<p>I was just accepted into the Reed Young Scholars program which basically means you can take a class at Reed when you are a high school senior. I was admitted for chemistry and for the class there is a lecture, discussion, and lab ranging from 9 AM to around 12 on different days. </p>
<p>My school operates on an A and B day schedule meaning we have 4 classes each day that are an hour and a half long. If I were to take the chemistry class, I basically would only be allowed one after noon class each day most likely, unless my school were to change our schedule, which does happen with frequency. </p>
<p>However, I need 5 periods to still be involved in sports. The Reed class would count as one, then two afternoon classes. One of those would have to be english. I need health so I could take that online via BYU. That leaves one class and there is a possibility my photography teacher would let me do independent study AP with her, do that with band, or work at the elementary school odd hours to get another credit that way.</p>
<p>Basically my schedule would be very unique and quite different on a day to day basis. This is a great program and I’d really love to be at Reed taking a class. I feel that if college admissions saw this, they’d be very impressed. At the same time, they might see that the rest of my schedule is a little lack luster if they don’t take into account how much time the Reed class takes up. I wouldn’t be taking the class at Reed just to look good to colleges. I genuinely love chem and would enjoy the class. </p>
<p>All that being said, how do you think this senior schedule would look to college admissions? I am talking smaller, difficult to get into liberal arts schools. Thanks for any input!</p>
<p>Just looked at the program website and this looks like a selective program with the student paying relatively little. That’s a plus as far as college admissions.</p>
<p>You’ve said you sr schedule would include:</p>
<p>Chemistry
English
Health
Photography</p>
<p>What other academic courses would you take?</p>
<p>Like I said I might be an elementary teaching assistant or do band. Additional classes I am interested in are AP stat, Ap Enviro, and AP Psych. The whole thing is really up in the air because most of these classes are only available one period and so there is a good chance I won’t be able to take them. It all depends on how they formulate the schedule. My photography class would also be AP and there is a possibility english could be AP also, although I don’t want to kill myself as my Reed class will be very demanding.</p>
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<p>These aren’t considered academic courses. For selective colleges, I usually like to see a student taking 5 academic classes each year. It’s really difficult to say how much the Reed course would make up for a lighter HS schedule. </p>
<p>Sorry I can’t be of much help, but I don’t think there’s a clear cut right answer, particularly since your HS schedule is still in flux.</p>
<p>Congratulations! I was accepted into the Reed Young Scholars program too, but couldn’t do it because of transportation issues. I took classes at PSU instead. </p>
<p>I’m sure Reed Young Scholars will be very impressive to colleges. At interviews, admissions officers always seemed to be impressed that I was taking classes (math and physics at the 200-level) at PSU, and I bet they’d be more impressed if it was Reed. Since you’re applying to small, liberal arts colleges that are similar to Reed, they’ll probably like to see that you’ve succeeded in a class at a similar school. </p>
<p>Would it be possible for you to ask your counselor to make sure you get the schedule you need? My school has the same schedule as yours, and I needed to leave at 12:30 every day to get to PSU. So, my counselor somehow ensured that I had either lunch or an easy class each day at 12:30.</p>
<p>Is there any way to fit a math class in there, or possibly a foreign language class? I think the absence of those classes are a bigger red flag, and even more so if you are planning to major or minor in chemistry in college, since you will need calculus.</p>
<p>I took AP Spanish as a sophomore and so I am all maxed out. I’m considering taking it at PSU next year. Like I said, I may be able to take stat or enviro if they are 7th or 8th period for the upcoming year. I have a meeting with my counselor tomorrow to see how my schedule can be arranged. Most of the classes don’t have a specific time yet which further complicates things. I would hate to go into the summer not knowing what I will be taking next year.</p>
<p>If you are going to bump, maybe update us on how your meeting with the advisor went/what your courses will be?</p>
<p>Alas, Portland school’s have basically no money and as they have to cut back on classes and the periods they are offered, I still do not know! It’s so frustrating. Although my Reed class will be hard, would you recommend taking AP english or a relatively easy seminar sort of class (women’s lit/the 60s)?</p>