Alaric
Would this be a good schedule for someone looking to major in physics and electrical engineering Also, which route should I take for my twelfth grade year?
I’m currently in eighth grade, but since seventh grade I’ve been planning out my high school schedule. I’m unsure on my twelfth grade schedule, though. I believe the science classes might be too much. Based on everything else I’m taking, what do you think I should do? I want to major in electrical engineering and or physics, but I have a strong interest towards American History.
Algebra 1 and Geometry in Eighth Grade
9th
• Financial Literacy-Alt Day
• English 9 (H)
• Algebra ll
• Band-Alt Day
• Physical Education 9-Alt Day
• Engineering to Learn (H)
• Advanced Placement United States History
• French Il
Precalculus (H) over the summer
10th
• English 10 (H)
• Advanced Placement Calculus AB
• Band-Alt Day
• Music Production l-Alt Day
• Health for 10th Grade Students-Alt Day
• Biology (H)
• World History (H)
• French lll
11th
• Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
• Advanced Placement Calculus C
• Band-Alt Day
• Music Production ll-Alt Day
• Fitness/Weight Training-Alt Day
• Chemistry (H)
• Physics (H)
• Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics
• French lV
12th
• English 12 (H)
• Advanced Placement Computer Science A
• Band-Alt Day
• Advanced Placement Physics C-Mechanics
• Advanced Placement Physics C-Electricity and Magnetism
• Advanced Placement Psychology-Alt Day
• Advanced Placement French Language
• World Language Seminar
Or
•Advanced Placement French Language
• Criminal Justice System
• American Presidential Elections
Or
•Advanced Placement Chemistry
3 answers
Kaytie Ohashi
Kaytie’s Answer
This is an amazing and detailed plan! As someone else mentioned, math is super important so I'm glad to see it there. I'm also happy to see computer science on there! Depending on the university or technical school you plan to attend they may require more or less chemistry and computer science classes. Math and physics are always there and having a strong calculus foundation is critical to doing well in all your STEM subjects at the college level. Physics, chemistry, and computer science will all tie back to calculus at some point or another. When pursuing any kind of engineering field try to aim for a calculus based physics course, not an algebra based physics course. Not all algebra based physics courses apply to all engineering majors/universities.
I would also check university AP equivalency guides so you know what your AP classes will transfer to at a university. I've had students in the past be disappointed a class they took all year and took a test for did not transfer to the university with them.
With choosing your 12th year schedule there's a lot of additional factors to consider like having fun with your friends and fully enjoying being a senior in high school. College admissions typically also want to know you have other hobbies and extracurriculars outside of just STEM classes and studying. I've seen students with a 4.0 GPA not be admitted to a university because they just did STEM classes and didn't take other classes or have other hobbies. I see you have band and a foreign language which is great (and the foreign language is needed for admissions too).
Some students will also consider taking a high school STEM class, like physics, and then retake it at the university knowing the university version is likely more rigorous and to alleviate any anxieties or uncertainties about transitioning from a high school to college STEM class. I don't think you have to have physics your senior year of high school but I think it gives you good insight into yourself and how you process physics content (or chemistry/computer science/math content) and then decide if you'd want to start at the beginning university STEM classes, start at the next class in the sequence (if you have AP credit/receive college in the high school credit), or if you don't have AP credit/IB credit/college in the high school credit petitioning to take a higher level course at the university.
You're doing great and already way ahead based on this schedule (and in making a schedule). Keep up the great work!
Kaytie recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Alaric
Andrew Au
Andrew’s Answer
Taking AP Physics and Chemistry courses is an important head start. However, I am puzzled to find no AP Mathematics courses in your plan.
Mathematics is the language of science and engineering, competency, and proficiency in which is imperative in your success in STEM areas. I would suggest that you should include AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB, and AP Calculus BC in your course plan, if possible.
As a full disclosure, even though I retired as a Professor of Mathematics after almost two decades in academia, all my degrees are in Physics. I spent two decades consulting NASA in the areas of space-borne geophysics and space geodesy before my academic appointment.
Thank you for the advice, but I actually am taking two AP math classes: AP Calc AB in 10th grade and AP Calc C in eleventh. I can’t take AP Precalc because I’m taking honors Precalc over the summer, so I can take AB in 10th. Thank you
Alaric
Andrew Cheung
Andrew’s Answer
Your question is very specific and is better posed to a school counselor or teacher. They will have more information to provide and can give advice based on your knowledge and interests.
Its good to plan ahead, but anything can change between today and when you go to high school. I recommend being flexible so you can adapt to your circumstances or preferences and to focus on the present. When you are young, you can make decisions based on current info, your interests, job outlook, and other factors.
Thank you for answering. I’m actually considering changing my schedule so I can go to a career and technical school durning high school. I was planning on talking to a counselor as soon as I have the option to, but I think I remember the counselors you are not assigned a counselor until tenth grade, since most ninth graders don’t usually need one. I appreciate the encouraging to talk to a counselor.
Alaric