Hey guys,
I am currently a senior in high school, and my sister is a freshman. I have seen the advantages to taking different courses and how the top kids excel. I only took 7 APs (2 junior year, 5 senior), and I didn’t want my sister to make the same mistake as I, so I made a rough outline of her schedule the rest of high school. What do y’all think?
Freshman Year (Already enrolled) -
AP Human Geo
Honors English 1
Honors Biology - Next Semester
French 2
French 3 Honors - Next Semester
Algebra 1
Honors Geometry - Next semester
Computer Science
Sophomore Year -
Honors Algebra 2
Honors Pre - Calc
AP Bio
Honors Chem
French 4 Honors
Honors English 2
1 more AP (Ideas?)
Junior Year -
AP Chem
AP Calc AB
AP Environmental
AP French
AP Lang
APUSH
AP Physics 1
Senior Year -
AP Psych
AP Calc BC
AP Physics C
AP Lit
AP Gov
AP Econ
I know this is a very rigorous schedule, but she seems to get bored in regular classes and I want her to have the ability to excel. She hopes on attending a Top 20 University and already has her eyes set on doing well throughout highschool. I loaded her up on Math/ Science courses because she seems to prefer those over English/ History courses. Any changes I should make? All feedback is greatly appreciated
Please don’t let your sister take 3 AP sciences, including one of the most infamous/difficult AP sciences (AP Chemistry) at the same time. That is needlessly excessive, and this is coming from someone who was insane enough to take a total of 20 (yes, twenty) AP and dual enrollment classes throughout high school. Also, if your sister doesn’t care for history, I think it would be best for her to skip APUSH, which is rather demanding. Other than that, everything else seems reasonable.
Also, concurrent enrollment in Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus is not possible, as far as I know. I’m quite positive the only time one is able to double up in math to get ahead is with Algebra 2 and Geometry, and even then, some schools may not allow it. If she is taking them both sophomore year, I’m assuming they’re both semester classes.
The question is what does your sister want to do. I think that schedule is ridiculous. Does your state not have any requirements for an art class, PE, music? She’s taking an entire year of French in a semester freshman year? Why?
Your sister should pose the question about her schedule herself with the help of her guidance counselor. You should give advice if asked, not plan out the next three years.
It is silly to schedule out all four years when a student is a freshman – she needs to see how she does each year and then make the next year’s schedule. The worst thing a person can do it to take a schedule he/she cannot succeed with.
Admission to top colleges is NOT a race to take the most APs. You are focused on the wrong thing.
Agree with the above poster – she probably needs art, gym, music to graduate. And I never heard of a HS where you can take two years of a foreign language in one year. Also it is very difficult to schedule/take 2 AP science classes in one year (especially with the labs). In terms of social studies many schools require 4 years and most high schools require world history.
If I had mapped out my schedule freshman year, I would have taken all CPs and probably have gone to UNH. As of now, I plan on taking 7 or so AP tests (total junior and senior year) and have a shot at University of Michigan (I am extremely close to someone who is alumni).