Junior schedule and the options

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

Rising junior in an overseas American school in Asia. Course plan:

  1. Science Fiction
  2. US History
  3. Japanese 3
  4. Hon Biology
  5. Hon Artificial Intelligence
  6. AP Calc AB
  7. AP Stats
  8. AP Physics 2. Or Hon Robotics and Engineering 2

Question: to take Physics 2 or wait for senior year to take Physics C… but I like to continue my Science exploration in Physics and get more exposure. I liked my Hon Physics in Freshman year but I did not get an A. The Robotics course is a continuation of my current Robotics course. A very interesting course with an easy A.

2

The “College Prep Base” thread recommends that you have one of each of the lab sciences, so you might want to take Chemistry eventually, if you haven’t already.

If you got a B in Honors Physics, I think it would be best for you take AP Physics 2. You could take AP Physics C senior year anyway, as AP Physics 2 and Physics C don’t overlap for HS or potential college credit.

3

I’d recommend AP physics 2 but to drop AP stats and take something else of interest. Do you have a lunch period?

4

Yes there is lunch period. Many of my friends will be signing up to take AP Stats and I thought this will be a good intro course leading into the field of Data Science.

5

B+

6

It’s going to be very time-intensive. I’m not sure it’ll be the best use of your time considering how much you’ll have on your plate, plus SAT prep, plus EC’s.

7

Physics 2 vs Physics C…

My Physics teacher will only allow me to take Physics 2 even though I will be taking AP Calculus AB. Some suggested that I skip Physics2 and just go for Physics C since Calculus is a more straightforward and efficient way to solve the intended Physics problems. Using Algebra to solve problems in Physics 2 just might confuse us more… Not sure what to believe but I will continue my senior Math in AP Calculus BC and will be eligible to take Physics C.

Btw, i took Hon Physics in 9 the grade. Am taking Hon Chem now. Will complete Science req with Hon Biology next year. I would like to take SAT Subject test in Physics at the end of my next Physics course…it might be too late if I do it in my senior year…

8

Actually… it’s better to have Calculus AB BEFORE you take Physics C (concurrent enrollment in Calc BC and Physics C, after Physics 1/2 and Calculus AB, is the sequence that makes the most sense).
You can definitely take the SAT SUbject in Physics if you took Honors Physics and AP Physics 2.

9

Check this out http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/2055289-faq-high-school-college-prep-base-curriculum.html#latest

What sciences have you taken so far?
I would not take AP Stat and Calc AB…no need.

10

Hon Physics (9th grade)
Hon Chem now
Hon Bios next year

11

11th=> 12th

  1. Science Fiction => some form of Honors Humanities class
  2. US History => AP US GOv+ Comp Gov if offered (allowing you to capitalize on your US history class AND on your non US setting)
  3. Japanese 3 => Japanese 4 or AP Japanese
  4. Hon Biology => AP Chem
  5. Hon Artificial Intelligence => Another CS class (AP CS A, or other)
  6. AP Calc AB => AP Calc BC
  7. AP Stats (or something else) => Discrete Math
  8. AP Physics 2. Or Hon Robotics and Engineering 2 (Hon Robotics if you take AP Physics C senior year, AP Physics 2 if you don't.
12

Thanks for the subsequent selection suggestion. My current plan for senior year:

  1. Science Fiction => American Lit (My English competency is not up to Honor course level)
  2. US History => AP Eco My school does not offer AP US GOV.
  3. Japanese 3 => AP Japanese (I am also thinking of taking another Hon Computer course instead)
  4. Hon Biology => (Hon Computer modeling / Hon Quantum Mechanics and Relativity. 1 semester course)
  5. Hon AI => Robotics and Computer Science Research. (I am taking AP CS A right now)
  6. AP Calc AB => AP Calc BC
  7. AP Stats => (Public Speech. a req course) My school does not offer Discrete Math
  8. AP Physics 2 => AP Physics C

I would like to apply for the Pre College Summer program at Carnegie Mellon University after my Junior year. If I get admitted to the program, I would like to take Calculus 2 and intro to Computer Science course there. If I successfully complete what I set out to do, I would like to substitute AP Calculus BC with Hon Calculus III / Hon Linear Algebra. This is a long shot, but I have always wanted to have a solid Math foundation + some Physics and CS and Robotics courses to round off my High School track for a STEM type of study in college. I had another thread in CC on potential college major. I might be rushing, but this is the plan.

13

That’s a VERY good plan.
However I’d recommend you take AP Japanese since you don’t want to look too unidimensional. You’d have “regular” English but also an AP Humanities, it’d strengthen your overall schedule - more so than yet one more stem class. It’s good to show your academic interests - and those appear clearly in your schedule - but you want to show ability in a range of subjects, too, since American colleges aren’t as specialized as UK ones (for instance). Everything else, including the CMU plan, is excellent. :slight_smile:

14

You have been very helpful indeed MYOS1634. AP Japanese will be extremely challenging for me especially if I were to take it with AP Economics. I wished my English will hold up when I venture into these high level English intensive courses. But let me worry about that in senior year. I have another 1.5 years to pick up my language skill.

thanks again.