Back to School Special! [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

TooManyBadgers

2010-08-12, 04:46 PM

I've got probability theory, multivariate analysis, psycholinguistics, two writing workshops (playwriting and short fiction) and ultimate frisbee, all starting in two weeks.

I'm excited. :smallbiggrin:

Good move with the AP classes, though. I remember when I was in high school, if there was an AP and a non-AP course for the same subject, the non-AP course was utterly useless -- half the class would be stoned, the teachers wouldn't give a ****, it was a mess.

If I went through high school knowing what I do now, I know I'd sign up for all the AP courses -- even the ones like Psychology or History that wouldn't have helped me with a degree.

KuReshtin

2010-08-12, 04:47 PM

I go back to school like... You know. Never.
One of the better things about being an old coot.

Cealocanth

2010-08-12, 04:47 PM

Been in school for a week now this year. So far, not too bad.

AtlanteanTroll

2010-08-12, 04:58 PM

I go back next Wednesday. Yay, Im not a Freshman anymore!!

Castaras

2010-08-12, 05:02 PM

25 days until I go back to school, if I've calculated it correctly.

I still haven't got my results for last year's exams, and you want me to think about next school year? :smalleek:

Although, I have been working on stuff for next year... mostly application stuff >.< HATE personal statement writing.

Force

2010-08-12, 05:11 PM

Little over three weeks until I head back. I'm looking forward to... well... no class in general, but I am excited for my first year of nursing school (I'm a sophomore, as nursing school is technically freshman year prep + 3 years of nursing school)

KenderWizard

2010-08-12, 05:18 PM

American classes sound more interesting than Irish ones. In school, you do pretty much the same subjects every year. And I had six years with the same teacher for Art, and five years with the same Irish teacher. In my last year, I had exactly the same subjects as my second last year: Irish, English, Maths, French, Art, Physics, Chemistry and Applied Maths, with all the same teachers. Everything that was terrible the year before would still be exactly the same....!

Luckily, that's all in the past now, and I'll be back to college on the 13th of September, to run a stand for the gaming society for two days, then I go to Scotland with my class for 10 days, leaving my capable committee to look after the stand for the rest of the first week. Classes will therefore start for me on the 27th, and they'll ALL be Geology! :smallbiggrin:

Toastkart

2010-08-12, 05:30 PM

I went back today. I had Psychology of Art and Innovation today, which seems like it will be pretty awesome. I'm also signed up for Psychology, Society, and Culture, but have some reservations about it. I'm trying to find some other class to replace it with.

Blue Ghost

2010-08-12, 06:46 PM

Back to school next week! Yay!
Senior year, I have 3 AP classes plus honors Multivariable Calculus. I'm excited just to be among good company again. (I was quite antisocial the last three years of high school, and I would like to make up for that.)

Em Blackleaf

2010-08-12, 07:09 PM

So, school just started up. I hit in at 4 AP classes, wish I'd done more, and AP Stat instead of Calculus :smallmad: Psych looks fun though.
So, when do you go back to school? Excited about any classes in particular?
Heeeeeey, that's how many AP classes I'm taking! I'm finally in my junior year, so there are actual AP classes being offered! :smalltongue:

I've managed to avoid a math class this year. I'm feelin' pretty snazzy about that. It's actually the main reason I'm confident with taking so many AP classes. Math is hard. -_-

I'm taking French, AP Environmental science (this is the first year my school is offering AP sciences! I'm so excited), AP US history, AP Art History, AP Language Composition (as my English class), and Advanced theater.

Needless to say, I'm really excited about all of my classes. Yesterday was my first day of school and I already love all of my teachers. I've had a few of them before, so I already know how they teach, their class rules and their homework policies. So, I'm already pretty comfortable with my schedule.

Yeah, I'm pretty excited for this school year. School has been at the forefront of my mind since Summer vacation started. :smalltongue:

Commander McCoy

2010-08-12, 07:20 PM

ForzaFiori

2010-08-12, 08:08 PM

I go back the 18th, starting my freshman year at Clemson. Taking Western Civ, History of Clemson, Public Speaking, Italian, Astronomy, and a college success course.

RabbitHoleLost

2010-08-12, 08:50 PM

The only AP class I haven't signed up for is Spanish 4, and that's because I took French (which is not even offered for a fourth year at my school, let alone an AP course).

