Does it look bad to have only 3 years of science?

Applying to College
1

I am applying to top tier schools (bowdoin, williams, brown)

I have only three years of science (honors chem, honors bio, honors physics) and As in all. I am taking a full schedule next year, but no sciences. Is this gonna look bad?

2

I know in NY State, viable candidates for top schools such as these would typically have 5 science credits. What science course is offered at your school that you have not taken?

3

You can call the admission offices at your top tier schools and ask them.

4

Check each school you are going to apply. Many require only 3 years of lab sciences. However, it is in general better to have all 4 cores every year.

5

Yes, what is “required” and what most viable candidates will actually have is typically different at the more selective colleges.

6

I would continue taking science classes if I were you since you haven’t gotten very in depth in any one particular science, and you only have 3 years instead of a more common 4. As far as just not taking science classes senior year goes, I actually didn’t take any either, but I had already taken 4+ years of science classes by the end of junior year so my case is different than yours.

7

You do have one each of biology, chemistry, and physics, which is the best possible three years of science. It will probably look better to take a four year (a more advanced course in one of the three), but your science courses probably look better than those of someone who took three or four years of science but skipped one of the three primary ones. If you intend to major in any kind of science, taking an additional advanced level science in high school (if available) would be more strongly recommended.

What the colleges you list say:

Bowdoin at https://www.bowdoin.edu/admissions/apply/selection-process.shtml : “Although Bowdoin does not require a prescribed high school program or number of courses, the typical entering first-year student will have had four years each of English, foreign language, mathematics, social science and three to four years of laboratory sciences.”

Williams at http://admission.williams.edu/apply/ : “Applicants to Williams should pursue the strongest program of study offered by their secondary schools. While there are no absolute requirements for admission, competitive candidates typically study English, math, natural science, foreign language and social studies in four-year sequences and present a distinguished record throughout their secondary school career.”

Brown at http://www.brown.edu/about/administration/institutional-research/sites/brown.edu.about.administration.institutional-research/files/uploads/CDS_2014-2015.pdf : 3 science required, 4 recommended in section C5.