Summer Classes

[CScull]

I'm thinking about taking a few classes at the college this summer to get AP credit and some more basics out of the way... but I'm wondering how much is too much? The college is really low key; small so you know your professors and all that jazz and I'm taking a class there right now that is insanely easy. If you were planning on taking classes which ones would you pick...?

Here's a few that I'm thinking about:

1. Biology 111 and 112 ( I'm taking AP Bio at the High School right now though, but I absolutely love biology...)
2. Chemistry 111 and 112
3. Speech
4. Intermediate Spanish 201 (Already taken AP Spanish; scored aweful on the exam)
5. Mathematics 147 (Statistics)
6. Physics 101 and 121 or 241 and 242 Trig based (Don't have calc yet so I can't do Calc based)
7. Computer Science 155 and 255 (Programming)
8. Mathematics 125 and 126 (Calc I and II)
9. Gov’t/Economics

I'm not sure how many we're aloud to do; but I think I would do four at the most. I really only need my History Credit though; I've already got all of my Math and Science that I need to graduate and I have to take AP English at the High School.

Anyways thanks for listening... sorry if I've completely muddled everything. I'm a very proficient muddler.

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[HumidBeing]

I'd recommend choosing no more than two courses for the summer. I take it that these are actually dual-enrollment courses that you are talking about, and not AP courses.

It is important that you do well in them, since the grades for these will be reported when you apply to professional school after college. Unlike the courses taken at your high school, they will be averaged into your cumulative GPA for college.

If you choose to take a science course, it may work more to your benefit to start the chemistry sequence than the biology one, because chem is a pre-req for ochem.

One science or math course, and one non-science or math course would be a good balance for summer. The science courses require extra hours because of the lab component. I've found that taking too many courses in the summer affected my fall performance. Although it can be easy to pull through summer because the end is always in sight, the effects can be felt in the fall when motivation decreases. Burnout isn't usually considered ahead of time, but it is a frequent reality when we push through too hard, too fast.

 

[CScull]

It's the maths and sciences that I'm afraid of... I've taken most of the classes I'll need to understand the material (AP Bio and Chemistry; Pre-Calc) but I'm afraid of getting behind especially in Calc or Chemistry. At the same time though I don't want to end up with AB Calc, Chemistry, and Physics all at the same time... I should have taken Physics this year but I wimped out, stupid numbers.

I think I might want to start out with Chem I at whichever university I go to though and get a feel for it there... I'm kind of scared of going straight into Organic Chemistry after taking a summer course at TUNA a year back.

The problem with taking the classes though is during the school year is that they take up two periods instead of one which makes me back down my electives (I mean I only have 6 ); plus labs can take 4 sometimes.

I could do Speech but that doesn't count toward my high school transcript; just college... and then there's Computer programming which does count for both... whatever that is... and Spanish which is a strong possibility...

 

[HumidBeing]

That's why I was suggesting chemistry. It is a pre-req for organic chem. By taking it when you have a lighter load, you can concentrate on that so that you can do your best.

Speech is generally pretty easy. Spanish may not be what you want to take along with a science or math class, because it moves quickly and can require a lot of studying or homework time. Introductory computer programming classes are usually pretty easy, too. What is relatively easy and relatively difficult may vary between schools and instructors.

I'm going to repeat my emphasis on not taking too much over the summer, and only taking what you are ready to do very well in. You do not want to mess up your college GPA before you are even officially there. I see that happen to enthusiastic high schoolers way too often.

 

[Caesar]

Hmm I agree with Humid, only take 2 classes.

The advice I always give is to not worry about taking the pre-reqs in HS. It will probably be most beneficial for you to take intro bio, intro chem, organic, physics all at college while in college (keeps it fresh in your head and all that jazz). Taking the courses to prepare can be good or bad. If you do it you may become (like I was) extrememly bored and over confident in the course (since you 'already did this') and crash and burn (like me). Personally I would take the math classes. I hate math and getting them out of the way is nice, but that is not the only reason. Alot of science involves math so if you already know the math it will be that much easier. This is really obvious in research based courses. If you know the statistical functions you are a head above the rest. Also Calc, while miserable, is emensly helpful. To this day I rememeber and apply calc concepts almost daily (even though I probably couldn't solve a simple problem).

Also, The government/economics classes are generally needed at some point in college and if you can get them out of the way now that frees up one class in one semester (and the classes tend to be pretty simple).

Speech and Spanish would also be good choices.

If it was me taking the classes I wouldn't worry about the sciences yet, I'd start tackling some of the other stuff.

Please note that the classes do appear on your transcript and eventually on your AMCAS application. Therefore it behooves you to score well in whichever courses you decide to take.

Good luck!