Science for humanities kid
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Anonymous
At LACs with narrower anthropology curricula, particularly those not offering an archaeology concentration, all anthropology students essentially follow a cultural anthropology course of study. At LACs with more extensive anthropology curricula, students typically can choose a concentration in either — broadly defined — cultural anthropology or archaeology. With respect to choosing a college, those that offer "four field" (further divisions of cultural anthropology and archaeology) instruction will offer the greatest range of options to pursue. |
Anonymous
| My humanities/social science kid did not take any AP science—just honors level Bio, Chem, and Physics. She did take AP Calculus AB and AP Stats (plus other non-STEM APs). She’s now at Pomona. |
Anonymous
| Take a humanities class instead of a second science. My humanities DD didn’t take physics at all (she had 4 science classes though 11th grade, including AP Bio) and she’s now at a WASP school to which she was admitted RD. |
Anonymous
| Humanities DS at top SLAC - took only 3 years of science - chem, physics, AP bio - and instead of taking another science class doubled up on humanities senior year. No science at all. School counselors (no private counselors) were concerned. They were wrong. Other top SLAC, private and public, and even an Ivy option…was like an unexpected embarrassment of riches. |
Anonymous
No, the counselor is correct if OP’s kid is gunning for the T30. If not gunning for a top SLAC, then there is more leeway. |
Anonymous
RD? From overrepresented geographic area? Competitive high school? |
Anonymous
| The answer is not so much on whether to take this science class but what other classes she will take. If taking multiple most rigorous classes in area of interest, she will be fine. If she's not, it will be an issue. |
Anonymous
Yes to all 3. |
Anonymous
To add, not only are two science classes silly; two math classes are also silly. Double or triple up on humanities. If 1 science is taken, take bio over physics as genetics are informing a lot of paleoanthropology these days…. |
Anonymous
| Take the AP bio and the physics if she is targeting a top-5 SLAC or an ivy+ school. |
Anonymous
You need to ask the high school. At the magnet and the private we know best, taking two AP sciences on top of bio, chem, phyiscs is done by 20% of the class and seems to be "needed" to get into T25ish/top SLACs. AP calc AB would already be below the top 40% of the class, so maximizing the science will help in addition to maximizing humanities rigor if your student has not doe that as well. |
Anonymous
Note that this student has taken biology and plans to take physics. |
Anonymous
| Perhaps implied, but unstated, is the level of selectivity that this student might encounter when applying to suitable colleges. If she might be happy at any of, say, Amherst, Hamilton, Vassar or Kenyon, then selecting high school courses solely for strategic reasons would seem unnecessary and potentially counterproductive. If she is a strong student, she would be likely to get into one or more schools from even this brief list. Nonetheless, to not limit her choices, it will be important to have taken biology, chemistry and physics, which she plans to do. |
Anonymous
Don’t take physics at all; take AP bio. |
Anonymous
Such a decision could tip the scales toward a denial at a selective liberal arts college. |