Which would colleges prefer to see?

[xCourxCorex]

I'm starting to think about my second half of my junior year in h.s. I am already taking these courses:
Chemistry
US History 2
Advanced Math/Trig
Astronomy/Geology
German 3
English 11
and a history elective: Culture & Conflict in U.S.

All of my classes except for the elective are full-year classes, and 1 credit. Next semester, I have to fill up the space that cultures left. My choices are:
International cuisine
American cuisine
Food experiences 2
World war 2 (but it's overcrowded - this is the class I'm signed up for, but I want to drop it.)
And "decisions" which is lame - it teaches you how to live your life basically - buying a car, balancing a checkbook, etc.
The problem is, I do not want to be a chef or anything related to food. At all. I think that if I took "food experiences" colleges would think that is a bad class to take. My other dilemma is I need another "Unified Arts" class, (which Decisions falls under) to graduate. But I still have next year to pick a different U.A. class.
So, I was thinking of not taking any class after cultures ends, and having a study (I don't have one this semester at all). In total for my Junior year I have 6.5 credits. What would you take? What would colleges rather see me take? A study vs. foods? A study vs. a class that is comprised of the kids that just need another U.A. credit? Help!

PS I am interested in a Nursing major, if that helps (?)

 

[Tide27]

I really dont think it matters.

To 99% of all the colleges out there, I dont think they look at what classes you take in HS.

Admissions will usually look at the GPA and maybe extra curricular activities, but thats it.

Unless you are applying to Harvard or Yale or something, I wouldnt personally worry about it.

People try to make it seem like getting into college is some major task with tons of admission procedures.

Take whatever you want to take.

You will make it into college

 

[GingerBimber]

Trust me, colleges will not look at individual classes you have taken. You are a number, basically your GPA, SAT, and ACT. Scholarship commitees look at extracurricular. I was exactly like you in high school. Very concerned about what I took and my grades. If I could do it all over again I would have totally slacked in high school and had a life because you can always gurantee getting into a state school. Take something easy, get your A. No worries. This should be an easy process. Don't stress out.

 

[2006 Disney Mom]

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[2006 Disney Mom]

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[GingerBimber]

I graduated this past May with a degree in Animal Science, concentration pre veterinary medicine and a double minor in biology and chemistry. I received many scholarships throughout my four years of school. I applied to one university my junior year of high school and was accepted early. Although everybody is different this process is not complicated. I was very nonchalant about everything and I turned out just fine! Don't feel pressured. Everything will work out just fine.

 

[2006 Disney Mom]

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[Piecey]

Wow! Not many Juniors in high school know which university they are even going to apply to, yet alone fill out an application. In fact, you must have gone to your university in person to apply, because most colleges only send out applications for the coming year, which would have been your senior year of high school. Getting everything done that early must have really made your senior year stress free, especially since the scholarships were rolling in because of your very early application process.

I'm not sure exactly how you were meaning that to sound.. but a lot of the students these days (I'm a sophomore at WVU) have a general idea of where they want to go before their senior year. I knew my freshman year. I was accepted my junior year-- and it definitely didn't relieve any stress because I had to keep up the same high standards I'd shown throughout the rest of high school. Given, that isn't where I ended up.. I still knew. And it was a death in the family that kept me from going, not a change in my head.

While a college might glance at a transcript of classes, they understand that scheduling conflicts happen and you don't always have the opportunity to take everything you may have wanted in high school. High school is 'a prep for college' in their eyes and as long as they see that you're a serious student, that is all that matters. Your advanced courses and full courseload show that.

 

[2006 Disney Mom]

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[Tide27]

From my past experiences, courses you take in high school have zero bearing on getting accepted into college.

Each school district in the United States can offer different courses, as long as the core requirements set by the state are followed.

For instance, my school, nor anyone I have talked to has ever heard of such courses as Food experiences, World War 2, American and International Cuisine, and Decisions. Therefor you cant judge a student by what courses are taken, as they have zero clue on what courses are offered. Extracurricular activities are nice to have.

