Negotiating high school for the classic liberal arts kid

[Anonymous]

My DD loves art, poetry, history, theater and writing. She really struggles with math and science but works hard and still gets excellent grades. Some of the best liberal arts colleges still ask for Math subject SATs or Cal AP scores as well as four years of math and science.

If you had a similar typical artsy kid - how did they get through honors math and science classes or do well enough to score high on Math Subject SATs?

[Anonymous]

Have her prepare for the Math 1 SAT subject test - it is Algebra I and II and Geometry. Get her a tutor is necessary early so that she completely understands the theories. Have her take precalc/trig senior year.

[Anonymous]

DD did her best in classes and on standardized tests and didn’t worry about getting into the “best” LACs. She is who she is and wanted a school where that would be enough - especially since she is not taking those subjects in college.

Very happy history major junior now and looking at grad school or law school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD did her best in classes and on standardized tests and didn’t worry about getting into the “best” LACs. She is who she is and wanted a school where that would be enough - especially since she is not taking those subjects in college.

Very happy history major junior now and looking at grad school or law school.

OP here - the problem is that my DD wants NYU - they have strict and competitive requirements for admission.

[Anonymous]

OP here - the problem is that my DD wants NYU - they have strict and competitive requirements for admission.

NYU is not a liberal arts college.

20 seconds on the NYU website informed me that they want to see SAT/ACT OR 3 AP scores OR 3 SAT subject test scores. They have flexible testing requirements.

If you choose to submit subject tests or AP tests in addition to SAT/ACT scores, I imagine you can pick whichever ones you want. The math requirement is for people using APs or subject tests in lieu of the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here - the problem is that my DD wants NYU - they have strict and competitive requirements for admission.

NYU is not a liberal arts college.

20 seconds on the NYU website informed me that they want to see SAT/ACT OR 3 AP scores OR 3 SAT subject test scores. They have flexible testing requirements.

If you choose to submit subject tests or AP tests in addition to SAT/ACT scores, I imagine you can pick whichever ones you want. The math requirement is for people using APs or subject tests in lieu of the SAT.

Tisch certainly is.

[Anonymous]

DD is at Wesleyan. Sounds like your daughter. In high school she studied hard for the Math 1 SAT and did very well. Managed four years of math and science but no APs. APs in all three history classes, Art History, Music theory and Comp and Lit. I think she did the US government AP too. And French her senior year.

[Anonymous]

NYU is the most expensive college in the country, $72K + per year.

[Anonymous]

They suck it up, and do the honors classes in math and science, straight through (ok, can do regular calc and precalc). No, she doesn't have to do Calc BC, or Phys C, but the top colleges care about not taking the easy way out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They suck it up, and do the honors classes in math and science, straight through (ok, can do regular calc and precalc). No, she doesn't have to do Calc BC, or Phys C, but the top colleges care about not taking the easy way out.

I agree. Get her tutors if you have to - she should take four years of honors math and science classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD did her best in classes and on standardized tests and didn’t worry about getting into the “best” LACs. She is who she is and wanted a school where that would be enough - especially since she is not taking those subjects in college.

Very happy history major junior now and looking at grad school or law school.

OP here - the problem is that my DD wants NYU - they have strict and competitive requirements for admission.

So? It's important for her to look at a range of schools. This isn't an episode of Gilmore girls.

[Anonymous]

She should take four years of math.

Subject SATs are not necessary.

A HS freshman who says she wants to go to NYU doesn’t know what she is talking about.

If she wants a liberal arts education, NYU is not a great choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She should take four years of math.

Subject SATs are not necessary.

A HS freshman who says she wants to go to NYU doesn’t know what she is talking about.

If she wants a liberal arts education, NYU is not a great choice.

As an NYU alumni and a liberal arts major, I disagree 100%! However that is not the point. OP's daughter needs four years of math and a math SAT subject test to be prepared for which ever college she chooses in three years. More importantly, she has to do well on her SATs - both the verbal and math.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the above PP's - to keep her options open, she needs four years of honors math and science. It sucks but top schools require it. Make sure she takes APs in everything else that she can - especially English Comp and Lit.

[Anonymous]

Just so you know, math and science ARE liberal arts. So LAC are going to care about those.