They didn't even offer German 3 in my school, so I had to stop at year two of my chosen foreign language.

Oh. Right. I'm almost done with school...
But that's because there are no breaks with Career Colleges.

Em Blackleaf

2010-08-12, 09:58 PM

I wish my school would offer more AP courses. I took two last year (US History and Language Composition), and I'm taking four this year (Calculus, Literature, Government, and Environmental Science). The only AP class I haven't signed up for is Spanish 4, and that's because I took French (which is not even offered for a fourth year at my school, let alone an AP course).

I did score a four on both of my AP tests last school-year, so that's a plus. Though I wish I had scored fives. :smallannoyed:

Edit: School starts in three weeks for me. I should probably get going on those summer assignments.
I think I'm pretty fortunate in the amount of AP classes offered. However, no AP classes are offered to Freshmen and it's hard to get into the few AP classes offered to Sophomores.

Well, that's not too bad. Fours are really, really good and fives are "OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS!" You get the same amount credit toward college as long as you pass with a 3, 4, or 5, right?

"OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS" is an understandably enviable title, though. :smalltongue:

Also, there's an AP Spanish 4 but no AP French 4. Though there is a French 4, as far as I know. :smallconfused:

Don Julio Anejo

2010-08-12, 10:11 PM

How sad is it that I'm in school right now? Not physically in the building mind you, but my finals don't end till next Friday..

Then back to school again on Sept. 7th..

Xyk

2010-08-12, 10:19 PM

I'm kinda excited. I will be taking only 3 academic classes. My school has eight blocks spread across two days. My classes.

AP Physics B (the easier version of AP physics if that makes sense)
TAG English 4 (Talented and Gifted)
AP American Government/AP Micro-economics (each is one semester)
Choir
Piano 2
Band
Second block of Band
Off Block :smallbiggrin:

It's gonna be a good (senior) year. Also I'm planning to join a few clubs. The Secular Student Alliance [SSA] and the Westwood (name of school) Independent Music Production [WIMP].

AtlanteanTroll

2010-08-12, 10:21 PM

I somehow have 2 studyhalls my seconded semester. Idiot councilers

TooManyBadgers

2010-08-12, 10:25 PM

From my experiences searching out and bouncing between colleges for the two years immediately after high school:

You get the same amount credit toward college as long as you pass with a 3, 4, or 5, right?
Quite a few schools ignore 3s, with the exception of English Lit. Apparently a 3 there's enough to show you're literate.

Also, there's an AP Spanish 4 but no AP French 4. Though there is a French 4, as far as I know. :smallconfused:
I know when I took AP Spanish, the teacher just had us skip the tests. Most colleges give their own aptitude measurements; the "AP" mark of approval doesn't usually mean anything for languages. French 4 should be just as good in a lot of cases. :smallsmile:

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2010-08-12, 10:31 PM

I start 2 years of International Baccalaureate this september. I'm not sure exactly when. The day after Labour Day. I'm slightly scared. I should do fine with a little hard work!

factotum

2010-08-13, 01:22 AM

It's been 22 years since I last went to school--this thread makes me feel old. :smalleek:

Savannah

2010-08-13, 02:28 AM

Not for another full year. It's funny, I'm kinda bummed about the wait now, but in my last term (of college) I was ready to have a break from school.

rakkoon

2010-08-13, 06:04 AM

It's been 22 years since I last went to school--this thread makes me feel old. :smalleek:

Yay 10 years, I'm young
young I tell ya

*coughs and breaks a rib*

The only time I'm happy I'm not in school any more is during exams. Okay you have much more free time in the week and during holidays but by Jove, those January/June months make up for it.

And get off my lawn, you whippersnappers!

AtlanteanTroll

2010-08-13, 07:18 AM

Yay 10 years, I'm young
young I tell ya

*coughs and breaks a rib*

The only time I'm happy I'm not in school any more is during exams. Okay you have much more free time in the week and during holidays but by Jove, those January/June months make up for it.

And get off my lawn, you whippersnappers!

You could have gone to school longer than they did.

PairO'Dice Lost

2010-08-13, 07:35 AM

I had exactly the same subjects as my second last year: Irish, English, Maths, French, Art, Physics, Chemistry and Applied Maths, with all the same teachers.

