Im gonna get to the point but here’s a quick over view: I’m a sophomore with a 4.0 GPA in a private high school and the private high school I attend is SUPER small like there’s only 100 kids 6-12, but anyway here’s my dilemma. My school doesn’t offer AP classes or Dual enrollment for free like you have to pay a lot of money for each class and I don’t know what I should do so moving on…
Option A: I take 2 4 credit dual enrollment classes (each class is around $250 7 weeks long and I have to log in 3-4 times a week and the work required takes 12-14 hours on top of my regular classes) this year and continue taking 2 dual enrollment classes every year till I graduate and along with these during my junior and senior year I will take a few AP classes (each class costs around $400)
Option B: I don’t take dual enrollment classes and just take the AP classes ($400 per class) my junior and senior year
Option C: I don’t take dual enrollment classes at all during my sophomore year and go to a public school where I can take AP classes and possibly dual enrollment for free
Please leave your advice on what I should do and why, thank you!
This is a tough predicament! My vote would be for Option C, but a final decision really depends on three things:
Your financial situation (if you stayed at private HS, could you afford to take the AP classes you need? If not, then maybe switch to public HS), your post grad aspirations (is college in your future? Are you looking at the Ivies, or a less competitive level?), and your happiness (I know it sounds cheesy, but would switching schools be tough for you socially? Are you comfortable with that big a change?).
The reason that I say Option C is because I don’t think that you should have to pay for AP or dual enrollment classes, it’s silly and puts you at a disadvantage to other kids who have those classes available for free. Colleges, especially more competitive schools, like to see evidence of rigor in your class selections, AP courses are a great way to show this and can help you in college admissions. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose!
I would also say Option C, but mainly for the social aspect. In such a small school, you probably know everyone, maybe its better to go to a larger public school now and get adjusted to being around so many people.
However, it sounds like you are a pretty good student, and most schools don’t allow sophomores to dual enroll at all.
Good luck and I’m sure whatever you choose will work out!
Thank you guys for replying! And I really wanna go to UC Davis (accepts dual credits+AP credits) and major in biochemistry, also our financial situation is good so we can afford the AP/ Dual classes so yea but the only problem I have with option C would be that currently I’m top of my class, play varsity softball and varsity basketball so switching over may cause like a bit of havoc and I don’t really know what my parents would say but what would you say the second best option is ?
I would also like to piggy back and say I think option C is the best. I took 13 APs throughout my four years in highschool and I couldn’t even imagine having to pay $5,200 for them. If you can get it for free why not just do that. Also you said your in the top of your class and how that may be effected if you switch schools, but if you truly are a hardworking student you should be more than fine switching/ adjusting to a much larger school. As for the sports teams you can find public schools that have highranked teams and message the coaches about your situation and trying out to join their team. If you’re set on saving money than this is the best option. If money isn’t as big as an issue then option A or B will suffice, it just all depends on what you and your family are willing to pay.
