Working with my child to plan high school courses. She has completed grade 9 and is entering grade 10. She is broadly interested in all subjects (seems to really depend on the teacher) but especially interested in English writing (has won a couple of awards).
For Sciences, she is completing Biology GT in grade 9. The default pathway is to take Chemistry GT (grade 10), Physics GT or AP-Physics (grade 11) and then no science in grade 12 (or another Physics/Environmental Sciences course if she wishes to). We are considering alternate pathway which would include introductory Chemistry and Physics (1/2 credit each) for grade 10, and then possibly AP Environmental Science in grade 11. If any of this really piques her interest, she can then take a higher level course in any of the sciences in grade 12. If not, she can not do any science course in grade 12 as she would have met the high school graduation requirements.
We have been advised by a college counselor that selective colleges like to see a full year of Bio, Chem, and Physics (and at least 3 lab courses). We are not sure our student will be applying to selective colleges - it could go either way. Is she limiting her choices by doing 1/2 credits for Chem and Physics in grade 10?
Similarly for Math, she is on a bit advanced pathway but not really enjoying the subject. Her default pathway is Geometry GT (grade 9 which she is currently doing), Algebra II GT (grade 10), Precal GT (grade 11) and AP Calc AB (grade 12). We are considering an alternate path with Alegbra II Regular, not GT (grade 10), Precal Hons, not GT (grade 11) and AP Statistics or Business Calc (grade 12). She has a good head for math but just doesn’t enjoy the subject and doesn’t want to work extra on it, which we understand but think will be a problem in higher math classes. Would her choices be limited if she stops before getting to Calculus AB/BC?
EDIT: I should add that she wants to really lean into English/Writing/Theater and will most likely make it to the Varsity lacrosse team with the possibility of being a recruited athlete. That is the reason we are considering lightening the load in other areas.
For college admission, what do less selective colleges, including your in state public universities, want to see?
Also, taking limited science in high school can make taking science courses in college more difficult if those are needed for major or general education requirements.
While the proposed path would fulfill minimum math requirements for college admission (but will be seen as less competitive at more selective colleges), it could mean being more likely to have to take math in college.
Basically, it looks like she wants to close off the possibility of anything that needs science or math in college. 10th grade may be too early to make that choice that she may regret later.
Your student should be aiming for 4 years of English, Math, Science, History and Foreign Language. Meeting the HS graduation requirements is simply not a high enough bar if selective colleges are the goal.
I agree with your guidance counselor that your student should have a full year of bio, chem, and physics. They don’t need to be at the AP level if there is no interest. Same for math as long as she takes 4 years.
Note though that the decrease rigor could be a problem if your child is gunning for competitive schools. It’s one thing if the APs aren’t offered, but it’s another when it’s a choice not to take it, especially if she’s already on that pathway.
My bottom line is to listen to your child’s guidance counselor. They know their school, they know who your child is competing with, and most importantly they know the profiles of who gets accepted to which college.
If you want to leave the student’s college options open (as well as getting the background for any potential major in college), I would strongly suggest sticking to the high school’s traditional path for both math and science.
I think if your child is ok with it, then taking a full year of bio/chem/physics preserves a lot of option value later to help them decide what they want to study, where they might want to go to college, etc. If you don’t think they can handle it, then that’s the only time I might change from the standard formula.
Thanks. I should add that she wants to really lean into English/Writing/Theater and will most likely make it to the Varsity lacrosse team with the possibility of being a recruited athlete. That is the reason we are considering lightening the load in other areas.
Independent of what colleges want to see, I would recommend a full year each of Chem and Physics just for the sake of her actual education and preparation for college, and then some sort of science in 12th. I understand the temptation to ease up a bit, but when she has to do some sort of college science (very likely), I think she will be better-prepared that way. And I think that is basically why colleges might prefer that–they are not usually interested in meaningless hoops, but do prefer to admit applicants well-prepared for their standard college curriculum.
With the math, I do NOT think you need to track to get through Calculus 1, aka Calc AB, in HS. As long as you are prepared to take Calc 1 actually in college, I think that is fine. My only slight concern is doing Precal in 11th and then something like Stats in 12th, which is a year break in the standard main Math sequence. But you could talk to the Math department about this, as something like Business Calc might be continuity enough.
Think of high school as the time to establish a broad foundation, not to specialize. She might be leaning toward English/Theater, but she’s only in 9th grade, and it’s too soon to make that call or close off options.
I would recommend (along with the others who have responded) a path that includes four full years of science and math (along with other core subjects). Don’t skip science in 12th grade (APES or another science would be fine), and don’t do 1-semester “intro to science” courses. For math, as long as she gets to Pre-calc, either Calc AB or Stats would be fine in 12th grade, depending on how she does with Pre-calc/Trig. You don’t have to do AP courses, but breadth is important. However, if she does manage some AP or DE STEM courses, she could satisfy some college-level core requirements and save herself some trouble later on.
What are her options after 10th grade Chem? Does she HAVE to take the physics course or can she somehow tack to the environmental path that sounds like its more interesting to her?
My instinct would be to do the traditional Chem and your proposed path for tenth grade and see how lacrosse season goes. Unless you’re in a super strong Lax team and division, you should have a good sense of recruitability by tenth grade if you’re being honest with yourselves. You’re not sold on highly selective as your path, so depending on how and when you select courses, you have the option to pivot back to rigor in 11th grade if you’re starting to lean there.
We have to do the course selection for grade 10 in Jan for the fall. There is time to change between now and fall but we’d rather make the decision now.
Again, I would follow the school’s traditional academic path and not limit the student’s future college and career options. The goal of HS should be to get a well rounded education.
Can she take Regular or Honors (not G/T) Chem in 10th grade, Regular or Honors Physics in 11th, and AP Environmental Science in 12th?
For Math, she shouldn’t close the possibility of calculus just yet - as long as she takes Precalculus or Precalculus Honors plus one more class (could be AP Stats or Calc AB) she should be ok.
In addition to AP Lang/AP Lit and as many AP history as are available, make sure she takes as high is possible in one foreign language, with additional classes in the Humanities, possibly at a local college, which should offer literature/classics/philosophy/History beyond what a HS would.
She doesn’t need AP or Honors but she should take at least 2, but preferably 3 labs. Full year, not half.
You want options. She’s in 9th grade. Even if she wants theater or English, you want to have options and you may want money (merit) - so you want to be a strong candidate.
Tennis analogy - you want to use the forehand and backhand. You don’t want to run around the backhand to a forehand.
And these classes give persepctive.
She can focus in college - and she can have activities like Lacross and theater now for extra fun.
But she should strive for 4 English, at least 3 science but if she took APES that’s great too, math through pre-calc if not higher, foreign language, and social science. I wlll tell you my daughter took APES and not physics. She didn’t get into her top schools but got into very strong schools (W&L, UF, UGA Honors, etc). So you don’t need the top of the top.
Obviously, if budget or desire dictates a less competitive school, you won’t need all these - but in 9th grade, you really don’t know what you want…or don’t want. Nor do you know in 10th and even 11th to some extent.
So you need to meet your HS requirements, U of CA A-G requirements are a good path to follow - but yes, you want to keep options open.