Might I inquire as to why Maths and Applied Maths would be separate courses? :smallconfused: Something like Chemistry vs. Lab Chemistry I can understand, one for theory and one for practice, but it's kinda hard to not apply math when learning it.

I'm in college now, so no AP/non-AP distinction for me nowadays, but I remember my junior year of high school well. AP English Literature, Artificial Intelligence/Computer Architecture, AP Physics, AP Spanish 4, AP US History, Multivariable Calculus/Differential Equations, and Computational Physics/Quantum Mechanics (with the slashes denoting two semester classes in the same time slot). Yeah, that was a fun year.

Castaras

2010-08-13, 08:17 AM

Might I inquire as to why Maths and Applied Maths would be separate courses? :smallconfused: Something like Chemistry vs. Lab Chemistry I can understand, one for theory and one for practice, but it's kinda hard to not apply math when learning it.

Here's to Pure Mathematics - may it never be of use to anyone!

Pure Mathematics is all about chaos theory and ladders leaning against walls. Applied Mathematics is like Theoretical Physics.

Or something.

I don't really try to work out the distinction, I just work with numbers.

Mauve Shirt

2010-08-13, 08:25 AM

Back to school for my senior year a week from Sunday. I just got back from summer school. :smallsigh: Oh well, I haven't seen my ladies in a while, that'll be nice.
I'm mostly taking electives, since they don't offer more than 1 German intensive, and to be honest I'm not looking forward to them.
German civilization is the only one that will count toward my major. I'm also taking Arabic 101, Intro to World Religions, and German History (which is unfortunately part of the history department and doesn't count toward my major :smallannoyed:). If I can switch out religions for something else, I will. Since I did go to summer school, my workload will be really light for both of my semesters this year. And then I'm gone!

ForzaFiori

2010-08-13, 08:38 AM

I think I'm pretty fortunate in the amount of AP classes offered. However, no AP classes are offered to Freshmen and it's hard to get into the few AP classes offered to Sophomores.

Well, that's not too bad. Fours are really, really good and fives are "OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS!" You get the same amount credit toward college as long as you pass with a 3, 4, or 5, right?

"OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS" is an understandably enviable title, though. :smalltongue:

Also, there's an AP Spanish 4 but no AP French 4. Though there is a French 4, as far as I know. :smallconfused:

Not actually true about 3, 4, or 5 being the same. Some schools may give you credit for one class if you get a 3, and a harder class if you get a 4 or 5.

At Clemson (the only one that I know how it works) a 3 on ONE English AP will get you 101 or 102 depending on if it's Language (101) or Lit (102). A 5 on one, or a 3 or 4 on both, will get you 103.

On the other hand, Vanderbilt told me that they don't accept any threes, and even fours and fives are on a case by case basis.

drakir_nosslin

2010-08-13, 08:57 AM

I'm going back to Uni in two weeks, starting my first semester in a bachelor of economy and the second semester in my bachelor in mathematics. It'll be a mixture of macro/micro economy, statistics, geometry and algebra. Looking forward to it!

KuReshtin

2010-08-13, 09:15 AM

It's been 22 years since I last went to school--this thread makes me feel old. :smalleek:

16 years for me. Not counting the English course I did as a night course about 5 or 6 years ago.
Then again, I only went to the classes for that one to show appearance. I just needed to get myself ready for the test, which was a breeze.

PairO'Dice Lost

2010-08-13, 09:19 AM

Here's to Pure Mathematics - may it never be of use to anyone!

Pure Mathematics is all about chaos theory and ladders leaning against walls. Applied Mathematics is like Theoretical Physics.

Or something.

I don't really try to work out the distinction, I just work with numbers.

Right, but how do you teach them separately? I mean, when it comes to physics, you have your theoretical physics, which is a bunch of math, and then your applied physics, which is actually doing experiments. Pure mathematics is all math, obviously, and applied mathematics is all...more math? You might want to learn all the physics equations vs. proper experimental methodology separately for whatever reason, but pure and applied math are the same thing, just used differently.

Anyway, on topic, I'm heading back up to school two weeks from yesterday. School doesn't actually start until a week after that, so I'll have a full week to hang out with friends and play video games and D&D until ridiculously early o' clock in the morning.