GPA is one of the biggest factors they look at, and usually that is to determine scholarship opportunities.

I have no clue, whatsoever, in what college you are thinking cares about individual courses, but I have acceptance letters to every Southeastern Conference college. I got accepted for colleges ranging from Ole Miss to Alabama to Florida to Vanderbilt. My transcript reads like many others....completed the core requirements and took a few electives. MY GPA got me a scholarship.

Your adding more stress to the college process than is needed. People make it seem likes its so hard to get accepted and put undue pressure on themselves and their kids throughout high school, when actually...the process cant be any more simple and less complicated.

Stop trying to make things harder than it needs to be, sit back and take courses that interest you in high school, maintain decent grades and make sure you have a good time. Then apply to whichever college you choose.

 

[sarbruis]

Take all the AP classes that you can and try your best to get 3+ on the exams (out of 5). Universities may not care about what classes you took in high school, but they definitely care about AP scores. Of course, the degree of the correctness of this is dependent on the university. And some schools don't offer many AP courses (such as my second high school) because they're small, but take what you can.

Regarding the study vs. foods: take what you'll enjoy. However, I do think prestigious universities wouldn't like the decision to take a class in foods instead of a traditional course.

It all depends on where you want to study. Do as well as you can; leave your options open. You may go to a small/easy uni the first year and then decide you want to go somewhere more selective and challenging.

 

[erikthewise]

Colleges are FAR more interested in how well you do in the six serious full-year classes you are already registered for, than what you take for your elective. Take whatever you want.

I also have to disagree with advice from the previous post. Go as a freshman to the college you want to graduate from. It is easier to get into a selective college as a freshman than it is to transfer into it. You will gain more from a good college if you spend all four years there, and it can be a very difficult transition to move to an institution with higher standards than the one you started at.

Also GPA on its own is nearly meaningless as it is calculated differently at different schools. What matters is your class rank (which of course depends on your GPA) in combination with the quality of your high school.

I look equally at class rank, ACT/SAT score, and quality of essay, with teacher recommendations and extracurricular activities as less important.

I am a professor who has served on an Honors Scholarship selection committee at least a dozen times.

 

[Jules76126]

This would be my advice to you. Take the study you have enough hard classes to worry about. I wish I took more studies. When I was in high school I took a ton of AP Courses and honors courses. I do think that the colleges that I applied to might have glanced at them. However, they care a lot more about the grades that you get and where you graduate in your class. I graduated with high honors and was in the 10 ten percent of my class. That definitely helped me get accepted to my top choice school and recieve a great scholarship. Also be involved in extracurriculars, they tend to help a lot. Colleges just want to see that you are a well rounded person that can do college level work. Also it is nicer to get applications in earlier because you don't have to worry about them the rest of the year. However, most schools won't send acceptance letters until a certain date unless they have rolling admissions. I had all my applications in by Thanksgiving but didn't hear back from some schools till March and again when I had my application in had no bearing on whether or not I recieved a scholarship (or atleast that was my case).

One other thing is that I disagree with the previous poster who said that it is easier to get into a selective university as a freshman than as a transfer student. I just recently transfered and got into all schools that I applied to. Some of these schools are pretty elite, especially the one I attend now. It all comes down to having a good GPA and extracurriculars. Good Luck!

 

[BluesTravlr00]

YOU MUST TAKE INTERNATIONAL CUISINE OR YOU WILL NOT GET INTO COLLEGE!!!


kidding. it doesn't matter. at all.

 

[Piecey]

Piecey,
I truly am sorry to hear about the death in the family, high school is tough enough, without having to deal with a loss of someone near.

No problems! I lost six people that year, actually.. and it probably made me ten times the person I am now. Every experience shapes you

 

[kikigirl]

IMHO, just take the class that seems like the most fun. I was pressured by my parents into taking physics in high school when I really wanted to take Film Appreciation. Now I really regret that decision. Take a fun class and enjoy it.

Kiki