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a year ago
Juniors
Discussion
extracurricularadvice
senioryearschedule
academics

Is this a good schedule for a rising senior?

I intend to double major in biomedical engineering and Pre-medicine, or any related sciences, and I plan on going into cardiology as a cardiac EP.

Gifted/Honors Microbiology

AP English Literature and Composition

AP Calculus BC

AP Spanish Language and Culture

AP Physics C: Mechanics, Electricity, Magnetism

AP Macroeconomics (1st semester of 12th year)

AP U.S. Government and Politics (2nd semester of 12th year)

The reason I'm asking is because the fact that I'll be taking classes with higher difficulty means that I'll be less inclined to focus on extracurriculars, which I have very few of already. I decided to focus on volunteer work this summer to increase my activity in my community, but I'm unsure if that will be enough.

Hypothetically, if I were to write a novel, would that help even the difference between my achievements and activity in academics and community work? Even slightly?

Thank you <3 I'd appreciate any advice you have to spare.

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a year ago

Overall, I would say that your schedule looks really good! You have so many AP/Honors classes, so props to you for being able to take on that coursework! If I were to offer any suggestions, it would be to see if there are classes that align more with your college goals. For example, if you have access to more biology/anatomy/chemistry/engineering classes, it might be a good idea to replace something like Macroeconomics or Government and Politics with it. However, if you really want to take those classes, then don't change them out. Always keep classes that you really want to take.

Objectively, your schedule is great, and if you succeed in your classes you have very good chances at the majority of colleges. However, it does depend on where you want to go. Very competitive, top-ranking colleges might be your only concern, but that would be the case no matter what you did with your schedule. Even then, your schedule is impressive with 6 APs!

As for extracurriculars, it's good to put some focus on them. If not just to sure up your application, the right extracurriculars are super fun! Do keep in mind how much you feel comfortable doing. Don't push yourself too hard to the point where your work struggles. Look into the clubs your school offers. Are there ones that are fun, low-maintenance, or more casual that would be easier to participate in while handling coursework? For example, my school has an ecology club that consists of a monthly 30 min meeting, monthly plastic recycling, and monthly campus cleanups. It's about a 2-hour commitment a month, but everything is optional so it could be less. My school also has a quiz bowl team that only runs for 4 weeks in the fall. It's super fun, so I'm easily motivated, there's an optional 1-hour practice a week, and optional weekly competitions that go from the end of school to 8:00 at night. Many clubs generally are low commitment so they can work around sports kids' schedules. I highly suggest seeing what your school has and determining if you can fit it into your schedule.

As for your novel writing idea, anything you do will help. It's a very cool and unique idea! Because writing doesn't exactly align with your intended path of education, it might have a slightly lesser impact. However, if you do write a novel, it does show different sides to you. I would try to consider the time commitment writing a novel takes in comparison to something like a weekly club though. If you're thinking about writing a novel to better your application, I wouldn't do it. However, if you really want to write a novel regardless college stuff, then go for it! Always prioritize the things you're passionate about.

Overall, I would say that your schedule looks good. Definitely consider how to best balance a schedule for you. I wish you luck for the coming year!

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Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
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800

Extracurriculars

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