Commander McCoy

2010-08-13, 01:44 PM

I think I'm pretty fortunate in the amount of AP classes offered. However, no AP classes are offered to Freshmen and it's hard to get into the few AP classes offered to Sophomores.

At my school (which, admittedly, is in a rather rural community) the only AP course offered to Sophomores (or Softmores, as most of my peers seem to call them... :smallsigh:) is Environmental Science.

Well, that's not too bad. Fours are really, really good and fives are "OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS!" You get the same amount credit toward college as long as you pass with a 3, 4, or 5, right?

"OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS" is an understandably enviable title, though. :smalltongue:

I don't think a three, four, or five all give the same credit. A five is usually guaranteed credit, a four will probably get you credit though it might be elective credit, and a three may or may not give credit, depending on the college and how well other applicants scored. A four is pretty good and should get me at least elective credit for wherever I end up going. Although I definitely wouldn't mind being "OH MY GOSH SUPER GENIUS" McCoy. It has a certain ring to it, no?

They didn't even offer German 3 in my school, so I had to stop at year two of my chosen foreign language.

My friend also chose German, which is only offered for two years here as well.

Well, this is probably a good place to ask: I'm entering my Senior year of high school in California (if that matters) and I have done almost no volunteer work or extracurricular activities. I worked at the Humane Society for about six or eight hours total as a Freshman, and as a Junior I attended Math Club and GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) Club about once every other week. So, not much of that. However, my test scores and grades are really good. What do you think my chances are of getting into a university of my choice? Is my lack of volunteering/extracurricular activities going to hurt me at all?

CurlyKitGirl

2010-08-13, 02:11 PM

American classes sound more interesting than Irish ones. In school, you do pretty much the same subjects every year. And I had six years with the same teacher for Art, and five years with the same Irish teacher. In my last year, I had exactly the same subjects as my second last year: Irish, English, Maths, French, Art, Physics, Chemistry and Applied Maths, with all the same teachers. Everything that was terrible the year before would still be exactly the same....!

Wish I could have studied Irish. I know only an incredibly few Irish words.

Choo is dog. I think.
Cuimhe (sp?) is mind or memory.

And a few others that slip my mind.

Irish eny.

I'll be off back to uni in October. This term's more Old English literature. It's going to be fuuuuuuuun. And we'll be starting our two-year long module on Introduction to Textual Criticism which is seven kinds of geeky awesome.
It's going to be busy though as I'll be doing five papers this year (the other three are Middle English Lit 1100 - 1530; Chaucer, Langland and Gower, and finally, the History and Development of the English Language up to c. 1750.
Yeah, I'm actually going to have to work this year, but it's going to be brilliant!

Phaedra

2010-08-13, 03:48 PM

KenderWizard

2010-08-13, 05:48 PM

Might I inquire as to why Maths and Applied Maths would be separate courses? :smallconfused: Something like Chemistry vs. Lab Chemistry I can understand, one for theory and one for practice, but it's kinda hard to not apply math when learning it.

As far as the Leaving Certificate is concerned, Maths is normal maths, with Algebra, Trigonometry, Differentiation and Integration, and ... more Trigonometry, and some stuff with circles. Applied Maths is ladders against the wall, trains leaving stations at 5:04 towards Chicago (well, Limerick), ice-skaters pushing against walls, pendulums, billiard balls, rockets, projectiles of all kinds... stuff that might actually come up if you have a job that requires you to use maths, but isn't actually being a mathematician. It's funny, because Maths is required, but almost no one does Applied Maths, but it's actually much more useful in normal life!

Wish I could have studied Irish. I know only an incredibly few Irish words.

Choo is dog. I think.
Cuimhe (sp?) is mind or memory.

And a few others that slip my mind.

Irish eny.

Madra is dog, actually! :smallsmile: Cuimhe sounds like it could be mind, I always get confused between those kinds of words.

Learning Irish isn't very exciting. Mostly because it actually involves a lot of learning poems off by heart, and learning grammar rules that barely apply to half the words anyway off by heart, and being told to learn essays off by heart (I may have skipped actually doing that one). I'm told it's much more fun to go to a Gaeltacht and learn Irish by speaking it with people who are fluent, while water-skiing and riding horses, but after all the learning off by heart, I didn't want to spend my summer speaking Irish, so I went elsewhere! :smalltongue:

Lioness

2010-08-13, 09:06 PM

Ok, indulge an ignorant foreigner - what is an AP class?

