Should I take AP Enviromental or Arabic?

Applying to College
1

<p>Ok, so through a loooooooong set of cause and effects, I took Honors Chemistry freshman year and no science sophomore or junior year. I am planning to take AP Chem Senior year. I also have a honors biology credit for and outside summer school (Northwestern CTD), which is accredited but not on my high school trasnscript.</p>

<p>Senior year, I can choose to double up on sciences, in which case I’d take AP Environmental in addition to AP Chem. I’m thinking that might balance out my low science records. </p>

<p>The thing is, I was planning to take Arabic Senior year-- I was actually looking forward to it. I have enough foreign language credits, and it is just an average level class. </p>

<p>I can either take AP Environmental or Arabic-- I only have room in my schedule for one. I want to get into Darthmouth (I’m not obsessively set on that one school, but that is still the level of competition most of the schools I’m looking at are at). I know doubling up on science courses would look better for college. But if the science course thing isn’t a big deal with colleges (I am not going into science) then I’d much prefer to take Arabic. </p>

<p>Also, if I take AP Environemntal, there is still a chance I can audit the Arabic course-- show up, but not take it for credit.</p>

<p>What do you think I should do?</p>

2

<p>I wouldn’t bother with Arabic if it’s the intro level course. You won’t really learn very much, but that’s just my look at taking one year of a language in high school.</p>

<p>However, since you’re leaning towards Arabic, you might as well just take it without regard to college apps and whatnot. It probably matters very little.</p>

3

<p>AP Enviro is prbably more impressive than intro Arabic to colleges.</p>

<p>But be warned that, imo, AP Enviro is the most useless AP class ever (closely followed by AP Human Geography.</p>

4

<p>Take Arabic. It sounds like you are much more interested in it. Plus, if you do really well, you will look far more unique to colleges and get a great recommendation out of it.</p>

5

<p>As AP Environ. isn’t considered particularly challenging and therefore not especially “impressive”, go with Arabic because it is of interest to you. Remember that colleges look for “passion”, which frequently translates as demonstrated interest in some area. Perhaps language is your thing?</p>

6

<p>Funny, at my son’s school, AP Environmental is one of the most challenging classes in a curriculum that offers highly rated IB and AP programs. Son loved it and may even choose it as a major. I think he only got a 4 on the AP exam and he usually gets 5’s. All he had were Chemistry, Biology, and AP Environmental and he got into 3 top-30 universities as well as every other school he applied to. Fulfill the requirements of the schools you intend to apply to and then take whatever interests you the most. Good luck.</p>

7

<p>Arabic is a blast. For an intro class in high school, don’t expect to learn too much though.</p>

8

<p>Agreed with many of the posters above.</p>

<p>If it’s an intro course, and you’re not going to continue into deeper courses, don’t bother.</p>

<p>Arabic is a beautiful language that is very profound and complex. </p>

<p>But in your case, just a schedule filler, I’d take APenv.</p>

9

<p>let me make this one thing clear: colleges are VERY MUCH aware of the easiness of AP Enviro…it is considered as the easiest AP for no reason now!
if u want to take arabic further…then I’d suggest u to take it! and then if u take it in college u’ll find it a bit easier. but as for ap enviro…eh…u dont rlly need a class to take the AP exam. so, go with what you r truly interested in…u never know…arabic might be something u can end up writing ur essay upon!</p>

10

<p>Wow, so I’m getting suggestions split down the middle. I guess it mostly depends on whether the summer school credit counts, right? Because most colleges want 3 years of science, at least.</p>

<p>Well, any other thoughts?</p>

11

<p>Make sure you get the science credits. But aside from that it sounds like you are genuinely interested in the Arabic course, take it I’d say esp. if what everyone here says about AP Environ. is true.</p>

12

<p>I suppose I could take honors physics if i had to <em>twitch</em></p>

13

<p>Um…posters on both sides of the issue of whether AP Environmental is easy are wrong. It is far from the easiest, from what I hear (psych, gov, etc). However, it is not an especially challenging one either, and it certainly won’t help distinguish you.</p>

14

<p>How many science credits does your high school require? High schools where we live require 3 or 4 years depending what year class you are in. I think only 2 years of science would put you at a disadvantage relative to other applicants. Chem and Physics would look the best.</p>

15

<p>My high school requires two credits, which I’d have. For colleges, I might be considered to have three, since I did the summer program.</p>

16

<p>iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin case anyone was wondering, I think I’m gonna take a physics course online and go w/ the Arabic class in school.</p>

17

<p>^Great. You picked the best of both worlds.</p>

18

<p>:-) yeah </p>

<hr>