I’m currently a sophomore picking my classes for next year. I have figured out most of the classes I want to take, but I’m struggling with deciding which classes to fill my last two open periods with. My options are: 1) take AP Chemistry (2 periods), 2) take AP Physics 1 (2 periods), 3) take AP Computer Science Principles and AP Research (1 period each), or 4) take 2 dual enrollment classes at my local community college (not sure about the offerings yet). I currently have no sciences selected next year, and I’m wondering if that will hurt my chances for top colleges. My school requires one chemistry, one biology, and one environmental science class, and I doubled up honors chemistry/honors biology last year and am currently taking AP Environmental Science, so I don’t technically have to take any more sciences to graduate, though I plan on taking at least one AP science (my school offers Chemistry, Biology, and Physics 1) Senior year. Does anyone have any advice/input on these selections?
You probably want to get one each of biology, chemistry, and physics sometime in high school.
Yes, I will definitely take physics senior year if I don’t next year. My prospective major is pure mathematics, if that makes a difference.
Some colleges’ math majors require physics or have non-math course requirements that have physics as an option, so you may want to have physics in high school before taking physics in college. As a math major, you probably want to take the version of physics with the highest math usage.
The only physics classes my school offers are AP Physics 1 and Honors Physics, which are both not great in terms of math content. My main issue is that I want to take AP Research next year, but the only way I’ll have room for it in my schedule is if I don’t take a science, so I’m not sure which option to choose
Since you will have four years of science when you graduate (do take physics senior year), not having a math junior year would be ok, as long as you still have at least five core courses that year.
Will you have four years of all the other core courses (English, Math, SS, foreign language?) If not, prioritize that over AP research.
Why do you want to take AP Research? Of the courses you’ve listed, only AP Chemistry is taken “seriously” by the kinds of colleges most often sought on CC. Which is not to say they can’t be great courses; they might be!
I would recommend taking science in junior year, if you can. Usually, people take an English, Math, Science, History, and a foreign language as their core classes, and then add in one to three electives, depending upon how many class periods they’re allowed to take, and the load they can handle.
Why do you want to take AP Research? Is the teacher reputed to run it as an amazing class? Otherwise, I wouldn’t take it. Take whichever AP science has the best teacher next year, and if you want to get involved in research, try to get involved with doing it with a prof at a nearby college. But if what you’re planning on majoring in is math, I wouldn’t bother with that.
Take a look at all the APs offered at your high school, and find out who are the best teachers, then try to fit in as many of those that have amazing teachers. For example, you might want to take an AP history or two, or AP art history. These are things that will be life-enriching.
And “best teachers” doesn’t mean “easiest” - it means will prepare you to get that 5, and will be demanding and explain clearly.
There is a difference between HS graduation requirements and what selective colleges prefer to see on a transcript, especially when the classes were offered at your school. Most universities will want to see a year of bio, chem and physics, and then one of those at the AP level.
My opinion would be to take physics since you’ve already had a year of chem and bio and then take AP chem or AP physics senior year.
Oh I missed that they hadn’t taken first-year physics already. This is good advice.
The most selective universities are overloaded with top tier applicants. They could all fill their freshman classes a couple of times over with just 1550+ SATs. They could all fill their freshman classes a couple of times over with just valedictorians. The list goes on…
They get to the point where they are looking for reasons NOT to accept incredible applicants. Don’t give them a reason.
I would think AP Bio is also taken seriously.
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