Oh, and I never leave school. NEVER. Accursed doctorate with actual job-like holiday allowance. Or, looked at another way, I left actual school six years ago. Don't I feel old.

I don't know either...I figure they're advanced, or something.

We don't do AP, mainly because I'm not in America. When I went through the junior years (I'm last year of school now) there were no advanced programs apart from IB. Now though, the year 10s have specialist chemistry, biology, and physics, and all year levels have specialist music. I also think that year 8 and 9 have art extended and drama extended.
Oh, and the year 10s have pre-IB English...horrible horrible class.

Anyways, I've been at school since late January. 5 weeks into the current semester. Final exams in about 8 weeks. Studying English Studies (highest level available), Chemistry, Japanese, Music, and Psychology.

Jokasti

2010-08-14, 12:54 AM

AP stands for Advanced Placement, and count as a college semester, I think, if you get a 3+ on the end-of-year exam. I believe it is equivalent to IB, no idea though. We have Standard, Honors, then AP.

zeratul

2010-08-14, 08:39 AM

Here at least you can also take classes through local collages, to get about 6 credits. Strangely, they're generally easier than AP classes.

super dark33

2010-08-14, 09:51 AM

ill get back on 1/9.

only one mood is in the air of evry student:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO

PairO'Dice Lost

2010-08-14, 11:53 AM

As far as the Leaving Certificate is concerned, Maths is normal maths, with Algebra, Trigonometry, Differentiation and Integration, and ... more Trigonometry, and some stuff with circles. Applied Maths is ladders against the wall, trains leaving stations at 5:04 towards Chicago (well, Limerick), ice-skaters pushing against walls, pendulums, billiard balls, rockets, projectiles of all kinds... stuff that might actually come up if you have a job that requires you to use maths, but isn't actually being a mathematician. It's funny, because Maths is required, but almost no one does Applied Maths, but it's actually much more useful in normal life!

So you mean in a regular Maths class you don't do all the real-world examples for trig and calculus? And the real-world-applicable class isn't required? :smallconfused: That's very different from math classes over here, that's for sure.

AP stands for Advanced Placement, and count as a college semester, I think, if you get a 3+ on the end-of-year exam. I believe it is equivalent to IB, no idea though. We have Standard, Honors, then AP.

Generally, a 3 is kind of iffy as to whether it will get you anything, a 4 will get you one semester's credit, and 5 will get you two semesters' credit, so getting a 4 on, say, the AP Physics test will give you advanced placement in your college physics curriculum (hence the name) and a 5 will fulfill the entire physics requirement. It's the same basic idea as IB, though different colleges give different weights to the two programs; also, from what I've heard IB is supposed to present a more integrated curriculum whereas AP classes are taken on an individual basis.

Syka

2010-08-14, 12:22 PM

Yeah, accepted AP scores vary by school. 3 on my AP Calc AB exam was enough for my community college and university. If I had wanted to go to a tech school, it wouldn't count. It reallllly depends on the college.

That said, I start again on Monday. Granted, not high school but...eh. I'm looking forward to Brand Management Marketing because we will be doing the Honda CRZ challenge. I can't technically participate (since I'm a graduate student), but I'm pretty sure I'll still be doing the term paper (based on the challenge).

Going to hate my accounting course (haaaate), and probably really enjoy International Marketing. Two more semesters until I graduate! Then no school for hopefully a long, long time. :smallamused:

The only thing I'm really not looking forward to this semester is that I might have a chance to go abroad (related to a job, not school) for a couple weeks...smack dab in the middle of midterms. D: I'm hoping my professors are understanding.

Lioness

2010-08-14, 05:20 PM

So you mean in a regular Maths class you don't do all the real-world examples for trig and calculus? And the real-world-applicable class isn't required? :smallconfused: That's very different from math classes over here, that's for sure.

We've sort of got a system like that.

For year 12 (highest grade)
Maths Specialist - which is the crazy high level stuff. Incredibly difficult.
Maths Studies - Still difficult, but not unmanageably so.
Maths Methods - Fairly easy, but still advanced.
Maths Apps - Trade/Business maths. Incredibly easy.

