help me fix my high school schedule!

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

thirtythree

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2001
8,680
3
0
Originally posted by: joshsquall
If you're going to major in psychology, don't waste your time with the AP class in high school. You'll end up just doing the same work over again, and it's best to learn the stuff first on a college level.
I haven't decided whether or not I want to major in psychology. that's why I wanted to take the class.

EDIT: but yes, I think option 3 is a better choice. 2 just sounds like more fun.
 

Gunslinger08

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
13,234
2
81
Typically the lowest psych classes are gened in college as well. You'll learn better if you like psych if you take it on the college level as a gened course. Hold off on it now, take it your first semester in college, then declare your major before your 2nd year.

That's what gened is for: to help you decide what you want to do with the rest of your life.
 

BG4533

Golden Member
Oct 15, 2001
1,892
0
71
Originally posted by: joshsquall
Calc AB != BC

Maybe in your school they do some remedial stuff in BC to refresh your memory of AB, but it definitely should be taught in AB -> BC order, without skipping. You really need to take the time in AB to learn the basics of derivation and integration before you can move on to real calculus.

I dont think most schools make students take both AB and BC. From what I have seen most schools offer some sort of Advanced/ Honors Precalc that is kind of part Precalc/ AB.

Deslocke, I dont know you, so I dont know what you enjoy, but psych alone generally doesnt pay all that well. Do you have any ideas of what you want to do with it if you go that route?

I found my psych class in HS alot more fun than any I have had in college. My class was very small in HS compared to many in college and knowing a lot of people in the class made it fun and easy to discuss, see and use the things we learned.

At Ohio State at least #3 would give you the biggest head start if you got 5s on all the tests. Most science/engineering majors (and many others to a lesser degree) who dont already have credit spend their freshman year taking math, physics, english and chemistry. #3 would get a large portion of that out of the way.

 

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Dec 5, 1999
15,349
106
106
Remember that assuming you pass the tests Calc BC is going to get you two semesters of credit while Calc AB is only going to get you one. So if you do BC in high school rather than AB and AP Psych you'll get to take a psych class in college rather than calc II.
 

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
1
0
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
choose according to what you're shooting for in college obviously.

If you're going into engineering something don't take ap psych, etc.

The only problem with that is in college he will be starting at the sophmore (or junior) level in those classes depending on how well he does. If it is in your major, the rule I have always heard is don't clep (ap) out of them, just my view though.
 

thirtythree

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2001
8,680
3
0
Originally posted by: BG4533
Deslocke, I dont know you, so I dont know what you enjoy, but psych alone generally doesnt pay all that well. Do you have any ideas of what you want to do with it if you go that route?
I would get a PhD if I were to become a psychologist and an MD if I were to become a psychiatrist (I think that's how it works anyway). I know a bachelors degree in psych isn't going to do me any good.
 

BeauJangles

Lifer
Aug 26, 2001
13,941
1
0
Honestly, take the courses YOU want to take. Don't worry too much about what colleges are going to think, unless you want to be a physics / math major, then you want to consider taking those AP courses in high school. Other than that, have fun with the classes you take. Don't skimp by any means (take all standard courses), but just have fun and pick courses that you want to take.
 

thirtythree

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2001
8,680
3
0
okay but if I were to go with option 2, should I take an honors physics course also? most colleges prefer 4 years of science in hs don't they?
 

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
1
0
Originally posted by: Vortex22
I took AP Enviro. Sci. in my senior year to get 4 science credits.

HAHA APES, what a great class LOL. I didn't even have a book and got a 5, plus combine that with my ap bio score which got me 8 science credits and I don't have to take any science in college :)
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,062
0
76
Originally posted by: joshsquall
Calc AB != BC

Maybe in your school they do some remedial stuff in BC to refresh your memory of AB, but it definitely should be taught in AB -> BC order, without skipping. You really need to take the time in AB to learn the basics of derivation and integration before you can move on to real calculus.

Uh, no you don't, unless you suck at math. No one in my county takes AP calc AB. its all BC.