Hi– so I’m about to do course selections for senior year, and I’m thinking of applying to some pretty prestigious engineering schools. I’m not sure how I should balance my STEM vs Humanities classes since I know that I am going into a STEM field, but I also want to demonstrate some aspect of well-roundedness. Here’s what I’m thinking so far:
AP Economics, BC Calculus, (insert some english elective), Applied Science Research (Honors), AP Physics C, a free period or Design class, and either a cool history elective which I’m interested in, or AP Statistics.
Any advice on the last two courses?
If you’re ambivalent over the design class, take a free period; it will help you in completing your work for your other classes. Also, definitely keep the “cool history elective”. Everything else seems okay for what you want to do.
I would say stats. Also, I would take the design class instead of a free period, It’s gonna boost your GPA (unless you have a 4.0). Some colleges don’t count electives like that towards UW GPA and will recalculate it without them but a lot will count it. Also, its better to demonstrate a specific, and narrow interest that supports your intended major (such as your’s towards STEM) rather than “well-roundedness”. Stats is also an easy class anyways so it shouldn’t add much rigor, but it will definitely give you some useful knowledge.
AP stats is a class for academically strong kids who can’t or won’t take Calculus. It doesn’t impact admissions if you’re taking Calculus. So in your case is take the cool design and cool history classes.