Is it OK to skip a social studies class in 10th grade? Insights on what colleges want are welcome!

[Anonymous]

1. Rising 9th-grader DS is strong in all subjects, has no current preference in what he wants to study, but is a mathy kid who is science-curious.

2. MCPS requires 3 credits of Social Studies. DS is having trouble fitting in all the STEM APs in his high school schedule, because AP Chem and AP Bio are double periods at his high school.

3. Is it OK to not take social studies in 10th grade, just because that year it happens there's no room for one? He would take AP US Gov in 9th, then APUSH in 11th, and AP World in 12th. He's not entirely happy about that, but he wants to be in All-State Band all four years, and that means taking a music class all four years. Add various graduation requirements, the obligatory language, and there's no more room.

Anything else he should be thinking about?

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I don't think any college with penalize your son for taking double math classes and band and skipping social studies for one year. He'll be fine,

[Anonymous]

General advice I have seen for college admissions would be to take social studies class each year.

What is he taking instead 10th grade.

Can he take health during the summer?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t. Have him do the ap classes jr or sr year. Take health ed in summers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Rising 9th-grader DS is strong in all subjects, has no current preference in what he wants to study, but is a mathy kid who is science-curious.

2. MCPS requires 3 credits of Social Studies. DS is having trouble fitting in all the STEM APs in his high school schedule, because AP Chem and AP Bio are double periods at his high school.

3. Is it OK to not take social studies in 10th grade, just because that year it happens there's no room for one? He would take AP US Gov in 9th, then APUSH in 11th, and AP World in 12th. He's not entirely happy about that, but he wants to be in All-State Band all four years, and that means taking a music class all four years. Add various graduation requirements, the obligatory language, and there's no more room.

Anything else he should be thinking about?

Thank you.

He could also do a private orchestra instead.

[Anonymous]

If you decide to go that route, he should use the "Additional Information" on the Common App to give a brief explanation: "Since AP Chem and AP Bio are double periods at my school, and I wanted to continue in band for all four years, I did not have space in my schedule for a social studies class in 10th grade."

[Anonymous]

Does your school allow AP Bio and AP Chem without taking reg bio and Chem first? Many do not.

[Anonymous]

My kid had this issue and did a summer history class between 9th and 10th. I don’t think your son should skip it entirely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your school allow AP Bio and AP Chem without taking reg bio and Chem first? Many do not.

Was going to ask the same thing. At my kids' school, you have to take bio and chem before taking AP bio/chem.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Yes, he has to take Honors Chem before AP Chem and Honors Physics before AP Physics C. He wriggled out of Honors Bio, they will let him take AP Bio without Honors Bio.

Health is in the summer, of course.

[Anonymous]

This is a question for the counselor as it’s a required course for graduation.

[Anonymous]

Get your counselor on board. It can go a long way if counselor writes that schedule prevented kid from takinf the SS class.

[Anonymous]

DS skipped social studies in 11th grade because he wanted to drop from AP World to Honors, but they didn’t have it during a time slot that worked with his magnet schedule. So he took Hon World his senior year. He felt behind bc everyone else got it out of the way by senior year, but Hon was much easier than AP. Like your kid, DS loaded up on AP STEM classes (and AP lang/lit and APUSH and AP NSL). He’s at UMD scholars program now, so I like to think it didn’t hurt him.

[Anonymous]

I would not entirely skip a social studies class, even with your kid who wants to do all that other stuff. I would definitely talk to the counselor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not entirely skip a social studies class, even with your kid who wants to do all that other stuff. I would definitely talk to the counselor.

Well you only need 3 social studies classes to graduate in MCPS so eventually you will have one year without social studies.