Trying to figure out what courses my daughter should sign up for for her senior year. She wants to go to a BSN program, ideally direct admit, and is looking at some of the larger state schools. My question is what are your thoughts on this possible senior class load if it does not include AP Calculus BC nor any Physics? She is not wanting to take those two. How would not having those two classes impact her chances? She already has AP Calculus AB and lots of sciences. She has 5.1 weighted GPA, 4.0 unweighted, top 8% at competitive public school, around 1400 SAT.
Possible senior year classes: AP Stats, AP Psychology, AP Literature, AP Government, DE Health Careers.
Through junior year she already has:
Math - AP Calculus AB, Honors Differential Calculus, Honors Pre Calc, Honors Algebra 2;
English - AP Language, English 3 honors, English 2 honors;
Science - AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Honors Chemistry, Honors Biology, Honors Anatomy and Physiology;
Social Studies - Honors US History, Honors World History, Honors Human Geography;
Language - AP Spanish, Honors Spanish 4, Honors Spanish 3;
Other - Honors Medical Terminology, AP Computer Science Principles
Direct entry nursing is very competitive and she needs a physics class. It doesn’t need to be AP. As such, I’d recommend subbing out AP Psych or the DE Health Careers for H Physics.
I think she’s fine but I always fear a student missing a year of math, only to start again in college. Agree AP not needed but a third year of lab science is).
This is what ASU, as an example, requires:
4 years math
4 years English (non-ESL/ELL courses)
3 years lab sciences (1 year each from biology, chemistry, earth science, integrated sciences or physics)
2 years social sciences (including 1 year American history)
2 years same second language
1 year fine arts or 1 year career and technical education
Most competitive colleges look for applicants to complete a sequence of bio, chem, and physics in high school. I’d suggest she take physics (doesn’t need to be AP) next year – especially since she is applying for a STEM major. She can drop either Psych or Health Careers to make space in her schedule.
She needs a Physics class. If Math is easy for her, keep the AP Stats or do a different math class but she does not need AP Calc BC. AP Lit keep along with AP Psych. The DE Health Careers is fine (even better if they allow them to become CNA or some sort of certification). Of the AP courses you listed I would drop government if it doesn’t fit or will be too much. She needs to keep the grades up.
Other possible things to consider, volunteer and service look great on an application. Working within healthcare is awesome. If 17 an EMT course is good as well.
I have 2 daughters that have been admitted to multiple competitive DE nursing programs and neither took physics or Calculus in HS. They both took AP bio and one took APES and the other took AP Chem. Non issue to not have Physics or Calculus for many competitive DE nursing programs, so long as rigor, GPA and test scores are high. In fact, at one info session at a nursing program this year, they literally said, “Hope you chose AP stats and not AP Calc.”
Of note, based on your username, both of my girls were admitted EA to Clemson Nursing with nearly identical stats you listed, though their class ranks were both top 2%/Palmetto Fellows.
Our experience hasn’t found physics necessary as long as other rigor, including science, and test scores/rank are high. It was a non-issue for both of my daughters, including one admitted to Emory for Nursing and the other admitted to TCU Nursing (EA, no deferral), Clemson Nursing (EA), UK Nursing (invited to interview for Singletary and Presidential full tuition Scholarships), Univ of SC Nursing (DE path), and Bama Nursing.
My DD registers for classes tomorrow. Following back up on this thread. Slightly different than what she originally wanted in post above. Her latest possible senior year classes: AP Stats, AP Physics, AP Psychology, DE Medical Terminology, DE Health Careers, Honors Govt, and Honors Econ. Thoughts on that senior schedule for wanting to major in nursing, ideally direct entry (I am looking at you Clemson and UTK)???
Through junior year she already has (reposting from original post):
Math - AP Calculus AB, Honors Differential Calculus, Honors Pre Calc, Honors Algebra 2; Geometry Honors, Algebra 1 honors
English - AP Language, English 3 honors, English 2 honors; English 1 honors
Science - AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Honors Chemistry, Honors Biology, Honors Anatomy and Physiology;
Social Studies - Honors US History, Honors World History, Honors Human Geography;
Language - AP Spanish, Honors Spanish 4, Honors Spanish 3; Spanish 2 honors, Spanish 1 CP
Other - Honors Medical Terminology, AP Computer Science Principles
She already has English up through AP Lang and really doesn’t want to take any more English. Also, the DE Medical terminology is paired together with DE Medical Careers (a package deal at school). Is she okay with no more English?
No English senior year would be a big deal. It doesn’t have to be an AP, any senior seminar like “Topics in Literature” or “Creative writing” ..or regular English.. would work. It’s more important for college preparation and admission than DE Medical Terminology/Health Careers even if I understand the 2 courses match her interest and are important for her. Ideally she’d have both English and the DE courses (which I assume are each semester-long?)
Do you have the following that Clemson wants to see?
The medical classes - no one asks for those that I’m aware of. That they are offered is nice (not all schools do) but they don’t get you into college best I can tell. You want academic classes above job related).
Remember that most competitive direct admit nursing programs like clem son have about a 10-15% acceptance rate. Per their website, they want high class ranking, high gpa, and high test scores.
As noted above, Clemson wants 4 years of English. They want to see service and leadership.
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