<p>My s is a senior and has taken a rigorous courseload all thru school. AP and Honors classes. The most challenging classes available at his school, one of the top school systems in the state. The problem is he wasn’t able to fit physics in his schedule this year because he loves music and is taking band (marching) and jazz band which takes up 2 periods. He also has to fullfill a phys ed and health requirement this year. He was unable to take these over the summer which would have freed up the schedule for physics because he had major surgery in June. He’s applying to some very selective schools: Carnegie Mellon, Rice, Dartmouth, Cornell, Case Western. Majoring in Computer Science. JUst hoping this won’t hurt his chances.</p>
<p>I suggest he take just one period of music (choose whichever is most important to him or whichever allows his schedule to be rearranged to allow physics) and take physics. I think schools will most certainly wonder why somebody interested in CS in particular has chosen two periods of music over physics. I’ve noticed that “bragging points” for Wesleyan, for example, include that fact that 3/4 of the incoming class has taken Calculus and science through physics and this includes humanities majors too!</p>
<p>My daughter, who chose to attend a women’s college, found calculus and physics on her transcript very helpful in admissions, even though she hopes never to have to take science or math again.</p>
<p>I think Calculus and physics are sort of gatekeeper courses. </p>
<p>I am not saying his present schedule will preclude his being admitted to the schools you listed, but I do believe it will make it more difficult. Just to give you idea, my son worried that AP Environmental would hurt him because he chose it over AP Physics, having already taken AP Bio and AP Chem, and he wants to be a music major! I can tell you he wasn’t accepted at all the schools on your list (he applied to two of the above) although he was accepted to Williams (where he is attending), UChi and Brown.</p>
<p>Of course, we’re from NY, which makes things more difficult. If you’re from Wyoming let’s say, this might not be an issue at all.</p>
<p>Soooooo, no one can say with certainly how adcoms will make their determinations, but I think that one period of music and one of physics would be the more prudent course for such selective schools and that particular major.</p>
<p>i think admissions officers might be a little curious why a comp sci person didnt take physics…
could he take it at a local community college?</p>
<p>I am a music major and I hadn’t taken music since 7th grade, this was because my school didn’t offer music after 8th grade. But don’t kill your self just because you’re majoring in X and you haven’t taken Y. Myself, I hate hate hate math but I took calculus because I didn’t want to have to take math in college. Granted, it is pretty tough taking a college course in the crammed high school schedule, but it helps in the end.</p>