Regarding the physics discussion- if you are targeting top schools, take Physics vs zoology. I would also ask your school, if you don’t take physics, what rigor box gets checked. Would it drop from most demanding to very demanding? You may find your answer by asking that question. The tip top schools are unlikely to admit unhooked kids who don’t have the most demanding rigor box checked. Even if your kid is a history kid and not a science kid, the top schools are looking for creative writers who are adept at math, and scientists who can write.
@OrangeFish thank you, I will have my son do that. And thanks for posting the other info, I’m in Maryland but I like that it differentiates the IB Diploma requirements. I’m going to go google Maryland’s requirements. Makes sense that if you are full IB Diploma you should have different requirements.
When you look at size of the campus it can be deceptive. •The Kansas State Manhattan campus encompasses more than 2,320 acres, including agricultural and research facilities. Note the last part. That is huge! The rest of the campus is compact and very walkable, no buses needed. My son can get to any part of campus from another during the 10 minute class change walking.
@wisteria100 My son is a full IB Diploma student… if the box for most demanding rigor isn’t checked then there is a problem. He gets one elective only and he is choosing Honors Zoology, there is no room in his schedule for choices. For example he can’t take gym or art or any other kind of elective because he has four period a day on an A/B schedule for a total of eight classes -seven of which are IB.
I just checked Maryland requirements and it’s the same as Virginia. I’m also going to have son ask at IB College fair since there are some “very selective” schools that will be there. I’m thinking that since these schools are attending an IB College Fair they should know the answer… I’ll also have my son email a few of his top choices that won’t be there Saturday. I’m thinking though that Full IB Diploma candidate should explain why physics wasn’t taken in high school.
The recent posts got me thinking about D’s schedule for next year and now I am panicked. She has the following:
Honors English
Pre-Calc
Stats and Math Modeling
Anatomy and Physiology
Intro to Forensic Science
Internship (2 periods) Education Studies - she leaves and works at a local school
At the time she registered she was thinking nursing might be a possibility, which is why she had the anatomy and the stats classes. But now that is out and she is focused on an education major.
She has not taken physics, only chemistry and biology. Looks a few schools she is considering recommend the prospective students have taken physics. Also, now thinking the Stats class may be overkill or is it better to keep it to show rigor.
We talked it over and D is now thinking the following classes:
Honors English
Pre-Calc
Stats and Math Modeling (Replace with Computer Programming)
Anatomy and Physiology (Replace with Physics)
Intro to Forensic Science
Internship (2 periods) Education Studies - she leaves and works at a local school
Any feedback/thoughts would be appreciated. Our school GC’s are terrible. It seems they are only focused on the top kids who are focused on the elite schools and everyone else is left to fend for themselves.
@apraxiamom what is your source for that statement regarding most states requiring physics for graduation?
In thinking about courses for senior year, I think you also need to balance rigor/what colleges want to see with what your child will enjoy and do well in. Even if our GC recommended that DD take physics, I’d push back on that, because she’d hate it and probably do relatively poorly no matter how hard she tried. On the other hand, DD really wanted to take two semester-long history electives, and her GC wants her to take AP Euro History instead, because it shows rigor. She’s bummed out because she really wanted to take the electives, but I pointed out that she knows she will like AP Euro too (though probably not as much) and since she may be a history major in college, it will be good for her to have a solid background in all of European history, rather than a smattering here and there from electives. That’s the kind of trade off I’m willing to push for, but I wouldn’t push a kid to take a class that will make them miserable just because it (may) look good on their transcript.
@Kona2012 If you’re even remotely interested in Furman, look into the Furman Scholars program soon, there is a deadline and it requires nomination by your GC in the Spring of the Jr year . It guarantees all scholars at least 20,000 a year merit . Wofford College is similar to Furman and also has a scholars program that requires nomination in the Spring of Jr year.
@carolinamom2boys Furman Scholars are guaranteed $5000 a year, $20,000 for 4 years.
