about taking 4 non-honors classes and what that will do to my GPA and colleges’s perceptions of me.</p>

9

<p>bump…</p>

10

<p>Ok, it depends on what colleges you want to go to. Ivy League, then you should definitely keep AP Bio in there. Colleges can see how many APs your school offers. For example, my school offers over 30, so taking 5 junior year like I do isn’t as impressive as it is for a student who goes to a high school that only offers 7 APs. I hope that makes sense. At my school, the top students take 6 or even 7 APs junior year, so you can see why taking 5 APS, while still competitive, is not valedictorian material. </p>

<p>Anyways, you do sound like you’re aiming for valedictorian (or at least 5%), so yes, take AP Bio. You don’t want to spend senior year stressed because you’re behind, and you never know if your classmates will raise it up a bar next year, leaving you two APs behind. </p>

<p>I would recommend taking Schedule A. Trust me, you’ll get into Economics senior year, have you heard of anyone at your school not getting in? And even on the SMALL chance you don’t, you can take it online. Plenty of people at my school do that, it’s not time consuming and it would give you an edge on your classmates. If you want to be a qualified candidate for state office, you need to take it, and you know it’s going to be easy, which equals less homework for you. </p>

<p>I could give you better advice if I knew what colleges you’re interested in, if you’re thinking about state universities then go with Schedule C for sure…</p>

11

<p>I’m shooting for Dartmouth, Penn SAS…and kinda Yale. My school has hyper grade inflation, so I’m probably not going to take C. Last year, we had 3 saludictorians, so that kinda shows how tight this is. I’m going to ask my counselor if I can take an online economics class. That’s a good idea. </p>

<p>More GPA info (This is the maximum GPA I can get with each schedule):
A: 4.77
B: 4.8
C: 4.61</p>

12

<p>Also, in my senior year, there will only be one AP Gov and AP Spanish classes and two AP Calc, Lit, and Physics classes. So there won’t be that much room for breathing. Since economics is a semester class, there will be a lot, but you never know. I feel like I am over thinking this.</p>

13

<p>I think you can handle A. I’m in Calc AB now, and it’s not as hard as it sounds. We finished the entire curriculum by March, so now we’re just reviewing until the AP exam. I thought that Pre-Calc was much harder, but once you grasp those concepts, Calculus is really just elaborating on them. To be honest, most of the coursework felt more like a review of last year than anything. </p>

<p>AP Lang is a breeze, my teacher gives quite a bit of homework, but it’s English, so it’s not like I have to struggle for an A.</p>

<p>AP US History really just depends on your teacher. If you have a good one, the information will be really interesting and engaging; if you don’t, be prepared for a lot of confusing facts and dates… and if I’m not mistaken, I believe it has the lowest AP pass rate in the country. </p>

<p>I’m in Latin, so I can’t give you much advice on Spanish 5, but I assume that if you got to that level as a junior, you’ll be fine. (How did you, by the way? I’ve been taking Latin since 5th grade and I’m only in Latin 4…just curious!)</p>

<p>Hope I helped! But yeah, with schools like Dartmouth and Yale, you for sure need to be in A. Top 5% is critical for you.</p>

14

<p>Just relax, I promise your school will give you priority considering you’re one of it’s top students. You’ll get into your classes, just become friends with the guidance counselor, haha.</p>

15

<p>In my school The Lang teacher is an ax murderer, as is the Calc AB one. I’m good at math, but the teacher is just plain scary. History is just meh. The Bio teacher is really easy…he just gives really difficult tests. I would drop Lang to go to honors, but that wouldn’t help me schedule-wise.</p>

16

<p>I started high school with Spanish 3. I guess that’s just how our school works? I’m only one level higher than the typical.</p>

17

<p>We don’t have a Spanish 5 Honors class…only AP and I’m definitely not taking AP Spanish junior year.</p>

18

<p>THANKS A LOT, though. I’m probably going to take A, unless I hear any significant arguments against it.</p>

19

<p>You’ll be fine in Calc and Lang. I’m pretty bad at being taught in a class, it’s hard for me to focus, so I learn most of the topics online at Kahn Academy and it works perfect. Lang you honestly don’t need a teacher in, it’s English, just memorize all the English terms and know how the exam is scored and you’ll be more than fine.</p>

20

<p>Take A, AP classes are never as hard as you think they’re going to be.</p>