You are focused on excess that even a Harvard kid doesn’t need - but if you have the chance to well round all major subjects into 4 academics (which sounds like one more social science) - that’s it. Maybe it’s overkill - but this way you remove any doubt.
You’re over doing it - not in the sense, this is the school and he can handle.
But you are overkill in your obsession of the prep.
He’s there and then some - for any school in America but that 4th social science mitigates any potential risk….likely very minimal but potential risk as a few of us posters have shown having a 4th is good.
But you’ve not just drank the kool-aid but had a 2nd and 3rd cup - it’s going to be ok.
He’s going to be good in life because he’s good - not because he goes to Cal Poly Pomona instead of Ga Tech.
And he’s going to get into top flight schools btw.
So sit back and enjoy his ride - for real.
You’re nit picking where in this case, nit picking is truly unwarranted.
That’s not necessarily true. If he picks a school with generous AP credit policies or a test in system for first year classes, HS English and social science classes could be used in lieu of required gen ed classes. My daughter had a grand total of 1 gen ed class she had to do in college because she was able to use AP scores and DE grades/transcripts. She was much happier having the ability to explore what she really wanted for her major, her concentration, certification, etc…
About the schedule -
He needs math in his senior year one way or another. For an engineer/CS hopeful that is a must. The typical math sequence in engineering is Calc I, II, MVC, Diff Eq, Linear Algebra and a calc based stats course. I would ask the HS counselor if he can take Diff Eq senior year. I have to believe that the school will have a plan for the highly accelerated math students.
I’m not worried about foreign language because he is already beyond level 4 so I think doing Mandarin is just fine since he’s excited about it .
I’d in the camp of recommending Government and Econ to meet the benchmark of “4 year recommended” for most selective colleges.
And calc based physics if offered is a must before graduation. That class will help the transition to college immensely.
PS. My kid was/is a theater kid too. Find room for the theater tech class for sure!
Theater and other arts are commonly offered as courses and majors in general or liberal arts colleges and universities. Why would theater not be considered academic for college purposes?
I think there is too much angst over a kid who apparently is one of the best athletes in the country, who is an academic superstar, and who is not gunning for an elite school. Given this, I agree with @tsbna44 – relax and enjoy the ride! Your son will get where he wants to go.
If it includes organic chemistry, the knowledge gained could possibly be useful if he goes into the environmental subarea of civil engineering. I.e. there may be some value of knowledge gained there, without needing to take organic chemistry in college (which civil engineering students generally do not take).
It is organic chemistry. I think the fact that it might not be something that’s required for his degree makes it more appealing to him. He likes chemistry, and if he’s not going to take organic chemistry in college, he’d like a chance to learn it.
At our state flagship, which is the only school where I have looked deeply, students place out of distribution requirements with AP tests, not with high school classes. This is a kid who loves standardized tests, has taken some and plans to take more, including history, social science, and English exams. So, if he goes to our state flagship, or another school that offers credit, he should be able to place out of things. He likes the idea of freeing up electives for arts, so he’s on board with this plan.
But his school’s social science offerings for senior year are all single semester classes, and most of them don’t align with an exam. There are some he could add some self study to and potentially pass an exam. But there aren’t ones that align as easily as say US History/APUSH exam.
I asked him yesterday what his ideal schedule would be.
Here is what he gave me as his ideal. I’m surprised that Mandarin didn’t make the cut.
11th
English III, US History, Biology, Linear Algebra, an advanced comp sci elective, tech theater
12th
English IV, Calc based physics, Organic Chemistry, Spanish 7, and two more classes.
Apparently, skipping Spanish 6 is an option.
For the two other classes he says his choices would be: environmental science or Chinese, and tech theater or a studio art class. He’s not sure yet what he wants, but those are the courses he named.
He likes the idea of taking a college math class online in the summer, better than the idea of stats, independent study math, or of trying to fit a college math class in during the year.
This might have changed. He has been very focused on not spending too much money. We’ve recently had some positive changes in our finances, and I had assumed it would drastically change his eligibility for financial aid. For S26, whose first choice schools are FAFSA schools, it looks like it will, but when I run the NPC’s for S28 at some of the schools with the best reputations for aid, they still come in cheaper than our state flagship.
I still don’t think he’s “gunning” but he’s interested.
His school agrees with you, they consider it an elective.
But when thinking about requirements like this:
Theater is another piece of evidence that he’s engaging with the humanities, and developing new perspectives.
I think Purdue would be a great fit for him. Looking at their minimums, it seems like he’ll exceed in every way except English (where exceeding isn’t an option) and possibly the number of social studies/history classes.
They also say “take as many advanced math and science classes as possible”.
I know I seem like I’m arguing. I don’t mean to. I’m just confused. I agree with the overall message I’m hearing here, which seems to be that he should let his interests lead him. He’s ahead in many areas, something like tech theater instead of computer science won’t hurt him. I’m just trying to understand why people who support tech theater over computer science, because he should follow his interests, react so strongly to chemistry over social sciences.
Purdue has added a Civics Literacy Proficiency requirement for graduation. HS AP or DE gov will meet that requirement.
My daughter’s school didn’t offer AP gov either but she submitted her DE syllabus and grades and it was approved for credit. Also a one semester class (the other semester she took Econ which was a graduation requirement in our state).
Purdue does not want students compromising core courses for extra math and science. IMO, not having 4 years of social studies is compromising on the core.
With your student so advanced in math and planning to take calc based physics, he’s all set on the math/science side.
Are any of them topics of interest, particularly subjects he may not take in college? If so, he may gain knowledge or learning value from them. That would be analogous to taking organic chemistry in high school if he will not take it in college.
I think debt is never good and I’d check into outcomes - elite might be a fake thing when talking about certain majors.
And I’ll repeat earlier - your kid is beyond the necessary - there’s not any school that will just consider him - just meeting the minimums. He’s loaded - but a 4th core year can be a god thing.
I’m not sure what this is in reference to. When I run the NPC for some schools, schools that have very good reputations for financial aid, the price comes in below our state flagship, which is why we’re back to considering them. They may not end up cheaper, because our state flagship doesn’t include merit on the NPC. So, he’ll probably apply to a handful of schools and make the decision after he knows the actual cost.
You could always say that if he takes Advanced Chemistry in HS, he will have to take one semester of a social science of his choice in college. This way his education is not compromised and since the problem is what choices he has at his HS there will be more choices at any college.
That being said I also don’t think his admission to a top university will hinge on having that 4th social science class.
My concern is more along the lines of understanding social and political dynamics - firstly for himself as a citizen, and secondly especially as a civil engineer, where policy, politics, economics, sociology, intercultural communication, will all factor in infrastructure decisions and issues.
Any highly selective university is a gamble and senior year is important, it shouldn’t just be to check a box once everything’s been done right.
I definitely think Environmental science should be part of a future civil engineer’s education but that can be done in college if he has some credits from AP exams that free up some electives in college, or in HS if the class at his school sounds interesting to him.
I meant, for example, a UIUC, U Texas or U Michigan might be the highest ‘ranked’ but it may not be a major where that means anything. You can check outcomes to see.
Obviously any school within your desired budget is fair game. If Mich grads make $3k more but it’s $40k more a year …and you have to look where said grads are finding jobs. And it’s out of budget so should be shelved regardless of how great the name is.