Hello again. Sorry to bother everyone, but my want-to-be nurse D is registering for 11th grade (high school) classes very soon. And she just learned her high school has added an advanced science elective track for students who are interested in a medical career. If she takes these electives, she would NOT be able to squeeze an AP chem or bio class into her schedule before graduation. So I guess I’m wondering which option would best prepare her (and potentially “look” better on a transcript).
Here they are:
Option 1 (original option)
Honors Bio (9th grade)
High Honors Chem BC (10th grade)
AP Physics 1 (full year, single period course)
Anatomy & Physiology (full year, single period course)
AP Chem or AP Bio (full year, 2 period course because of lab)
Option 2
Honors Bio (9th grade)
High Honors Chem BC (10th grade)
AP Physics 1 (full year, single period course)
Anatomy & Physiology (full year, single period course)
Nonmolecular Neuroscience (one semester elective, junior year)
Organic Chemistry (one semester elective, junior year)
Biochemstry (one semester elective, senior year)
Molecular Neuroscience (one semester elective, senior year)
In addition, she will obviously have four years of math (through calculus), four years of English, four years of social studies, three years of foreign language, two arts courses, and computer science. Across all subjects, she will have 7-9 AP classes, not including the AP chem/bio if she goes that route. She is not a straight A student, and can expect some Bs with a rigorous schedule. Current GPA is 4.79 (weighted) and 3.79 (unweighted). Not sure it matters, but my best guess for her SAT score is around 1400 maybe a hair higher. Her most recent PSAT scores is 1240 (660 math); she will take it again this spring as a 10th grader.
Option 1 makes more sense since the courses in Option 2 do not match nursing students’ curriculum.
The program you describe is excellent. Even if direct-entry nursing is one of the most competitive majors regardless of college, Option1+your description would meet all possible programs’expectations (and not just their requirements.) Looks like she’s in good shape.
Even for premed hopefuls, I would imagine taking AP Bio and/or AP Chem would trump 1 semester of “HS intro to Organic chemistry” (which becomes pointless when 2 years later students take General Chemistry with students who took AP chem and get weeded out - Orgo is weedout too but is even further away from HS jr year… ) Option 2 would only make sense if students take the advanced electives alongside AP bio/chem and thus do not take A&P.
Option 1 for sure. Option 2 is simultaneously too niche for a high schooler, and also won’t cover those topics very in-depth. I don’t think such courses are particularly useful for your daughter’s goals. I agree with the stuff the others have said as well.
Sorry I jumped in at the end and haven’t read all the posts, but as a note, my kiddo took honors Bio, Honors Chem, AP Bio and Anatomy. No Physics at all, and is also pursuing a health/science related plan in college. It did not damper her college admissions at all, as she was admitted everywhere she applied ( 35-80% acceptance rate range schools) not to have physics. She will at some point take Physics 1 & 2 as a requirement for PT school.
Sure, she could take honors physics instead of AP physics 1 – but it won’t open up an additional class period for her. She is already planning for two science periods per day. Junior year would be AP physics 1 (one period) + anatomy (one period). Senior year would be AP bio or AP chem (both are double period). Even if she dropped anatomy, she would be hard pressed to squeeze in two double-period science classes + physics. Physics is required. Not to mention several other requirements (2 arts, 3 foreign language, computer science and civics) plus math/English/social studies.
I also worry about balancing rigor vs GPA. Looks like she’s squeezing out 6 A’s and 1 B this semester, but a couple of those A’s were by the skin of her teeth!
ABSOLUTELY take Anatomy! My son is a nursing major with a Chem and Bio minor… He did honors bio, honors chem, AP bio, AP Chem, AP Physics and Anatomy. Anatomy really helped when it came to his anatomy class in college. Physics is not needed for nursing BUT if they wan to take the MCATs and go to medical school it is about 5% of the test so he is glad he took it. Def go direct admit! Your kid has worked hard to get into a nursing program, why should they have to compete again in 2 years… also I have a few friends that ended up 5 years because they did not get into nursing the first time around
My daughter only took honors chemistry and biology, and no physics in HS, she regretted that in college (she only got one B in college, in a chemistry class, but struggled, wished her HS classes were more rigorous in sciences even though she took 9 AP classes. She is in her 2nd year of her dpt program.
There is always some unicorn program that requires something out of the ordinary - my daughter took college physics in high school, which didn’t help her with her college BSN program, lol. But in looking at programs at the time, UConn required high school physics for admission. I am not sure if they still do.
So true- another example: UVM’s BSN requires HS Pre-Calc… non negotiable. My daughter took AP Statistics. When she asked UVM directly, as that’s her style, they told her to not even bother applying. No chance of admission to BSN without Pre Calc.
Interesting re: varying course requirements. Other than physics and pre-calc, anyone else catch a unique or specific high school requirement? Do any BSN programs require 4 years of foreign language (my D is planning on 3 yrs only)??
Even if not required for nursing school, it could be helpful for a nurse to have enough proficiency in a common foreign language in the location of practice in order to better be able to communicate with speakers of that language whose English skills are not so good.
You mentioned that physics was required, so she has that covered. I was surprised that there are high schools that don’t require one year each of bio, chem and physics, until I read some threads like this one.
Sounds like she is on track to take math through calculus. Personally, I would take calculus rather than statistics. AP Statistics, as far as I know, is not calculus based. My kid who applied for nursing (later changed her mind, can see that info on other threads), took AP Calc. She was fine when she took statistics in college - and statistics with calculus will serve you better in the long run.
I sincerely doubt any BSN programs require four years of foreign language - most colleges, even elite ones, don’t need to see more than three years in HS. My nursing applicant kid took Latin (through fourth year, three years in HS) against our advice. Did not hurt her in admissions, though she is proficient in French (but colleges would not have known that).
Proficiency in a spoken world language is very useful to nurses - Spanish, obviously, but if the student took French through intermediate/AP then a pivot to Haitian Creole is a smart move because there’s a high need for them. Other languages not commonly taught in HS can also be useful but these tend to be much more difficult than Spanish or French.
(Highly selective colleges expect 4 years or AP but will make exemptions depending on HS offerings and the expected major. No nursing program will expect 4 years or AP, it’s only advantageous to practice.)
@MYOS1634@ucbalumnus@Crankymom
Thank you for replying. My daughter’s language is Spanish, which would undoubtedly come in handy later on. Unfortunately, her high school does not offer Spanish 4 – All 4th year language students are required to take AP. (By way of explanation, she attends a competitive test-in high school in a major US city. The entire school is made up of students who would otherwise likely be in the top 10-15% of a regular public high school. Course offerings are tailored accordingly. Although, in the case of foreign language, I really wish they offered an honors level 4th year.) She was planning to opt out of AP Spanish (1) to free up an extra period senior year (remember AP Chem/Bio are double periods) and (2) because foreign language does not come easy and she doesn’t want to take the AP exam. Not sure she will change her mind on this one, so hopefully 3 years is enough!
