I’m a junior planning on applying to Barnard ED next fall. My current plan for a senior courseload is 6 of the following 7 classes:
Acting Intensive
Stagecraft Intenstive
AP Statistics
Honors English
AP Physics
AP French
Honors American Electoral Politics
The three that I am deciding between to drop are French, physics, and statistics, and there are pros and cons to dropping each one. For French, I started freshman year so unless I take it senior year I will have one less year of it than most of my classmates. Additionally, language comes very easily to me so it’d be a nice easy AP for me to take. However, most people I know consider language less important than the other core classes, so it might not look as bad to drop it senior year. For statistics, math also is very easy for me so this would be another not-very-high-stress AP, but since I’m a year ahead in math I’ve already taken as many math classes as most graduating seniors have, so it doesn’t seem as necessary. For physics, I’m mostly considering not taking it because I’m not very into science, but I imagine it looks better to push myself to try hard in topics I’m less interested in. So, which shouldn’t I take?
Could you please explain what Acting Intensive and Stagecraft Intensive mean.
I would drop these if they are just electives. You need to take one English, Social Studies, Science, Math course. LOTE would also be great because colleges love this.
^ unless you plan on minoring or majoring in acting. Or you are truly interested and invested in those electives. For instance you might by cast in the school play so that’s understandable!
@kimclan1 @penngirlpending Right, I should’ve specified — I am very committed to technical theater at my school and plan on majoring in theater in college. Acting Intensive is a directing course, which is what I really want to do, and Stagecraft Intensive is design, which is what I mainly do.
I suggest dropping AP Physics because you mentioned you aren’t interested in STEM fields and also I might be wrong but usually there is a prerequisite course such as Physics Honors, otherwise the class would be difficult for you.
@penngirlpending The only requirement to take it is to be simultaneously enrolled in AP Calc, which I’m already taking this year, so I’ll probably be ahead of the curve for my class.
Both of my parents pointed out, which I do agree with, since I’m extremely fast at learning languages I could teach myself French and drop the class, while I can’t teach myself physics or statistics per se.
Self studying is not recommended only because since your school already offers the class and it is better to just take it at school. Students usually self study because the school doesn’t offer the class.
Is there a reason why you need to drop a class? Does your schedule only have 6 slots?
Otherwise look into local community colleges and see if they offer a french class.
We have 7 color blocks, but I also am required to take gym, so I don’t have time in my schedule to take all of the classes.
That really sucks PE is such a waste of time IMO. What are you leaning towards right now?
@penngirlpending I’m leaning toward not taking French. Most kids at my school don’t take a language senior year, so it’s not too uncommon. I feel like even though I’m not into science it’ll look better to show I am more well-rounded and willing to take classes that don’t come as naturally to me and I don’t enjoy as much. Also, if the AP credit can let me waive out of physics in college that’d be nice.
Then go with that! You don’t need us telling you what to do. It’s your schedule after all. If you feel confident about taking AP Physics and studying french on your own go for it!
I took ap physics A as a sophmore. The class was pretty difficult but manageable.However, the ap exam was extremly difficult but I managed a 3 somehow. Good luck 
@Ben115084 We only offer Physics C. The class is supposed to be pretty hard, but the way APs generally go at my school is the class is nearly impossible so you’re ridiculously over-prepared for the AP exam and automatically get a 5.
Wow, my school is not like that we have like a 33% pass rate for our ap exams.
AP French is considered a “strong” AP, AP Stats is considered an “AP Lite”, so you should drop stats, especially since you’ve already completed calculus.
AP Physics C without priori physics is basically impossible since it’s level 2 in the AP Physics sequence. If you school doesn’t offer AP Physics 1 or 2, does it offer Honors Physics?
@MYOS1634 It does offer Honors Physics, but from what I’ve heard people with no physics background get through AP Physics fine. A lot of AP teachers at my school pack the curriculum with extra information not required by the AP, so they probably compensate for the lack of physics background most students have coming in.
^if that’s how your school does it, then you’re ok. But typically Physics C is the second level in the Physics sequence, and many a student found himself or herself hopelessly lost and in danger of failing, during a year when an F means being rescinded. 
So be careful and get as much information as possible from the teachers and current students.