My mistake @buddyparent .There was discussion of revising the program to increase the amount . There are also unnamed and unposted scholarships that most students receive . My son’s GC missed the nomination for Furman Scholars and he was still offered 22,500 a year. He was also invited to their competitive scholarship weekend for more substantial scholarships. Wofford guarantees at least 7500.00 a year and the opportunity to interview for higher amounts.
Physics is definitely not a graduation requirement in California. Two years of science, period. UC’s want 2 years of lab science, 3 recommended.
@carolinamom2boys Yes, my experience is that the $5000 at Furman and the $7500 at Wofford are the floor and a lot of the kids get larger merit awards. I am surprised that so many of the high school guidance counselors do not bother to nominate all the kids that qualify. It is easy money.
Both schools were very generous with my DS16. Both are two great options that we have as instate options. We can add the state scholarships, and it be quite beneficial.
I want to apologize. I typed without thinking. I meant to say “most states SHOULD require physics.” Check with your individual state department of ed high school graduation requirements, as well as your prospective colleges’ admission requirements, as applicable.
Once again, sorry!
Found this site when Googling a summer program my D19 was applying for, but didn’t dig in too much until recently. These 2019 discussions have been great even though I didn’t go back to the very beginning. The school visit summaries have been especially helpful. My D just got “engaged” in the process when we started visiting over Spring Break. We’re not bothering to visit any schools from previous summer programs. I consider those “visit - check”. Still struggling to reduce the initial 25 list, but we’re making progress (down to 19).
BTW @apraxiamom, we are in Georgia public school. My D took Honors Bio, Honors Chem, AP Chem, and AP Comp Sci. This would have satisfied the Georgia science requirements, but since Engineering is a college possibility, she’s tacking on Physics. It was optional… IB Environmental Science would also have sufficed.
@DCNatFan I wouldn’t panic but if she doesn’t want nursing anymore (based on my kids school anyway) I would say I would definitely try switching out A&P. My d19 is taking physics and loves it, but she is a sciencey/mathy/stemmy kid. YMMV.
She could probably go either way between stats/computers. Both could be helpful in nursing so really, it would come down to choosing which she thinks sounds best or fits best in her schedule.
Regarding the bro culture at Bucknell, I’ll call it the Lake Wobegon effect where “all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.” Pretty sure my S19 would not fit in there, but if asked of his visits during the last few days, he would rank the order Bucknell, Villanova, and then Lafayette. Drexel was just too city so we opted to swing by University of Hartford as he had visited in the fall and I hadn’t seen it. One word - yuck! I’ve spent my career in higher ed and the campus is not well kept. And the bro culture… His perennially favorite is Quinnipiac.
Our high school offers so many cool electives but kids shooting for that “most rigorous” check mark have no room for them. The way I look at it is this- take the most rigorous load in every subject in high school. Four years of English, math, science (including bio, Chem, physics and one more), social studies, and foreign language. Our school requires four years of gym. That leaves one spot but we have a two year art or music requirement so that takes half of your electives! Anyway, S19’s “electives” ended up being AP Computer Sci A and Philosophy. That’s it.
I just tell the kids that they can do the interesting stuff in college. That will be their time to dabble. I guess that’s part of the reason that S19 is undecided. Zoology? Take it in college. Environmental science? College. African American studies? College. Those types of classes are probably better at the college level anyway.
Our state requires one year of lab science in addition to biology for graduation, it does not have to by physics. I disagree that schools “should” require physics. For a non STEM kid I truly fail to see the point if that is not something of interest
That said, @Kona2012 look at the requirements for the colleges he is interested in and decide from there. It will say on the website and as you’v noted he can email or talk to them at college fairs. They will state if it is required. We had zero issues with one kid that took no chemistry and one kid that took no physics so far. But it depends on the major and the college and we were not going for top 50 for those kids, nor were the majors that would need it. The 2 majors that will/would need them, have taken all 3 (chem/bio/physics).
I am still steaming because my kid’s GC told me at our last meeting that she probably would not check the ‘most rigorous’ box for DS19 because he is taking arts classes due to being in the magnet. I am hoping that this doesn’t knock him out of contention entirely for his reach schools.