Hi guys,
I never took a chemistry class in high school and I am applying to competitive schools (MIT, UC Berkeley, Stanford) to be an electrical engineer. I’ll post my stats below, do you think that this will play a big difference in my acceptance or rejection.
GPA Weighted: 4.55
GPA Unweighted: 3.95
of AP Classes taken: 11
of Honors: 8
Scores on Tests (so far): two 5s, three 4s, one 3 (for a class i never took)
ACT Composite: 33
Sciences taken: Biology, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2
Math: till Calc BC
EC: lots of volunteer, community service, leadership positions
I would say ideally you want to have some basic high school chemistry course to be prepared for college level general chemistry. It doesn’t have to be AP, and you can wait until college to take general chemistry, no big deal. I am an EECS major myself and don’t find chemistry to be that useful in the field.
In general, I don’t think not having chemistry at the AP level will put you at a huge disadvantage. I would just advise having at least one high school level chemistry course, and you should be able to get into a great engineering school.
Don’t most, if not all, engineering students take chemistry their first year as a required class? If so, the lack of chemistry would put you at a disadvantage when you get to whatever school you attend. MIT definitely assumes (requires?) their students to have taken chemistry in high school.
Do it this summer at a community college. Enroll and email proof to the colleges you have applied to. Also, notice you don’t have Earth Science on your record. I thought that was one of the four basic sciences done in HS.
Earth Sciences is not a standard nationwide HS course as far as I know. I am assuming the OP is a senior, so taking the course this summer at a CC is not a good idea unless you have permission from the college you are enrolled in for the fall. But if you are a junior, it is a priority to either take it this summer or next fall. I honestly do think it puts you at a disadvantage both in admissions, and when you get to college and have to take it – likely close to 100% of your peers will have had HS Chem at some level, and many will have had it at the honors or AP level.
^^^^Earth Science is not required in NYS. But I agree with the others that the OP should take chemistry over the summer or if the OP is not a senior take it next year in HS.
Hmmm, not to get off topic, but I live in NY and both my kids have had to take required regents exams in Earth Sci. As far as I am aware, some kids can be exempted due to special circumstances.
@Lindagaf I live in NYS and the honors math/science students in our HS skip Earth Science so they can take Bio, Chem, Physics and an AP science their senior year. NYS only requires that student’s pass one science regents to get a Regents Diploma although many high schools do require more (ex. many high schools use the regents as their final exam). Apologies for continuing off topic.
MIT and Stanford both recommend lab science, including chemistry. If OP feels he’s a solid candidate, he needs to have looked at what the colleges say. That’s a necessary part of it all. And though it says recommended, not required, with the sort of competition those schools will get, and the interest in EE, he needs chem. So, go read up, OP, figure if you have what they look for, in all respects.
Colleges get a school profile, so they know what subjects each high school requires. But state requirements and college expectations can differ. [NYS graduation requirements](http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/gradreq/CurrentDiplomaRequirements.pdf), for instance, include only 3 years of science (1 life sci, 1 physical sci, and an additional of either), but if competitive colleges prefer that students have 4 years then just doing the minimum will likely put students at a disadvantage.
I think taking chemistry over the summer is a good idea unless OP is a senior. Some colleges don’t want students taking courses at other colleges after high school graduation (the may reclassify those students at transfers), so it’s best to check the admission requirements of individual colleges to see what their policies are.