None of these are compulsory, thank [deity of choice]
Instead, we have a system in which classes are sorted into arts/humanities and science/maths categories. We have to choose one from each category, but after that we can choose what we like.

For year 11 is was a little different. One semester of maths was compulsory, but after that you didn't have to do any.

Pure Maths A, B, and C - three different semesters. The most difficult maths. Leading up to Specialist, Studies, and Methods.
Maths Apps - as mentioned before. I think last week in this class they learnt to calculate interest. :smallsigh:

I did maths A, and was intending to do maths B, but dropped it half way through for another English.

PairO'Dice Lost

2010-08-14, 06:03 PM

Maths Specialist - which is the crazy high level stuff. Incredibly difficult.
Maths Studies - Still difficult, but not unmanageably so.
Maths Methods - Fairly easy, but still advanced.
Maths Apps - Trade/Business maths. Incredibly easy.

So it's more of a complicated math vs. everyday math divide more than a theoretical vs. practical divide, then? That makes a lot more sense.

WalkingTarget

2010-08-14, 06:25 PM

Well, after a 7 year absence, I'm back in Champaign for more schooling.

Got my BS in computer science here back in 'ought three, worked as tech support for a small company for 6.5 years, and watched the company slowly fall apart around me so I figured that since I wasn't really enjoying the work I had I may as well look into something different. I'd considered this back when I was approaching graduation the last time around but was tired of classes, but here I am now and I'll be starting classes at the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science in a little over a week. *fingers crossed*

Jalor

2010-08-14, 06:49 PM

School starts on the 23rd for me, and I'm finally taking classes I want to take. For the most part.

In order of class period:
Physics - Has one of the best teachers in the school, and we get to build model rockets and a trebuchet, among other things.
AP Psych - Elective #1, because I would rather take something I enjoy than another year of Spanish.
AP Computer Science - Elective #2, and I actually want this for my career. Also the teacher is a gamer and plays Starcraft with students that finish their work early.
Wind Ensemble - Elective #3, the highest level of band. I play euphonium.
AP Calc - Not looking forward to this one, since it has one of the worst teachers in the school, but I need it.
AP Lang & Comp - The only teacher for this class is a real-life Professor Umbridge, sans the blood-drinking quill and pink cardigans.
AP US History - The teacher calls people 'Commie bastard' when they talk in class or hand in work late, and actually makes class interesting. We're going to get along quite well, methinks.

RS14

2010-08-14, 09:55 PM

Right, but how do you teach them separately? I mean, when it comes to physics, you have your theoretical physics, which is a bunch of math, and then your applied physics, which is actually doing experiments. Pure mathematics is all math, obviously, and applied mathematics is all...more math? You might want to learn all the physics equations vs. proper experimental methodology separately for whatever reason, but pure and applied math are the same thing, just used differently.

Applied math is things mostly put to use in other disciplines. Trigonometry, Calculus, Differential Equations, Statistics, Algorithms etc. Pure math is those things that pertain mostly to mathematics in the abstract, such as Abstract Algebra, Analysis, (Usually) Number Theory, Graph Theory, Topology, Logic, etc. The divide is often subjective. Except for maybe Geometry, none of pure math falls within the standard US pre-college curriculum, IMHO.

EmeraldRose

2010-08-15, 08:28 AM

Ah crap. I suppose I should buy the rest of our son's school supplies. He's starting second grade on the 7th. Stupid list gets longer every year. I wonder if he needs any clothes yet?

*makes mental note to check thru the closet*

He probably needs pants. Those never seem to last for kids. Every few months they are up past the ankles again... :smallsigh:

CrimsonAngel

2010-08-15, 08:59 AM

The only classes I don't mind taking next year are language and Art 1... I realy wish they didn't put me in calculus, i'm probably going to scream and go crazy in class one day...

Vaynor

2010-08-15, 06:50 PM

Well, that's not too bad. Fours are really, really good and fives are "OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS!" You get the same amount credit toward college as long as you pass with a 3, 4, or 5, right?

