Okay but I actually I am selecting top tier schools but for business (and @elodyCOH I made the top 2% student ranking of our school which is why I pursue such colleges so I think I may be in that branch).
@psycholing So that means dropping AP Chemistry does in fact weaken my candidacy for top tier school business programs? Even with Computer Science A? I have been advised by guidance counselors it isn’t so. And keep in mind I still am interested in the course, the problem is juggling.
@theskeptic888 If you are looking at, let’s say a top 30 school, then I wouldn’t exclude the lack of a science your senior year as SLIGHTLY hurting your application. However, a low grade would hurt you more. Which colleges are you considering? They each have their own profile of what they seek. I think, on the plus side, there is a lot of evidence in your application that you can handle math, which would be the more central interest for somebody applying to finance.
The outcome also depends on how you write you application/package yourself. If you do your essay on how you want to study finance and then go to med school, they may look at your lack of sciences as a bit of a hole. If you make it a straight business application, and then once in college you just take the right classes for premed, that lack in science might go under the radar.
The teacher @psycholing describes from their son’s experience accurately fits the one described in my situation. Her “teaching” is based on the premise many students instantly understand her points, when the class looks rather confused instead and we have to turn to eachother for guidance since she gets irritated at questions.
I just want to learn Chemistry the right way.
@psycholing Actually that was my plan as you just described: the application I wrote has a very probusiness approach of what I did in high school (such as presentations in front of the central federal reserve bank). After admission I would then grab PreMed courses.
The schools I target are in the tier of UC Berkeley, Tufts, Stern (I don’t want to go to NYU if it is not stern), Emory, UMich, Georgetown, (and to the raise the bar higher) UPenn.
@psycholing I’ll thank you not to twist my words. I did not defend that teacher, which I stated in the opening clause of my sentence on point of clarification; I was simply addressing the “newbie teacher” comment… And I certainly agree that telling a student that he has no career in [blank] is not very professional.
I never said that AP Chem was needed to be successful in college general chem. I simply pointed out that many pre-meds retake gen chem in college to fulfill med school prereqs.
I did say that if the OP is not targeting top schools that dropping AP Chem for any other class will probably be no issue. However, in another thread, the OP asks for chances to “Schools Such as UC Berkeley, U of Chicago, UPenn, Princeton, or Tufts.” And for some of those choices, the course selection will, IMO, be an issue. And the issue is less about dropping AP Chem, but with replacing it with a class that is not a lab science and (to a lesser extent, depending on the college) with a less rigorous course.
Of course. But again, many of the applicants to Penn and Princeton are going to have an A in AP Chem.
We can agree to disagree.
Again, we’ll need to agree to disagree. But to clarify, I’m speaking specifically about the AP course and exam, not a college CS vs Bio program/major.
The AP Chemistry class itself isn’t the issue. The lack of science class might be. Do the schools you’re applying to recommend or require 4 years of science? If so, have you already taken 4 science classes, or would this leave you with 3 on your transcript? If they require or recommend 4, and you will only have 3, that could hurt you. How familiar is the guidance counselor with the schools you have selected? It might not hurt you much in the overall process, but still hurt you in regards to specific programs. What other sciences have you taken? Did you take general Bio, Chem, and Physics?
@CTScoutmom I have taken Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry (A- both), AP Physics 1 (A- final grade, 4 on the AP Exam) and was in the upper end of scores in each class.
Although the colleges I apply to are top tier, their recommendation actually says 3 YEARS not 4. @CTScoutmom @psycholing
If they recommend 3, and you’re not applying to a STEM major then you should be fine. Any boost you might get from AP Cem can be made up elsewhere. The one advantage I see to taking it is giving yourself exposure before you take it for a grade on campus, as a prerequisite for med school.
@TheSkeptic888 Well those schools are all very very reachy. I assume you also have some back up options you wold be comfortable with? Also you are aware that at one of those schools (UofM), you need to either be pre-admitted to Ross or you need to get in competitively first year. I think it would be tough to take pre-med courses and also make the cut off to get into Ross, if you are not a pre-admit. (Bear in mind, I am a U of M alum)
On the primary question: If you were my son/client, I would counsel you to drop Chem as this Fall you need to focus on writing strong applications, and that is more important than stressing over a class that is tangential to your primary interest. As long as you application doesn’t mention premed, the admin reviewers will probably take you as a “pointy” student extremely interested in economics.
@TheSkeptic888 Just be aware of your competitors. My son’s program admits only the top 2% of students in a district of 50K. The top students in his program are insanely accomplished. They win state math and science competitions. They are applying to the same schools as you as are all the other high achieving kids out there.
There are far more brilliant kids than there are spots at the top schools. Lowering the bar may hurt, it may not. It depends on whether or not you have some other overwhelming talent that makes you stand out.
@psycholing
I finished the writing part of my Application for UMichigan 3 months ago and was planning to send under early action next month… should I submit even earlier?
My daughter is in her first year at college studying to be a chem E. She had H chem, AP chem, and H organic chem in high school and still says her general chem class is super challenging and the pace insanely quick. She said the students who didn’t take AP chem are really, really struggling. If pre-med is on your radar, really think long and hard about the impact dropping AP chem could have for your foundation for college.
@psycholing
My current application list is 17 colleges (I am over half way done) but I have been advised to cut my list to “deal with courseload”. Should I cut?
I know this wasn’t directed at me OP but 17 schools is a LONG list! Especially if they all have supplemental essays or have honors college invites that may come later (which often require even more essays).
I don’t think there is any particular advantage conferred by applying earlier than deadline for EA. So just make sure you send it off by mid-Oct to make the deadline.
Just please find some safety schools that you could embrace. Many of my alum friends have had their kids apply to UofM, and they haven’t had great results. (My sons weren’t interested – too cold!)
I agree 17 schools is a lot. Are most of them reaches? If so, cut some reaches. Also, what is your unweighted GPA out of 4.0? Do you have financial limitation (that is, are you able to afford full self pay?) If not, you need financial safeties.
I have enough schools on the list that I have a good probability of making and I have balanced that amount with reaches as well. @psycholing