high school course selection - looking ahead of college apps

[Anonymous]

I guess this question is why people pay for outside college consultants. I am trying to help my child pick out their 11th grade courses - are there good sources (blogs, podcasts, facebook pages) that you've found to be useful in providing general advice on issues such as course selection. My child is at a MCPS high school - and yes, they will talk with their counselor. And I know that online sources would be more generic and not specific to her situation. But I am just generally interested in finding reputable sources for trends and general info on questions like - if you are going to be pre-med/health, what is best order to take AP Bio and Physics; is it necessary to take Spanish 5 as a junior or can you drop language altogether, etc. Or, is the only option outside the school counselor to pay for the comprehensive college consultant route?

[Anonymous]

We talked to a college counselor (private) when our kids were in 10th.

He basically said - get every key science covered in HS,

Physics
Biology
Chemistry

and get the AP's for each of these

He also said get the AP's for foreign language and Calculus (AB or BC depending on your kid) in 11th if possible.

Then get AP's in English Lang and Lit, the Humanities subjects including Gov't / Econ / US History, European and / or world History

The 11th grade needs to be extremely rigorous so you get the AP / Honors bump and you show the colleges that you're academically ready for them.

He also said EC's are key - sports / volunteering in a very specific way related to your potential major / travel and learning outside of school where possible

[Anonymous]

That's helpful, thanks. So, would an 11th grader would do both AP Bio and (first year, not AP) Physics in the same year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's helpful, thanks. So, would an 11th grader would do both AP Bio and (first year, not AP) Physics in the same year?

I think if your DD is STEM and her schedule allows it she could do both.
My DD did languages so frequently she was taking French and Chinese at the same time. It showed her leanings but it knocked out the ability to take two science AP's at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We talked to a college counselor (private) when our kids were in 10th.

He basically said - get every key science covered in HS,

Physics
Biology
Chemistry

and get the AP's for each of these

He also said get the AP's for foreign language and Calculus (AB or BC depending on your kid) in 11th if possible.

Then get AP's in English Lang and Lit, the Humanities subjects including Gov't / Econ / US History, European and / or world History

The 11th grade needs to be extremely rigorous so you get the AP / Honors bump and you show the colleges that you're academically ready for them.

He also said EC's are key - sports / volunteering in a very specific way related to your potential major / travel and learning outside of school where possible

The college counselor told you to be sure to take AP Bio, AP Chem, and AP Physics?

[Anonymous]

According to prominent consultants like Sara Harberson, for competitive schools it is necessary to take 4 years of an Ancient or World Language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's helpful, thanks. So, would an 11th grader would do both AP Bio and (first year, not AP) Physics in the same year?

Honestly, I think AP Bio and Physics 1 in the same year is doable. It's an introductory physics class, so if your kid does the homework and actually studies, it’s very manageable. Plus, doing that lets you take Physics C Mech/E&M senior year.

[Anonymous]

My kid goes to a private school elsewhere where we don't have APs and we don't accelerate math (which is a good thing). We are struggling as there are only so many periods in a day. English, math, science, history, language, music, computer science.

I still believe that schools are realistic and don't want kids totally overloading and killing themselves. I'm not saying they should take basket weaving and pottery but if they are taking 5-6 advanced type academic classes plus a regular arts or something else, that is enough. The question is which ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We talked to a college counselor (private) when our kids were in 10th.

He basically said - get every key science covered in HS,

Physics
Biology
Chemistry

and get the AP's for each of these

He also said get the AP's for foreign language and Calculus (AB or BC depending on your kid) in 11th if possible.

Then get AP's in English Lang and Lit, the Humanities subjects including Gov't / Econ / US History, European and / or world History

The 11th grade needs to be extremely rigorous so you get the AP / Honors bump and you show the colleges that you're academically ready for them.

He also said EC's are key - sports / volunteering in a very specific way related to your potential major / travel and learning outside of school where possible

The college counselor told you to be sure to take AP Bio, AP Chem, and AP Physics?

Yes he did, I thought it was a tall order, especially when other subjects dominated my kids interests.
My DD took AP Bio and AP Chem (afer taking honors versions of these subjects) but not Physics, (she was able to take a human anatomy course instead) While my DS took Honors Bio, Hons Chem and Hons Physics (no AP sciences at all as he really strugged to keep the A grades in these classes)

[Anonymous]

APs in each science is not needed for any school. It might be good if you are definitively STEM but even then it's not needed. You do want 4 years of science and one AP science, along with an AP Calc, AP Foreign Language, and AP Lit and Lang. After that, it's dependent on the kid and the school they're at.

[Anonymous]

Also an AP history/government, and I agree a jam packed, very rigorous junior year schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's helpful, thanks. So, would an 11th grader would do both AP Bio and (first year, not AP) Physics in the same year?

Honestly, I think AP Bio and Physics 1 in the same year is doable. It's an introductory physics class, so if your kid does the homework and actually studies, it’s very manageable. Plus, doing that lets you take Physics C Mech/E&M senior year.

What do you drop to have room in the schedule for two sciences in the same year? You still need math, English, history, language, and potentially stats, computer science, or something similar, plus if they are in band, visual arts, or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Regular/honors bio, chem, and physics. Then an AP of one of those senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's helpful, thanks. So, would an 11th grader would do both AP Bio and (first year, not AP) Physics in the same year?

Honestly, I think AP Bio and Physics 1 in the same year is doable. It's an introductory physics class, so if your kid does the homework and actually studies, it’s very manageable. Plus, doing that lets you take Physics C Mech/E&M senior year.

What do you drop to have room in the schedule for two sciences in the same year? You still need math, English, history, language, and potentially stats, computer science, or something similar, plus if they are in band, visual arts, or something like that.

If they have their 5 core classes, you have 2 free electives. An extra science can be one of them. Computer science and stats aren't classes you need, anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's helpful, thanks. So, would an 11th grader would do both AP Bio and (first year, not AP) Physics in the same year?

Honestly, I think AP Bio and Physics 1 in the same year is doable. It's an introductory physics class, so if your kid does the homework and actually studies, it’s very manageable. Plus, doing that lets you take Physics C Mech/E&M senior year.

What do you drop to have room in the schedule for two sciences in the same year? You still need math, English, history, language, and potentially stats, computer science, or something similar, plus if they are in band, visual arts, or something like that.

You drop something like visual arts.
My DD took 2 languages from 8th grade thru 12th so she never really had room for many other electives