Off Topic Help choosing classes?

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Hey guys! This question is for parents of older children and older gymnasts. I'm a sophomore in high school and I've already signed up for my classes for next year, but it's time to think about what I'm going to take senior year.

The problem is that I want to take British Literature (Honors) senior year, because apparently you learn how to read Ye Olde Time English and you get to read stuff like Beowulf. However, I'd also be taking AP English, and that wouldn't leave time for a science class (at this point there's only one science class I won't have taken, and that's physics). Here are my questions:

-Is it a good idea to take physics in high school? I'll have 4 years of science even if I don't take any science classes senior year, and I don't really think I'll be going into science (social science, maybe).
-Is the essay load for two advanced English classes too much?
-How many AP classes is generally too many? I.E., an overload that winds up hindering success.
-Is calculus as scary as it sounds? The two things in life that are scarier to me than competing beam are calculus and physics.

 

[emorymom]

They are revamping the AP content in some courses to be less outrageous, so I would read up on that before making your decision. You may want to delay some courses into the new system.

In high school years ago I took 4 AP classes one year. I was not training gym. I did a little tennis and I took a stupid night school course because I was accelerating to get out a year early. Training gym? Yeah I wouldn't. I am not sure AP classes are even that useful unless you are doing unaccredited self-study and need to sit the test after reading the materials so you can prove you learned something.

Race to Nowhere | Changing Lives One Film at a Time What are your goals here? Are you going to be an English professor? Is Olde English really worth the hours of sleep you will miss, for something you can do for pleasure whenever you want in your long life?

Physics and calculus go together. IMO it can be difficult to understand what the frig calculus is for and why the heck to remember it, without some basic physics and it is impossible to do physics without calculus. Take them together and try to do a little light physics reading the summer before. Gymnastics is physics, seriously.

 

[gymkat]

You might want to ask if you actually get to read Beowulf in the original and not in an updated version; from the sound of that class, you'd be translating Beowulf line by line for weeks. (Middle English is very readable. Old English... not so much. I kind of doubt that you'd be reading the entire text in the original!)

Your questions really depend on the person. If you want to major in science, then physics would be a great choice. If you're thinking about humanities or social sciences, then it's probably not necessary. Some people couldn't handle one AP class; others can handle 5-6 (or more!).

If you're looking for personal experiences, then you can use me as a half-cautionary tale and half-success story. I took five AP (or beyond AP) classes during both my junior and senior years while doing gymnastics (L9) and orchestra. (To clarify the "beyond AP" part: I was in an English program that was accelerated past AP.) It was miserable, and I averaged about 5 hours of sleep-- but I also got over a year's worth of college credit. In college, I had three semesters in which I was in five literature classes (4 English classes and an upper-level foreign language lit class), so I have to imagine that it's possible to balance two high school classes. Calculus and physics depend on your background and your strengths. Conceptually, I thought calculus was easier than geometry. I struggled through AP Physics C in high school, but Physics I in college was really easy. (Also, Physics I probably would be algebra-based and not calculus-based. AP Physics B is algebra-based; AP Physics C is calc-based.)

 

[fishchimes]

If you are not planning to go into science, physics won't be necessary, but I recommend looking to see what other science options may be available to you; some schools offer classes in nutrition, neurology, etc. If faced with the choice between AP English and British Lit I would choose AP– but that's just me. British Lit sounds interesting but too esoteric.

I haven't taken calc, but I believe that if you've been successful in all of your previous math courses, you will at least get passing grades in calculus. Additionally, calc probably won't help you much more than physics if you're not going to be a scientist, but statistics might, so see if your school offers that as an alternative.

Good luck!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I do believe that college admissions officials are looking for the most challenging courses that you can do. In my area, if you do NOT take physics, you are already "behind the 8 ball" so to speak when compared to other graduating seniors. Even though the mininum college requirements are 3 credits of science and 3 of math, all successful applicants have way above those "minimum requirements". Meet with you guidance counselor for detailed information about your classes. That's what they're there for!

 

[gymcoach26]

My High School did not require physics and even in college I never had to take it, so no I don't think it is necessary especially if your not planning on going into science. If you want to have 4 years of science under your belt though see if they offer anything that would really interest you. If you like something it's usually easier to learn it. My high school offered nutrition and metiorology as other options. As for the calculus, I personally really struggled even after taking pre calc 1 and pre calc 2, but then again I think I was pushed through with the bare minimum on the pre-reqs. Every student is different though. You know what type of student you are and if you think you can handle 2 AP courses plus calc and physics go for it. I would probably opt for the 2 AP english courses and calculus and leave out the physics. It seems a bit more manageable. Colleges look at the overall package, so if you are well rounded in other areas (involved in clubs, have taken foreign language, do volunteer work etc) I would not stress yourself by overloading yourself academically. Go with what you are interested in.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Thanks to all. I did talk to my counselor, but she has about 449 students to deal with who aren't me, and who might be struggling just to meet the graduation requirements, so as long as I'm good with my grad reqs and college recs, she's happy. I think I am going to take Brit Lit H (Gymkat - and, yes, we do read the original Beowulf. The whole thing, and upperclassmen I've talked to love it.) because I do think learning how to understand that kind of language is going to be very useful if I want to go into history or literature (which seem more likely than science). This is in addition to AP English (and, most likely, AP Calc, AP French, and AP Micro/Macroeconomics). I'd like some time senior year to take creative writing classes, too, which I would be able to do in the above scenario. I'd also be taking choir, which I've been in since 7th grade and I do rather enjoy - so it's not all strictly academic.

I'm a little worried about my science curriculum, but since I'll have two years each of biology and chemistry (hopefully I'll have gotten a good score on those AP tests, too), I think I'll be okay as long as I'm not intending to go into engineering. I'm not. Very...much...not...did I mention I'm scared of calculus?

 

[gymkat]

Okay. First, see how junior year goes. It sounds like you'll be taking AP Bio, AP Chem, and possibly another AP subject or two, which should have a similar workload as your senior year suggestions. You also might want to talk to an older friend with a similar schedule and see how much homework s/he has on an everyday basis. In some schools, the AP homework load is pretty light, maybe an hour or two every day; in others, 4-5 hours/day is normal. If you're planning to keep doing club gymnastics, then 2-3 hours/night of HW is very doable. Can't really recommend 4-5 hours of HW plus gymnastics. Been there, done that, glad that stage of my life is over.

If you will have taken AP Chem and AP Bio, then I really doubt that skipping physics would be an issue unless you're applying to HYP, etc. (and probably even if you're applying to HYP). Also, stop being scared of calc-- it looks scary because there are dy/dx's and squiggles (integrals ) all over the place, but you're making it seem much harder than it actually is.

 

[CoachGoofy]

FWIW, from my old-fart high-academic-achiever perspective:

-The nice part about taking physics in high school is that you get a year rather than a term or a semester. Even if you still have to take it in college, you're ahead since you are familiar with the concepts.

-Same for calculus. Also, calc is amazingly fun. People are intimidated by math (don't get me started on my theory on this, urgh...), but it doesn't have to be hard. And, like physics, if you take it in HS you have more time to learn the concepts.

-The essay load for 2 english classes was always more than I could imagine handling. I certainly wouldn't want to try it, though I know people who would.

-AP I have no idea, I took community college classes in high school instead.