Help me with course load! NoVA sophomore with Ivy dreams

OP- this looks like a recipe for burnout, whether you end up at Harvard, UVA or George Mason.

It’s not a race to see who can take the most AP’s. You need to demonstrate that you have strong time management skills, have challenged yourself intellectually, and that you are curious and eager to learn. You don’t need to prove that you can take every AP that’s offered, and you can downshift academically (would your guidance counselor even approve this schedule?) without turning into a slacker.

So slow down. Take your classes seriously- but also make time for fun, for activities that bring you joy, for spending time with your family, for a part-time job, etc. i.e. being a HS kid.

You’ll end up somewhere challenging with plenty of opportunities to become the grownup you want to be- I promise you. In the meantime, be thoughtful about being the best HS kid you can be- not just in the classroom and not because you’re scoring AP points-- but because you’re also developing interests and contributing to your community and continuing to be a good person/citizen.

6 Likes