Hi!! So for this upcoming year (I will be a junior), I decided to double up on my math classes by taking Geometry and Pre Calc. I chose this because this would allow me to take a higher level math by my senior year (Calculus,Statistics, etc), and I thought this would look better on my application for college. However, by doing this, I would have to take Spanish 3 my senior year, which would only give me 3 years of a foreign language.
So, my question is……does having a high level math like Calculus or having 4 years of a foreign language look better on college applications. (note: I am targeting ivies and T-20 schools)
Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated because I can still change my classes since it’s still summer!
The second option is more “balanced” in terms of the expected level of achievement for a student who did not start advanced in either subject based on middle school course work.
However, the effect on admissions may depend on the specific colleges, and the specific college majors of interest. For a college that specifically wants to see calculus, the first option would be more admissible. But if a college wants to see “four years” of math and foreign language, and does not specify calculus, then the second option may look better.
The value of each option in terms of preparation for your college study also depends on your college majors of interest.
I’d be more concerned about taking a year off between Spanish 2 and 3. For many people, languages are “use it or lose it.” Do you have Spanish-speaking family members you can practice with? Or perhaps a tutor to help maintain your skills during the year gap? It is really best to avoid that sort of gap, if possible.
I also think that the best way to improve your chances at admissions to a highly ranked university is to do what is right for you, and whatever you do, do it very well.
With this in mind I would take “university admissions” off the table, and instead think about what would be the right approach for you.
It is fine to apply to some Ivy League or other elite schools…even if their acceptance rates are low.
Take courses where you know you will do well. Believe it or not, there are students at elite colleges who haven’t taken calculus. You can always take the course in college. But you need a good foundation in math…so don’t rush through things.
Agree with the advice above. Take the courses that make sense for your ability, schedule, etc. Work with your teachers and guidance counselor (who hopefully understand the demands of the classes and your abilities) to create your schedule. Personally, I would be nervous about both taking two math classes (unless you are a math whiz) and skipping a year of Spanish.
Ivy and equivalent schools, with acceptance rates generally in the single digits, are reaches for every unhooked applicant. If you didn’t take the highest course rigor your HS offers, these colleges will become even more of a reach.
That said, when the time comes, apply to some reach schools and give those applications your all. But be sure to create a balanced application list with reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be excited to attend.
Is it highest course rigor your HS offers or highest course rigor available to you?
The former seems to be widely believed, and leads to such things as:
the math acceleration race starting in elementary or middle school
trying to maximize AP (or other advanced) courses in elective areas, to the exclusion of academic offerings of the student’s interest that may be offered only as regular level
taking AP electives like psychology, statistics, and environmental science in place of regular level core courses like foreign language level 3 or 4, precalculus, or physics
As you’re just a Junior, you likely really don’t know yet where you’ll be applying - because things change. Many have ideas. Same with majors - my son went through four his Junior and Senior years. He attended a school he had zero interest in…things change…but your list so far is a great one.
But the most important thing is to be the best you that you can be - and if you decide in a year that Columbia, NYU, and USC are on your list, then great.
But give thought -not now - but later this year as you start do do some visits and after you’ve gotten your SAT score, to the MOST IMPORTANT schools on your list - and those are the schools that:
1). You can afford
2. You’ll get into
3. That’ you’ll love
Need a couple of those and then the rest of your list can be as you desire. You can do a chance me later in the year and folks will give you their thoughts as to your profile and chances for your desired school.
I’d personally take Spanish because of the continuity - and then you’d be in Pre-Calc Senior year.
Again, every college in America (or nearly) including the Ivies has Calc 1 students. Or you can take Pre-Calc over the summer. I wouldn’t but it’s an option.
Given your schedule. Engineering is a lot of math - and I just worry about taking two math classes simultaneously.
While calculus in high school can be of some advanced placement benefit to an engineering major, the benefit of such would be less for other majors (and could be counterbalanced by the placement level in Spanish, particularly if you want to study political science of Spanish speaking countries or environments).
From your description above, it does not look like engineering is your top choice major, correct? If that is correct, then that can tip the decision more in favor of staying on the normal tracks to finish precalculus and Spanish 4 in high school.
For architecture you may be ok deferring calculus to college, however if you’re doing an engineering major such as civil engineering then some colleges will expect you to have already taken a year of calculus.
Cal Poly says “1 out of 5 architects in California are graduates from our program and that 1 out of 20 architects in the United States are graduates from the Architecture Department.” Using them as representative of Architecture programs their sample curriculum shows students taking Calculus I their 1st year.
I’ll add, though, that it is an unfortunate fact of life that you probably need to decide if architecture or engineering is what you want during your junior HS year. At most colleges it is difficult or simply not allowed to switch into these majors from some other major since they have required classes that start frosh year. Furthermore some schools such as USC require a portfolio to be submitted if you apply as an architecture major.
We highly recommend that students look into taking “Advanced Placement (AP) Tests” at their current school. A counselor/advisor should be able to tell you whether there is a testing opportunity at your school or in your geographic area. By passing the various AP tests, it is possible for students to obtain college units in English, Calculus, and Physics. If you obtain AP credit, you will find that you can take a reduced unit load for several quarters and still complete the program in the prescribed time. Many students find this of great benefit, since architecture is a very demanding program.
I’d note, though, that a BArch is not the only route into architecture (although it is the shortest), but that said, a BS majoring in Arch is still likely to have many of the drawbacks mentioned about changing majors.
If looking at Architecture - BArch or BA-Arch, your curriculum should be including some amount of ART courses now. Drawing, painting, Design, etc. Architecture (unless you’re an Architectural Engineer) is not a math/science heavy program - at least not when compared to Engineering.
If you’re shooting for high-end programs admissions can be incredibly competitive (and don’t necessarily assume that all the high end programs are at high end schools, though many are). Virginia Tech has a very highly ranked BArch program. Although VT as a school has gotten more competitive to get into over recent years I would call it “easy” compared to a T-20 school. The admissions rate to their BArch program though can be like applying to some T-20 schools.
You’re just going into your Junior year and for most programs you have time to figure out specifically what you might want to do but some programs need more runway than others and have limited ability to get onto that path if you miss the turn.
Leverage the group on this board as you move along. Lots of great advice to be had here.
This is exactly what S24 did. This helped him in several ways. First, he only needed to take one math class, Geometry, in Junior year. Second, after he took Pre-Calculus in the summer before Senior year, then he took his last SAT test. He improved his Math score by 100 points to 780. Pre-Calculus refreshed his mind and got him better prepare for SAT problems. Lastly, he got to put AP Calculus as one of his senior year courses in his collage application. He felt like this is important because he applied for Aero Eng major.