Will these high school class I take, disadvantage me?

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eastcoasterny

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Sep 16, 2018
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My school does not allow me to take Chemistry or Physics until senior year. However I took living environment during freshman year, earth science during sophomore year, and currently taking college level environmental science provided by SUNY. Will these courses disadvantage me because my school does not allow us to choose classes but set it up for us. I also took AP World, and currently taking AP English comp and AP Computer Science. Please give me your thoughts!
 
As long as you’re taking the highest-level classes your school has to offer — especially in STEM and English — you’ll be fine. SAs use your school profile and transcript to confirm that this is the case. If you have any doubt about this being the case, you can always ask your college counselor to attach an addendum explaining school policy.
 
MidCakePa said:
As long as you’re taking the highest-level classes your school has to offer — especially in STEM and English — you’ll be fine. SAs use your school profile and transcript to confirm that this is the case. If you have any doubt about this being the case, you can always ask your college counselor to attach an addendum explaining school policy.
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My school does not even offer honor classes.
 
eastcoasterny said:
My school does not allow me to take Chemistry or Physics until senior year. However I took living environment during freshman year, earth science during sophomore year, and currently taking college level environmental science provided by SUNY. Will these courses disadvantage me because my school does not allow us to choose classes but set it up for us. I also took AP World, and currently taking AP English comp and AP Computer Science. Please give me your thoughts!
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Whatever you take take it because you want to and learn. But if your school offers opportunities to take AP every year escalate each year that you are prepared to take. Here’s my recommendation that most schools in America offer. For the Academies I wouldn’t take Environ Sci unless it is required at your school. It is not relevant at the Academies. If you take any of these combo you should be competitive. Depending on Academies you may exempt out with 4 or 5. USAFA also allows you to exempt out with 3. USNA you will need 5 for US HIST and US GOV. Others, you can exempt with 4. You can find all this from AP Central.

AP CHEM/PHYSICS
AP CAL AB/BC
AP PSYCH
AP COMP SCI
AP COMP/LIT
AP US HIST
AP WORLD
AP GOV
AP ECON
 
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What may be a problem is having your file finished early or even in a timely manner because for your Science SOE, it has to be from either you Chemistry or Physics teacher which they may want to know you a few months before filling out a SOE for you.
At West Point, you will need to have both high school Chemistry and Physics under your belt or you will be at a disadvantage.
 
buff81 said:
What may be a problem is having your file finished early or even in a timely manner because for your Science SOE, it has to be from either you Chemistry or Physics teacher which they may want to know you a few months before filling out a SOE for you.
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The SOE being completed has been an issue for my DS. His junior year math and chemistry teacher were the same person so his senior year physics or calculus teacher will have to do the SOE. The physics teacher agreed to do it but she wanted to wait until the end of the semester so she has a better feel for DS. A fair point, and we appreciate her help and conscientiousness, but stressful nonetheless to wait for it to get done!!
 
buff81 said:
What may be a problem is having your file finished early or even in a timely manner because for your Science SOE, it has to be from either you Chemistry or Physics teacher which they may want to know you a few months before filling out a SOE for you.
At West Point, you will need to have both high school Chemistry and Physics under your belt or you will be at a disadvantage.
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Like I said my school only allow us to choose chemistry or physics during senior year. I took Earth Science during my sophmore year and its considered ‘physical settings’ ; my school does not allow us to choose classes beside morning electives ( where I applied for AP CSP and AP WORLD). Could I possibly have a excuse from this during the applications?
 
On the note of being disadvantaged you maybe if your ACT or SAT is not solid. Many would have knocked out high school science during summer school or through online school by Junior Year instead of waiting to fill them in your Senior Year. Nothing you can do now except to produce a solid SAT or ACT score. In your case given your short comings in STEM, I would consider test scores for SAs solid if you have SAT 750M 750V or ACT 32C, 33E, 33M, 30R, 30S, 8W. Although USMA USAFA look at all sections they really care most of your English and Math and want Reading and Science to be 30 or better. This is the same for most or all US Colleges. They only report the ACT English and Math results to the school board and to cross compare with SAT. This doesn’t mean you can screw up Reading and Science since you need strong scores there for strong Composite. This input has been confirmed by Admissions from both schools some time ago. Writing score of 8 and above are solid for SAs and W9+ for most selective schools.
 
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+1 for @CrewDad. Excellent SAT and ACT scores backed up by a solid GPA are going to be huge at any SA. You pull off a 1,500-1,600 and a 34-36, and it will turn heads.
That's just academics, though. Your DoDMERB medical exam, sports leadership, extracurricular activities, and physical fitness play large parts in your overall score as well.
 
EastcoasterNY. If you’re a Junior register for Physics online class starting your Winter Break! There are few in the market you can choose from. One offered by Keystone National School is good. It is an accredited program. Register for a year course and finish by summer, no later than August. You can use Khan Academy to supplement your learning. Do well 96 or better. You need 90 to get an A but most schools will want to see min 93 for a solid A equivalent at most schools in the U.S. Ask for recommendation in August so you can use that for USMA App. If you covered Chem and Physics then you covered Science for USMA. And you will not be disadvantaged. I hope your Math is Precal or Cal in Senior Year. If so you covered the STEM for a competitive evaluation at USMA.
 
CrewDad said:
EastcoasterNY. If you’re a Junior register for Physics online class starting your Winter Break! There are few in the market you can choose from. One offered by Keystone National School is good. It is an accredited program. Register for a year course and finish by summer, no later than August. You can use Khan Academy to supplement your learning. Do well 96 or better. You need 90 to get an A but most schools will want to see min 93 for a solid A equivalent at most schools in the U.S. Ask for recommendation in August so you can use that for USMA App. If you covered Chem and Physics then you covered Science for USMA. And you will not be disadvantaged. I hope your Math is Precal or Cal in Senior Year. If so you covered the STEM for a competitive evaluation at USMA.
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Yep, I’m currently on Algebra II and TRIG, next year I’ll be taking pre-calc. Also I will be taking Aquatic Biology/ Marine Biology this summer at a college like I am currently right now with Environmental Science ; college level and material. Thanks for refering me Keystone, I’ll check it out.
 
Some of my extracurriculars include: Taekwondo, doubles in badminton, and ACE (Architecture Construction Engineering) club lead by globally known engineering company -AECOM. I’ll be joining National Honor Society shortly this year ; threw out my chance last year.
 
@eastcoasterny, don’t just be a joiner, be a leader. And don’t just be a leader, make a real and meaningful impact. Be able to explain in your application how you left an organization or a community better than you found it.
 
MidCakePa said:
@eastcoasterny, don’t just be a joiner, be a leader. And don’t just be a leader, make a real and meaningful impact. Be able to explain in your application how you left an organization or a community better than you found it.
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I only got 1 leadership position- and that’s in advisory ; leading freshmen to do good in academics ; basically like a counselor.
 
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