I’m a sophomore and I need help deciding my classes for junior year. Right now i’m taking
Medical terminology (on level)
AP world
Algebra 2 Honors
AP Seminar
English 2 Honor
AP bio
Human body systems (on level)
Spanish 3 Honors
Next year I was planning to take these classes.
AP lang
APUSH
AP pre calc
Ap physics
Ap research
AP Stats
Ap spanish
off period
I want to go out of state (maybe ann Ivy league if that’s even possible) and Im currently in Texas. I’m sure if 7 would be the best, There’s 3 other options right now to replace AP stats.
1st is PCIS which allows me to learn more about what I want a career in and talk to people in that area. this may help with getting internships!
2nd is this leadership class which is with student council and they make school decisions and things like that but i’m not sure if it would be very beneficial because I don’t think it gives you a leadership role in student council.
3 is any other AP’s that could be more beneficial then AP stats or anything you think I should replace .
What do you want to study? Any thoughts on major in college or at least a field of study? Are you applying to UCs? What are some of the schools you will be applying to? How are you handling your current workload?
I want to study medical, so I would wanna major in Premed. I’m not sure about UC’s but I was going to apply to John Hopkins, U of M, Michigan State, UT, A and M, Rice, and some others. My biggest reach would be Harvard. My current workload isn’t that bad! A few assignments here and there but I’m tolerating all of it pretty well.
There is no premed major, but there are some more traditional majors for students considering applying to medical schools. @tsbna44 explained it very well.
I have these concerns regarding your class selection:
AP Statistics requires at least Precalculus class as prerequisite, it could be hard for you to take both the same year, because you will be using calculus in your statistics class.
If you want to consider another AP class, look at AP Environmental Science, one of AP Comp Sci classes or consider elective that makes sense for you.
You will need year long hands on art class if you consider public schools in CA, but tuition in those schools is high out of state.
You have pretty solid test score, is it from taking one test? Or combined score from two tests?
I think your GPA and math path will make it challenging to stand out in more selective school admissions process. Does your school add extra points to AP class grades?
Definitely look closely at TX public schools and what they offer to students interested in studying medicine.
I have a friends taking AP Stats and AP precalc and my school does allow it for the same year and she says its not that hard! She said most of the topics build on pre calc and she can work through them. I’m not sure if I want to replace an AP, right now. About CA schools I’m not really sure about them, tution is really high and I dont think it would be the best for me. My school does add GPA points for AP’s so if you take on level its 5.0, honors its 5.5, and AP 6.0. But thank you so much for your help! But do you think it would be worth it if I took the leadership class, because I found out if you take it your eligible to run for a student council poisition. I do want to go to an ivy so I dont know if its better to try and do AP’s or go for the Student council position. I would replace it with AP Stats.
If it’s a pre req I’m surprised they’d even allow it. But looking at the AP website Algebra 2 is the pre req.
Your rigor is already off the charts whether you take an AP or not.
And if UCs are expensive, how will you afford an Ivy ? Do you have need ? If you are going to med school, you want to go in state, to an out of state public that buys kids like Bama, Ole Miss, FSU etc - and Bama has the McCullough Medical Scholars and FSU the healthcare LLC, or a high merit school like Trinity - because the where will matter little if at all for med school - should you see it through.
But that’s why you need to get with your parents now and set an 8 year budget starting at $700k. What can they afford ? What are they willing to afford because a $20k Bama, as an example - if you deliver on the SAT, saves you a quarter of a million over a UC.
You seem to do well with tests. If you can spend some time preparing for PSAT that you would take fall of your Junior year, you may have some opportunities open with National Merit Scholarship program.
So, the where of med school matters little, and I should go instate? It does make more sense to also go to instate for college as well. I think I should try more for instate then, because it’ll make more sense to go from instate college like UT, or something to another med school in texas if thats whats your saying!
I’m saying talk to your parents about what they can afford.
Is it $20k? $50k. $90k a year but then assume another four years at potentially $100k for med school.
Depending on their ability to pay (or not), you may find need aid. It’s too early to define where you should go - public or private, in or out of state.
And you don’t yet know your admission stats bcuz you don’t have a test.
In a year from now you can better assess.
Good luck.
Ps you could start to visit schools here and there to figure out what you like - large, medium or small; rural, suburban or urban, etc.
You can say UT but what if it’s way too big for you, etc ?
I’ll definitely have a chat with them about tuition, and financial aid. And yes it is really early to decide but I’ll keep in mind rural sub urban and urban. Thank you so much!
Can you explain what type of class is PCIS? Is it Humanities or a health field related class or what? Hard to give advice on class schedule without knowing.
My advice was in the context of OP provided information, plans to apply Harvard, Rice and Johns Hopkins, and applying to medical school later on. OPs SAT score was listed at 1560, if I remember correctly, I do not remember what GPA was listed initially, but it was not high enough in my opinion to support application to very selective schools. I am sharing my opinion on this platform, based on what information is shared. I found a lot of good advice and helpful information here when I needed it and trying to help others based on my family’s personal experience and my knowledge.