Let me start off by introducing myself. I'm Morgan, I'm currently a sophmore in high school. I am really looking forward to heading off to college, but my mom is making it a nightmare. I have started planning my classes for next year, but I don' think that they are all quiet the right classes. I'm really looking into being a retail pharamist and need help with my classes.
Next year I'm going to take;
AP Chem
AP Econ
AP Spanish
AP Calc
AP Lang and comp
Chorus
T.V. Production (school news)
I really want to take Anatomy and Phisiology and Health Science 2 instead of AP Chem and AP Econ, since I'll only be a junior next year I can take econ and gov my senior year.
I've been told that I NEED AP classes to get into college, that colleges mainly concider those students that take AP classes over others, and so far I haven't been able to prove them wrong. I am in the AP+ Program at school which pretty much means I have to have 6 AP credits to graduate.
On top of the crazy schedule I also swim year round, work and volunteer.
Should I take the original classes or change them?
Morgan,
That is a very intense schedule for a junior, but I'm guessing you are a very strong student or you wouldn't be taking that many AP courses. I am assuming you (and your parents) are thinking you will be attending a very top tier college.
As for science classes - what have you taken so far? Typically you'd take biology, chemistry and physics your first 3 years. Some people double up with AP science junior year along with an honors science class they haven't taken yet. I'm not sure where you are with that.
As for AP classes helping with getting into college - you'll hear some different opinions, but I think the most sensible recommendation for getting into "the best" college I've heard is that you should take the most challenging courses possible, where you can succeed and not rob yourself of having a life outside of academics. Having said that (and I don't mean to contradict your parents), I personally wouldn't recommend my kids take that many AP courses unless they were the courses they really wanted to take. The best college for you and your career goals may not be the highest rated college in the country.
In the big picture, I don't know that the changes in classes you are considering will make that much of a difference in getting into specific colleges. I think that your GPA (weight and unweighted) combined with your test scores will make the most difference.
Yes it is intense, the only class that I actually want to take out of all those AP is Chem. I'm not allowed to choose my own schedule. My mother believes that a B in an AP class is always better for college than an A in an honors class. My AP classes are very difficult and I have had a difficult time with APUSH so far (only a B). I'm not looking forward to junior year, but I would like to get into Emory, or University of Michigan. I'm planning on emailing their admissions councils to get a better understanding of what kind of student they are interested in, so that I may properly prepare myself. So I guess what I'm asking is; Are all those AP classes a good idea? Are they really better than honors? With all of those classes I have no time to become the "perfect" well-rounded student. Being well rounded is important right?
I have taken Biology, and I am taking Chemestry this year. I was told I don't have to take physics, so my councler and I decided that I could manage AP Chem.