<p>I really want to take it easy senior year. There are 3 very easy courses that I’m having a bit of difficulty choosing from.</p>
<p>Culinary Arts
Sociology
Gifted Seminar (You get a recommendation from the program to all colleges)</p>
<p>The rest of my classes are AP’s.</p>
<p>Should I take a harder class instead of one of these three?</p>
<p>Senior year is your last chance to show colleges that you are ready for college level work. Is your schedule going to show colleges that you will hit the ground running or is it going to make colleges question how you’ll make the transition to the next level?</p>
<p>Hint: senior year is not the year to “take it easy”.</p>
<p>[Notes</a> from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Let’s talk about course selection](<a href=“http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2010/02/lets-talk-about-course-selection.html]Notes”>Notes from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Let's talk about course selection)
[Notes from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Does Senior Year Matter?](<a href=“Notes from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Does senior year matter?”>http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2007/11/does-senior-year-matter.html</a>)</p>
<p>dean J, you took the words right out of my mouth.</p>
<p>but you guys seem to have skipped the fact that OP said their other courses were all AP’s. That being the case, there’s no reason to not take an “easy” class senior year. Colleges also want to see that you have a passion for something other than requirements of getting into their college. Given the rest of the application, one easy class won’t make or break you. If it’s what you want, go for it. I don’t mean slack off, but there’s no reason to rack up Ap’s just because.</p>
<p>Culinary Arts screams “gut,” but Gifted Seminar doesn’t, especially if the rest of your schedule is solidly packed with APs. It’s unlikely that anyone could tell from looking at your transcript that it’s an easy class. I’m as intellectually rigorous as the next person but it’s wise both in high school and in college to arrange for a sensible workload that will allow you to excel and to enjoy yourself at the same time.</p>
<p>I’m signed up for
AP Physics
Lab
AP Govt
AP Calc AB
AP Lit
AP Econ</p>
<p>I just don’t want to take another hard class. But thank you for your input, I think I’m going to opt for either Socio or Gifted Seminar.</p>
<p>Gifted Seminar is all about talking, and I’m not that much of a socratic seminar person as it is, especially at 7 in the morning, but I’m definitely going to have to think about it!</p>
<p>I was responding to the OP’s comment that he intended on “taking it easy” during senior year. I don’t comment on specific courses on this site because each student has different curricular options.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that colleges don’t just look at the transcript. The school profile outlines the courses offered and other practices at the school. Admission officers will be concerned with what you took throughout your high school career in light of what was offered to you.</p>
<p>thispakistan, you call that easy? you should be impressed with your schedule because it is very good…</p>
<p>Well, I’m definitely trying to take advantage of every advanced course offered at my school.</p>
<p>And thank you! I just don’t want to slack off. I think I’m going to go for Gifted Seminar. It’s a breather course and it gives a pretty nice teacher rec:)</p>
<p>Thanks for your help guys!</p>
<p>harder courses appeared to have no correlation with success at my school, if in doubt just drop an AP and instead of a dumb class like cooking, take a art or philosophy course to “expand your horizons”.</p>
<p>Thispakistanigir, Knowing that the AP’s you have taken in your Senior Year are full year courses and difficult think about taking a half year course in the first half of your Senior year and then a Study the second half of your senior year. That will give the colleges you are applying to more to judge you on and then give you the ease you are looking for in the second half of the year. That is if you consider taking 5 AP classes Ease. Good Luck!!!
UVa Class of 2014!!!</p>
<p>Art in my school is for the real slackers. Like you draw pictures and paint for free time, no real graded assignments.</p>
<p>There is an astronomy course, but it doesn’t interest me all that much. All of the courses I’ve signed up for are those that genuinely interest me.</p>
<p>I can’t find a class that doesn’t have that much work to it and interests me besides sociology or Gifted Seminar.</p>
<p>Gifted Seminar in my school is also a class that any gifted student can take, regardless of grade, and I don’t want to be stuck in a room with 9th graders.</p>
<p>I’m definitely going to talk some more with my counselor before making a definitive decision.</p>
<p>And thank you for the advice Mamalumper, and congratulations on your acceptance:)</p>
<p>No foreign language? Most schools want to see it all 4 years in hs.</p>
<p>I did upto Spanish 3 but I chose Physics over Spanish 4 this year, I wasn’t really ever into Spanish. It was a hard decision but overall, I think I enjoy Physics much more than Spanish. It’s a lot harder but I like the challenge.</p>
<p>Thispakistanigir-
You are facing scheduling challenges that all Jr’s are. How much can I carry while getting respectable grades and show ‘rigor of study’. I think where you caught people off guard was the term ‘easy classes’. There can be classes that are academic in nature, that you learn, that do not require a great deal of work outside the class. They are not necessarily ‘easy’, but they don’t fight for attention from the other AP classes you are taking.</p>
<p>I would suggest if you are having a hard time deciding, narrow it down to two and call admissions. Ask them which class they feel would be of most value to your education. Remove the word easy from your vocabulary. Any class, given your attitude and/or the instructor can become a thorn in your side.</p>
<p>BTW, your depiction of the Gifted Seminar is a good example. In this situation, you get exactly what you put into it. If you participate in the socratic seminars, use the resource of a regular time to meet with your gifted teacher to work on college essays, etc., it can be a very rewarding class. However, depending on the nature of the class and leeway given students, you could potentially get away with doing a whole lot of nothing. A real waste of resources.</p>
<p>You only get senior year once, you should definitely have a class to destress in. I had an hour and a half of study halls every Friday, along with “honors” choir and both of those really helped with all of the AP classes I was taking along with dual enrollment classes at night, working at night and afternoons, clubs, etc. I mean you only have one senior year!!! Do something that interests you before you don’t have the chance and regret pushing yourself to your breaking point.</p>