42answersall

I am applying to Caltech this year, regular admissions, and am having a dilemma in choosing college classes to take next semester. I need to take some sort of physical education class, to graduate high school (couldn't take PE the year I was supposed to due to health problems). I am currently enrolled in Calculus 1 at Pierce college and want to take Calculus 2, I am also enrolled in Physics 6 at Pierce which unfortunately is not calc based, the only calc based physics class that I was and will be able to take is Physics 1 for engineers (you have to be concurrently enrolled in calc II to take it). The only times possible to take these classes which doesn't coincide is taking Calc II M-Thu at Valley college for an hour which is not bad, but then I would have to stay at Valley on Mondays and Wednesdays for 4 hours and get there on Friday the class is from 6:45 - 8:50 MW, and 6:45 - 9:55 W. I live to far to make it worth going home. And I am required to take the PE class Thursday night from 8:05-10:10. In short I will have no life. Is it worth it, AP Physics is not offered at my school, AP Calc is, but only AB and with an incompetent nitpicky teacher. I don't know what to do, do you think it is worth it? Oh I also have Rainbow (Masonic organization) meetings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month, I would quit that, but I will be the Worthy Advisor (President) in February, so its pointless to quit now, plus I like Rainbow, it is fun.
Does anyone have an opinion, if I can only take one class should I go for calc II or physics 7 (not calc based), should I do both of them and not do anything else at all senior year? What are my chances at Caltech without calc based physics? Any piece of advise will be a help.Thanks in advance.
Shir
PS. sorry about the length.

42answersall

Oh and I am also taking 3 APs, which I will need to sort of study for (lit, enviro, US gov). PS my math SAT I score is lacking, M-700, V-760, I have research experience, and nice letters of rec. If my chances aren't good at all should I "ruin" my senior year on the slight chance that it could help, Caltech won't see grade anyway so will it matter? Frustration!
Thanks
Shir

kyshantry

It doesn't matter that much which you take. There are a good number of students who enter without calc based phys, and while it certainly makes it a fair bit easier you're life won't end. Often times, however, pre-reqs aren't that stringent. If you just sign up for and show up for the calc based phys class, they'll probably let you take it. I'm unfortunately too lazy to wade through all the times you lited, so you'll have to sort that out, but, in essence, don't stress about it. Take whatever sounds interesting and cool to you.

Galen

simfish

Also, you don't even need to graduate high school to attend Caltech. Linus Pauling never graduated from his high school. ;-)

I've thought about actually not even graduating from high school - due to PE requirements. But thanks to IB - I don't need to take any more years of PE.