AP course selection - advice needed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges care about AP courses in the 5 subjects:

math: AB or BC plus or minus Stats
english: Lang and/or Lit
history: US and World
foreign lang: Lang and/or Lit
science: Bio, Chem and Physics.

The rest don't matter.

How do you know this?

It's pretty common knowledge. These are the 5 core subjects. Some colleges go as far as to drop other classes from the GPA.

Pls list the schools that drop classes from the GPA (which is different than the very few which drop freshman year off).

DP. Many schools do this. There’s no comprehensive list. A couple examples:

U Richmond: “While the School Profile often tells us about your school’s GPA calculation, Richmond also recalculates the GPA of all applicants. We recalculate your GPA using only your core classes (English, science, second language, math, and social studies) and we remove the weight from any AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, or Honors classes.”
https://admission.richmond.edu//features/article/-/23466/frequently-asked-questions-during-the-application-process.html?utm_source=news&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=features-story

U Florida: “UF calculates a core, weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale as part of the evaluation process.
- Dual-enrollment courses in academic core areas and any AP, IB or AICE classes receive an extra 1.0 credit weight, meaning that an A is worth a 5.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Pre-AICE, pre-AP, pre-IB and Honors classes receive a 0.5 credit weight, meaning that an A is worth a 4.5 on a 4.0 scale.”
https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/freshman/our-decision-process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges care about AP courses in the 5 subjects:

math: AB or BC plus or minus Stats
english: Lang and/or Lit
history: US and World
foreign lang: Lang and/or Lit
science: Bio, Chem and Physics.

The rest don't matter.

How do you know this?

It's pretty common knowledge. These are the 5 core subjects. Some colleges go as far as to drop other classes from the GPA.

Pls list the schools that drop classes from the GPA (which is different than the very few which drop freshman year off).

DP. Many schools do this. There’s no comprehensive list. A couple examples:

U Richmond: “While the School Profile often tells us about your school’s GPA calculation, Richmond also recalculates the GPA of all applicants. We recalculate your GPA using only your core classes (English, science, second language, math, and social studies) and we remove the weight from any AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, or Honors classes.”
https://admission.richmond.edu//features/article/-/23466/frequently-asked-questions-during-the-application-process.html?utm_source=news&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=features-story

U Florida: “UF calculates a core, weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale as part of the evaluation process.
- Dual-enrollment courses in academic core areas and any AP, IB or AICE classes receive an extra 1.0 credit weight, meaning that an A is worth a 5.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Pre-AICE, pre-AP, pre-IB and Honors classes receive a 0.5 credit weight, meaning that an A is worth a 4.5 on a 4.0 scale.”
https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/freshman/our-decision-process

FL: defines “core” to inc 3 electives.

So one school - Richmond- you know of does this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges care about AP courses in the 5 subjects:

math: AB or BC plus or minus Stats
english: Lang and/or Lit
history: US and World
foreign lang: Lang and/or Lit
science: Bio, Chem and Physics.

The rest don't matter.

How do you know this?

It's pretty common knowledge. These are the 5 core subjects. Some colleges go as far as to drop other classes from the GPA.

Pls list the schools that drop classes from the GPA (which is different than the very few which drop freshman year off).

DP. Many schools do this. There’s no comprehensive list. A couple examples:

U Richmond: “While the School Profile often tells us about your school’s GPA calculation, Richmond also recalculates the GPA of all applicants. We recalculate your GPA using only your core classes (English, science, second language, math, and social studies) and we remove the weight from any AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, or Honors classes.”
https://admission.richmond.edu//features/article/-/23466/frequently-asked-questions-during-the-application-process.html?utm_source=news&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=features-story

U Florida: “UF calculates a core, weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale as part of the evaluation process.
- Dual-enrollment courses in academic core areas and any AP, IB or AICE classes receive an extra 1.0 credit weight, meaning that an A is worth a 5.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Pre-AICE, pre-AP, pre-IB and Honors classes receive a 0.5 credit weight, meaning that an A is worth a 4.5 on a 4.0 scale.”
https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/freshman/our-decision-process

FL: defines “core” to inc 3 electives.

So one school - Richmond- you know of does this?

Google is your friend. I was providing an example of a public and a small private that recalculate in different ways using core classes. I am not going to attempt to provide you a comprehensive list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How's US Gov course viewed in general? World History vs US Gov?

Government is considered easier than world. At our school kids take gov first then world, euro, APUSH.

