The good thing here is and I can’t remember who said it earlier - @L_NewEngland - these are electives, regardless of what they are (unless the high school or college attending wants a art/performing art class).
We often see kids on here that will take AP Computer Science but not the next math or language or lab science - and many of the people posting in this thread as well as others, typically come back with - you don’t need AP CS. It’s an elective. You do need that extra year of that core class.
So I think, from a college admissions POV, short of one that wants a performing art/art, that this is a non impactful decision.
In other words, it’s not going to impact where you apply or get in.
So in that sense, I don’t think there needs to be pressure selection wise but I do totally get the, I want my student to physically sweat a bit.
They are still considered academic courses, and the OP has noted that the high school requires both an art course and a tech course (that CS fulfills) for graduation. Fortunately, the high school appears to have 7 period schedules, so there is plenty of additional space beyond the 5 usual subjects that college prep students commonly take every year. The only other possible concern is whether the high school offers enough higher level math (or is near a college that allows high school students to take courses at) for the student after she completes calculus in 10th grade.
It is a non-impactful decision because the student will likely take both art and CS, and the decision now just changes which one is taken in 9th grade versus later.
Colleges will not ignore academic electives like art and CS in the high school record, whether or not they list them as admission requirements or recommendations.
I mean they are both arguably, potentially, academic (I would argue dance could be academic too if done properly - one can get a PhD in dance:) AND an elective subject… (of note dance is probably closer to PE here).
CS is not a math class for HS though (99.9% of time). Dance does not fall in core 5 subject (math, science, english, social studies/history, foreign language) …And yes I know CS really started as math/applied math and used to fall in math departments - in HS it isn’t a math class… you shouldn’t take Java after pre-calc.
AOs, by all accounts I have seen/heard/demonstrated, particularly in private holistic - look at core subjects first and foremost – CS doesn’t fall in that. It is “extra” … sure AP extras are better than non AP extras all things being equal.
This is all generalities, of course.
Also, doesn’t she have to take an art class eventually anyway?
Where this could really factor in most, if getting in weeds, is if school ranks publicly with a weighted GPA and APs are weighting and kid may be at top of class… this makes kid #30 and not 2 or something. Hard to know that in 9th grade and I would not plan my life that way myself.
Must D30 take AP Computer Science to satisfy a high school computer requirement? Does the high school offer other types of computer electives - like computer applications or computer graphics, ones that may connect with art? Taking AP Computer Science isn’t necessarily the best alternative, especially if a student has no interest in learning computer programming.
The school has 4 options to meet the requirement. Two are on level, and two are above level. Given that she’s a strong student, who likes math and coding, my guess is that she’ll choose one of the more advanced ones. The other option is a PLTW engineering course, and she hasn’t expressed any interest in engineering, so my guess is she’ll chose CSP. The school does offer other computer based classes, digital art, CSA, etc . . But they don’t count towards the tech requirement.
Oh, well in that case, D30 should take AP Computer Principles, but not necessary in 9th grade. She can take the class in 10th grade & if interested in continuing on, then take A in 11th grade. D30 should still take the dance class if this is what she wants to take first. Remember, these electives should ultimately be her choices to make - college admissions committees analyze these things when analyzing transcripts - not just the grades but also the classes selected, what & when; did a student complete a two or three-year elective sequence in a certain area, or is she more of a dilettante? How much variation or how ‘well-rounded’ in both academic & elective areas.
In general, capable students should take the AP classes offered at their school that are taught by good teachers, will broaden their horizons. Definitely AP Lang and if possible the math track that leads to AP Calc AB or BC, preferably AP foreign language, hopefully AP sciences, and then as many others as are taught by great teachers. For example, they may never take European history or Econ in college, but if there is a great AP Euro class or Econ class at their high school, they definitely should take them. Consider them as opportunities to get a broad education in topics that they just may not have time for in college.
So unless she is very interested in Comp Sci, dance is totally fine and wait for APs until next year. Certainly, not having taken an AP in 9th grade will not keep her out of consideration for even the most selective colleges.
I feel like dilettante is a harsh word for a 14 -18 year old who is still figuring out what they like, or in this case, does the things she’s passionate about outside of school.
Do colleges really judge kids for not knowing at 14 what they like best? That seems as harsh and ridiculous as judging them for not taking AP’s as freshmen.
You’re right about sounding harsh. It is perfectly okay to take a wide variety of electives while in high school without completing some type of cluster of 3-4 classes which some students do, usually when strongly encouraged to do so by guidance or to meet some type of program requirement, hard or soft. There shouldn’t be any disadvantage whatsoever in taking dance, computer science, & other distinct electives, in other words, pursuing a rich & varied curriculum - it may provide some insight into the student’s personality and possible college major choices he/she may make as an early adult.
I might have overreacted to the term. I don’t think it applies to D30. But one of her brothers loves novelty and is constantly wanting to try new things. I do think that it’s a defining characteristic of his personality that he is happiest when he is learning something new and surrounded by people who are better than he is, and I imagine it will in some way shape his eventual career choices. I am definitely curious how colleges will view that aspect of his personality.
It will depend on how he shows it or if he’s even able to via - essays, LORs or otherwise. etc. Don’t forget, what a parent or student knows doesn’t mean an AO will pick up on it in the few minutes they have with the app. Not all schools have essays or those that do may not have supplemental essays. And there are very reputable schools that don’t consider ECs.
In the end, they are evaluating grades, rigor, rank (if avail) and test scores, likely far more than anything else.
In the end, they may see his personality and love him and still reject him. You never know why you get in or you don’t. But academics are no doubt first and foremost.
But many think their kids personality or other traits separate them - so then take your student x thousands and imagine the AOs looking at so many one after the other.
It’s fun to think about or game plan all this but my guess is in most cases it’s unlikely to be a driver.
To be honest about it, those waystage APs, which I agree is the right way to look at it, are not considered rigorous APs by admissions andbeing taken to increase GPAs.
Anyway, for 9th grade, really the key imo, is to have a manageable schedule so you can focus more on getting adjusted to high school. In many CA high schools, in 9th grade, you have to take PE, Science (Bio), Math, English, there’s not even a Social Studies requirement in 9th grade. Typically, students take a foreign language and an Arts class. None of them are honors or AP, there may be an exception here and there, for someone excellent in Math or a foreign language.
World history is most commonly taken in 10th grade, so probably not among the more difficult ones, although it seems to have reputation of being time consuming with reading.
I was also surprised. I haven’t heard anyone before this forum classify AP World History as a waystage AP. I have found that the class is comparable in rigor to AP European History & U.S. History. AP World History typically doesn’t compare at all to World History regular, honors, or even gifted sections. In my opinion, this AP subject is unsuitably challenging & inappropriate for most 9th graders.
One daughter took AP European history in high school, but not until either junior or senior year. At the time I referred to it as “the most difficult A- that I have ever seen in my life” (this was the quote that motivated the same daughter to make a similar quote about Organic Chemistry in university, but an A was not involved in her quote). It was definitely not easy at all.
I have always assumed that AP World History and AP US History were not likely to be any easier, but I do not think that any of us ever took either of these.
If “any of us” means the parents, then for WH, probably not, since it didn’t exist until 2002. And that was before they eliminated half the content in the 2018 redesign.