<p>Starting with this year’s freshman class, all public high school students in Texas must take 4 years of math and 4 years of science. They already must take 4 years of English and 4 of social studies. On top of that, add the other gems Texas requires such as Health and Communications Applications, add your foreign language, and a student has very few electives. It does not seem like a Texas public high school student can show either a passion for a particular subject matter by taking a lot of courses in one area, or a wide diversity of interests by taking courses in lots of different areas. Most of high school is spent on required courses.</p>
<p>Do college admissions officers care about this at all, or are they just looking for “challenging” courses?</p>
<p>Consider you and your fellow students fortunate. Somehow Americans feel that 4Y math and sci is too much. That’s absolutely insane and I’m glad your state is changing that.</p>
<p>Admcoms look for students who will excel in their environment and won’t penalize them for the state’s broad requirements. I think you’ll find however, that most of the viable candidates to the top 50 are ALREADY taking the load you suggest. </p>
<p>I went to the top HS (by far) in my large public school district. My electives? Band Fr-Jr, and ROTC So-Sr years. I had 4ys: english, math, sci, language. In addition I took 4 APS above those. Passion? I showed passion that I was an aggressive learner at whatever came my way. This is what showed in my file which got me admittance to every school applied. I ended up at my 1st choice, one of the HYP.</p>
<p>The first thing they look for is whether you have taken the courses they require or recommend for applying to the college. Those are typically referred to as “college prep” courses and are usually in the range of 4 years of English, 3 to 4 of math, 2 to 3 of physical sciences, reaching the second to fourth level of a foreign language, and 2 to 4 years of social studies (and when colleges set their requirements at the lower ends of those required years, they consider those lower ends to be the bare minimum, and more is better). What Texas is doing is loading the course schedule with things considered to be by colleges core college prep courses. Colleges are not looking for you to specialize in high school or demonstrate a passion for one particular subject matter. I am fairly certain colleges are viewing Texas’ move favorably and Texas is viewing it as a way to assure students are getting good college prep and may result in more of their students going to and succeeding in college.</p>
<p>I’m a parent and I’m in the camp that thinks that requiring 4 years of HS math and science is ridiculous. The state specifies, for the most part, WHICH math and science classes must be taken.</p>
<p>Face it…it’s not politically correct to say, but in the general population, half of the kids are of above average intelligence and half are of below average intelligence. Of those below average, the bottom of the intelligence scale are taking special classes. But otherwise, the schools are going to have to come up with some course called “Physics” that the high school students of below average intelligence can pass. If a child goes to a very small school, all kids of all levels of intelligence are going to be in this one Physics class that has to be of a level that someone with an IQ of 85 can pass. There are much better uses of that child’s high school time than taking a required Physics class.</p>
<p>I see your point to a degree – the soln may not be just to add diluted “4th year science” classes. The problems should probably be averted earlier. But such is the ongoing debate of America’s education system. </p>
<p>But that being said, I think drusba’s reply is excellent in regards to your child whom I’m assuming is looking to apply to so-called “top ranked” schools. No adcom expects “specialization” for high school students. Like I said, I took only one elective each semester most of my HS career.</p>
<p>If you child happens to attend one of these smaller schools and due to limited resources, the upper tier math/sci classes are weaker, then maybe encourage him/her to arrange an independent study with the school or take communtity college classes. My senior year, our valedictorian did a self study in mathematics. BC Calculus was a breeze for her in her Jr. year.</p>
<p>The 4 year science thing may be a little excessive for those who don’t like science, but as a senior I am slated to have finished 6.5 years of science and 5 years of math as of graduation. I feel sorry for you guys because you have to take 4 years of history, I stuck to only 3 years with the hardest load possible in social studies (hard load is necessary for top schools) because I don’t like it. However I maintained A’s, an 800 SAT II and a 5 on the exam. Yikes, (I’m quoting my parents here!!) whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. Make sure you (or your kid) earns good grades and if possible takes electives in courses that interest them. Starting in 11th grade I just took math and science AP’s as my electives because the others didn’t interest me so much. If your kid likes English and history take Shakespeare, Debate, AP European/Geo for her electives. In that way you get both diversity and concentration.</p>
<p>In California, or at least my school district, it is basically the same. Four years of math and English required. Three years of language, history, and science. But there are still opprotunities for electives. You can take college courses/online during the summer to get your language/etc. requirements filled for the year early. Or take them during the actual school year. Or, if that is not available, you can take “early bird” as our school calls it, “0 period” classes or take a seventh period. There are ways to fit in more electives, and that will reflect in college aps.</p>
<p>I see your point about resources being spread thin, particularly at small schools. But, to answer your question, it depends: an engineering or math-science school will want to see calculus (= year 5), physics, & chem, and won’t care as much if the applicant has four years of humanities. But, the vast majority of highly selective liberal arts colleges and Unis prefer four years each of the five academics (english, history, science, math, foreign language). Kids who have a knack for one or more, will demonstrate passion by taking the AP/IB class, or more than four years. As Fred notes, he’ll have 6+ years of science. Science-oriented kids at our HS usually double with AP sciences in one year. History fans can double with Euro and APUSH. </p>
<p>Of course, in TX, one just needs to be in the top 10% of gpa for automatic admission to Austin. In Calif, students ranked below the top 5% typically do not get into Cal nor UCLA.</p>