Please help me choose the right courses 🙏

Pre-College Topics
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1

Thanks for clicking on this! For context, I’m a sophomore and I’m asking for courses for my junior year.

  • I have to choose between taking a normal (academic) elective and an AP elective (yes, ik this sounds like an obvious choice but hear me out).
    → the normal elective would permit me to be part of a prestigious EC (this year I won an award in it and went to state level comp.) without the elective I wouldn’t be able to be part of the EC
    → the AP elective would give me some GPA fluff (my class is too competitive so it’s really important) as well as give me some background for college (i’m planning on doing AP comp sci which will be useful for an aerospace eng major)

Another option I have is to keep the elective with the EC and drop my foreign language, but I am currently in the honor society for it so idk if it’s a good idea. Do you think keeping the language until AP would be beneficial for me?

Last question (for now): AP or DE US History? I’m really conflicted and would really appreciate some advice. My main factor is the workload of the course, but I’m worried if I choose DE that colleges will view me as a wimp for trying to avoid the harder course.

If anyone has any other advice that would be helpful, it would be great!
Thank you sm!

2

Can you simply list what your Jr schedule would liok like
ENGLISH …
FOREIGN LANGUAGE …
SOCIAL SCIENCE: AP or DE …
SCIENCE …
MATH …
ELECTIVE:… or AP CS P (?l

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3

So it looks like you can choose two out of three of:

  • a non-AP elective (can you name it?)
  • AP CS (which one?)
  • foreign language (what level?)

You might get better informed opinions if you were more specific.

Also, the rest of your schedule (English, math, science) might be helpful.

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4

You’re right, this is my Junior yr schedule as of now:

ENGLISH: AP Lang
SOCIAL SCIENCE: AP US History or DE US History
SCIENCE: AP Chem
MATH: AP Calc BC
ELECTIVE (can choose 3 out of the 4):

  • Non-AP elective: Marketing
  • AP CS (principles)
  • Foreign language: French V
  • Band (this is nonnegotiable, I’m not going to drop it)

It might look like too many APs but this is basically the minimum for my school, otherwise I’ll be left behind bc GPA inflation (one of my main reasons for taking so many APs)

5

Thanks for the reminder, I just added it below

6

So as a general rule of thumb, the more selective colleges in the US tend not to care about whatever weighting scheme your HS uses, nor usually rank as your HS defines it. So personally, I would not get too caught up in gaming your HS’s weighting/ranking system.

So, my two cents is you can do French and Band and then pick whichever of Marketing and CS you like. I think most of the more selective colleges simply will not care that CS is an AP, given the rest of the context you supplied.

Finally, I would do AP US History unless you are truly afraid it will generate a bad grade for you. Unlike CS, it is a traditional core class and I agree you don’t want to be seen as ducking it for no particular reason.

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7

I’m ngl, my reason behind Marketing is so I can do DECA (I’ve done pretty well in my 1 year of being in it, and it could strengthen my application, but otherwise I have no interest in marketing as a field). Similarly I want to do CS as I’ve heard its very helpful for an engineering degree.

You’re spot on-- I’m really scared that it’ll mess up my transcript (same thing with AP chem, but I’m only doing that as I’ve heard its also good for engineering lol). I genuinely don’t know what to do and course requests are due on May 1

8

Wrt AP vs. DE history: take the one you think you can do well in and/or with the best teacher.

ELECTIVE (can choose 3 out of the 4):

  • Non-AP elective: Marketing => can you do DECA without Marketing?
  • if so, take the 3 below.
  • if not, take Marketing, band, and either choice - French 5 will be considered more rigorous than CSP by colleges but if you’re interested in CS it’s a very good introduction.
  • I would also choose ^ if you decide to take APUSH and need a little respite.
  • AP CS (principles)
  • Foreign language: French V
  • Band (this is nonnegotiable, I’m not going to drop it)
9

Unfortunately not, but I believe with AP Econ you can do DECA (is this something I should consider?)

Do you think self studying for AP CSP is a good idea if I want credit?

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No, you shouldn’t be adding an extra, unplanned AP to your schedule, UNLESS the AP Econ teacher is very good and you for sure don’t take APUSH.

Many colleges won’t give credit for CSP. It’s a good introduction to the field, showing you different ways to work with and what is “CS”, but it’s not like the 1st class for your major.

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11

Your schedule has plenty of rigor with the courses you are definitely taking. If you take Marketing that is just fine, especially since it is tied in with an important EC.

I would not bother to self-study for APs. Time would be better spent on your actual classes, ECs, and relaxing with friends and family. As a general rule, college admission officers care about how you do in a class, not how well you can cram for an exam.

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12

Thank you, you have given me a lot of clarity. I think I’ll continue with Marketing. I’m still unsure about history though

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13

You’re right, thank you for the advice!

14

AP CS principles is generally not too useful for subject credit in college, but learning the material or that of a college course like cs10.org can be useful generally.

You may want to take French 5 to advance your French knowledge and then consider AP CS principles for 12th grade.

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15

Makes sense, thank you. My plan was if I were to do French 5 I would do AP French in 12th grade, because that was my whole reason for going that far in the progression in the first place.