I'm a rising junior, and I will be transferring to a new private school on the Upper West Side in New York.I'm far from a history nerd, but History is definitely near the top of my list of favorite subjects. I took 2 years of Global History at my old public school, pulling off A+'s for both years, and I was recommended for APUSH by my teacher. However, my new Dean told me that the APUSH wouldn't work out with the AP Calc BC class, and when my mother asked to subsidize for an Independent Study Class in another channel for all the kids who couldn't take APUSH because they were taking Calc BC, the Dean said no. Now, I am super confused because the only two other AP Classes offered are AP Psychology and AP Human Geography, which I heard are both easy and not challenging. APUSH would've been the perfect class for me!
Should I go on and take classes outside of school for APUSH? Colleges will probably wonder why I didn't take APUSH and would conclude that I slacked off during my junior year. I might take APUSH next year, but when I apply during my senior year colleges won't be able to see my AP score for APUSH. What should I do?? Should I keep on bothering my dean until he says yes to an Independent Study Class?
Here’s what my schedule would look like for next year:
English Elective (AP’s are only for seniors)
AP Calc BC
AP Chem
AP Physics C: Mechanics
Spanish III
Club (Yes our school has one period for clubs)
History
Electives
What do you want to major in? If a humanities, then take the APUSH. If STEM, take the Calc BC.
You can take APUSH next year.
Colleges don’t really take your AP scores into account for admissions,for the very reason you speak of.
Thanks! @bopper I’m planning on taking AP Psychology now, and I actually was considering taking an online APUSH course since Calc BC trumps APUSH. Will be a lot of work, but that’s what junior year should be like…
Why take AP USH online? It won’t matter for college admissions…colleges only care about actual classes. If you want to get college credit then go ahead but spend your effort on your HS classes.
Probably not. Deans are not known for changing their minds just because you keep asking.
Step back a second and marry the above quote with your other statement:
Most private schools will not give credit for work outside the school. Is yours an exception? Given that USH is likely a graduation requirement, take it at the school. Whether you take APUSH or regular USH does not matter.
AP scores carry little to no weight in the admissions decisions, Besides, colleges will see nobody’s senior AP scores.
Just because a school offers an AP does not mean you have to take it. Schedule conflicts are common. When the time comes, your GC can explain it in the Secondary School Report.
Would colleges care if I have taken an official AP online course offered at John Hopkins, whose AP U.S. History class have been officially recognized by the College Board? Isn’t it just as rigorous to take an online History class and getting an 5 on the AP Test?