[Anonymous]

what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

Instead of AP Stats you need to add an AP Science class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

Instead of AP Stats you need to add an AP Science class.

Stats is going to be more useful for an Econ pre-law student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges care about AP courses in the 5 subjects:

math: AB or BC plus or minus Stats
english: Lang and/or Lit
history: US and World
foreign lang: Lang and/or Lit
science: Bio, Chem and Physics.

The rest don't matter.

How do you know this?

It's pretty common knowledge. These are the 5 core subjects. Some colleges go as far as to drop other classes from the GPA.

It's common knowledge that AP World is basically required? Cite please.
I guess my kid who has AP US Gov, AP Euro, and AP US is screwed then, since no one told him that he specifically needs world.

Also, Bio, Chem, *AND* Physics? Which kid anywhere has the schedule space for APs in all three sciences?

I've never heard that only certain History AP's count, but it is well-documented that top schools prefer to see one of each science, with as many as possible at the AP level. A humanities student probably doesn't need all AP's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

Instead of AP Stats you need to add an AP Science class.

Stats is going to be more useful for an Econ pre-law student.

Better to drop stats and do BC then, for a stronger math background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

Instead of AP Stats you need to add an AP Science class.

Stats is going to be more useful for an Econ pre-law student.

Better to drop stats and do BC then, for a stronger math background.

nope. at my kid's top 40 college, his high school AP calc AB class could have satisfied his college math requirement for Econ majors.
Much better and more useful to get an A in AP Stats than needlessly burden this schedule with calc BC.

[Anonymous]

Take the highest rigor offered by your school each year in the 5 core subjects. You are judged by what you choose to take from what your school offers. In general, if offered here is the minimum expected:
Math: Get though at least Calc AB in 12th, add BC if able, stats if not stem oriented if AB in 11th
English, AP Lit and Lang.
FL: Get to AP level by 12th, replace with another core AP if max in 11th
Science, Take AP lab and Physics, 11th and 12th (AP Enviro is considered an elective)
History: AP World 10th, US 11th, Govt 12th (AP Psych is considered an elective, can add AP Human Geo in 9th).
Anythig else is icing on the cake and will be judged according to what is offered, available for schedule and compared to what others IN YOUR SCHOOL are typically taking. Don't need to keep up with the Jones' though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

Instead of AP Stats you need to add an AP Science class.

Stats is going to be more useful for an Econ pre-law student.

NP. They can take stats in college. In high school, they want four years of science. I recommend physics, assuming that’s what seniors take at the PP’s school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about this for his senior year?
AP English Literature
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP Spanish

for non-STEM, policy, econ, law leaning student.

Instead of AP Stats you need to add an AP Science class.

Stats is going to be more useful for an Econ pre-law student.

Better to drop stats and do BC then, for a stronger math background.

nope. at my kid's top 40 college, his high school AP calc AB class could have satisfied his college math requirement for Econ majors.
Much better and more useful to get an A in AP Stats than needlessly burden this schedule with calc BC.

Calc AB is sufficient. Stats is not necessary.

[Anonymous]

I have a first year at UVA currently and TBH, this lineup looks like a kid who is just trying to take classes that say "AP" and have a GPA boost - it's a lot of the easier courses like APES and Psych. Not all APs are created equal and not all APs will get you credit at UVA.

I would focus more on the most rigorous offerings that are directly related to what your kid intends to study in college. Think about what your kid's story will be in their admissions packet. Focus on being focused instead of just trying to hit "APs" all over the map.

Also, what kind of special projects or ECs does your kid do that will contribute to their story. Their application should form a cohesive statement of who they are as a student and where they hope to go in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Humanities kid or STEM kid? Math and science choices are ok but on the less rigorous end.

This plus what are similarly-ranked UVA applicants in his class taking? This is critical. You need to meet with his college advisor and ask and ask if he’s on track for the advisor to check off the “most rigorous” box. They probably won’t tell you but push and ask specifically valid what courses need to
Be taken to get that designation no one here can tell you that. UVA will receive from that counselor a list of AP courses offered by your high school and percentage if your kid’s class who took them. This us how the colleges figure out approximate class rank.

I think that in almost every school, the kids are internally ranked by categories in the counselor’s letter (top 10%, top 25%, etc.). My son’s counselor actually uses the SAT scores heavily to differentiate among the high stats kids (due in part to grade inflation?).

Not at our FCPS HS.