My kid didn't take a ton of AP classes and his grades were in the middle of his class. He only took 3 as a Senior, Gov, CS and Chem. I am convinced that helped a lot with his applications. I don't think anyone around him in the rankings took Chem.

I think you need to take either AP Bio, Chem or Physics. Environmental Science just doesn't help as much.

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.

There is only AP Calc AB on the list. No BC.

Anonymous wrote:My DS's NOVA HS offers the following AP courses:
African American Studies
Biology
Calc AB - will take next year as a senior
Chemistry
Computer Science A
English Lang - taking it now as a junior
English Lit - will take next year
Spanish - will take next year
Env Science - planning to take next year
Human Geo - taking this year
Econ - taking this year
Physics I - taking this year
Physics C
Precalc - taking this year
Psychology - planning next year
Stats
US Gov - planning for next year
US History - taking this year
World History

Will be applying to UVA Arts & Sciences this Fall. What courses should be considered for his senior year in addition to or instead of what's already planned?

UVA likes rigor. The most rigorous sci classes are Chem,PhysC and Bio.Yours is avoiding all 3. Not a good look, even for humanities kid, for UVA in state. For a STem kid need 2 of 3 from nova, humanities needs at lest one

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.

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 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 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.

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 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 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 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 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 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.