"OH MY GOSH SUPER HUMAN GENIUS" is an understandably enviable title, though. :smalltongue:

Also, there's an AP Spanish 4 but no AP French 4. Though there is a French 4, as far as I know. :smallconfused:

No. It depends wildly on which college you're going to, but if you're planning on going to a UC (you live in California, right?) you'll pretty much only receive credit for classes if you get a 4 or a 5. I'll be starting at UCM in about 5 days and I'm only receiving credit for the 5 I got on the English Literature and Composition AP (senior year English) because it was the only 5 I got. It got me out of quite a few classes though, so definitely try for 5's if possible, they really do help a lot. I got 3's and 4's on the rest of my AP's, and didn't receive credit for any classes because of them. It might be different at other schools, of course, and you'll definitely get more credit for them if you attend a CSU.

My school offered French 4 AP as well as French 5. :smalltongue:

It should be noted, however, that getting those 3's got me out of a lot of entry-level testing requirements and helped them place me in classes without worrying about testing to do so.

Well, this is probably a good place to ask: I'm entering my Senior year of high school in California (if that matters) and I have done almost no volunteer work or extracurricular activities. I worked at the Humane Society for about six or eight hours total as a Freshman, and as a Junior I attended Math Club and GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) Club about once every other week. So, not much of that. However, my test scores and grades are really good. What do you think my chances are of getting into a university of my choice? Is my lack of volunteering/extracurricular activities going to hurt me at all?

As someone who is about to go to university in California, I think I'll be able answer your question. It depends, are you planning on attending a public school (UC or CSU)? If so, except for the higher-tier UC's (Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB) extracurriculars and volunteer work won't really matter much at all. The most important things are your GPA and SAT/ACT. What's your GPA and testing scores? I might be able to give you an idea of where to apply. For example, I know UCSC uses a straight formula for acceptance of incoming students, then just sets the number you need to achieve to guarantee acceptance (GPA(x) + SAT/ACT(y) + z). You get +400 points for "academic excellence despite hardships". :smallannoyed: (I disapprove of their system)

Copacetic

2010-08-15, 07:15 PM

On the 18th for me as well, but my schedule has to be changed around because my orchestra teacher wants to try and find a way to balance all offered AP classes (four) and fit in advanced orchestra. Boy oh boy oh boy.

KenderWizard

2010-08-15, 07:48 PM

So you mean in a regular Maths class you don't do all the real-world examples for trig and calculus? And the real-world-applicable class isn't required? :smallconfused: That's very different from math classes over here, that's for sure.

My mistake: I should have prefaced my explanation with "You see, the Leaving Certificate makes no sense whatsoever at times, therefore...." :smalltongue: We do some real-world examples in Trig, like pyramids and flagpoles and other stuff with angles, but not many. None for calculus, to my recollection. And the real-world applicable class is crazy unpopular, something like less than 5% of students do it. I had to take it after school hours as an extra subject.

The Leaving Cert is an exam which you take to prove how great you are at learning stuff off. We're taught in a way that strongly encourages learning by rote, and forgetting it all immediately after the exam to learn the next thing by rote. A lot of people in my school learned essays in Irish and English off by heart to write down in the exam because it was more likely you'd get a high mark that way than if you just made up your essay based on a broad understanding of the subject and a love of the language that had been nurtured in you through reading and writing under your own power (instead of being read to and copying down essays word-for-word from the whiteboard). Actually, I'm being misleading: that broad-understanding situation has never arisen, so who knows? Maybe we would get higher marks that way! :smallsigh:

More on topic; people all around me are doing things to get ready for going back to school... It's sad the summer is over...

Commander McCoy

2010-08-15, 09:22 PM

As someone who is about to go to university in California, I think I'll be able answer your question. It depends, are you planning on attending a public school (UC or CSU)? If so, except for the higher-tier UC's (Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB) extracurriculars and volunteer work won't really matter much at all. The most important things are your GPA and SAT/ACT. What's your GPA and testing scores? I might be able to give you an idea of where to apply. For example, I know UCSC uses a straight formula for acceptance of incoming students, then just sets the number you need to achieve to guarantee acceptance (GPA(x) + SAT/ACT(y) + z). You get +400 points for "academic excellence despite hardships". :smallannoyed: (I disapprove of their system)

First of all, thank you for the response. Yes, I'm planning on attending a public school. Hopefully a UC. I'm not sure how to calculate my cumulative GPA, but my Freshman GPA was 3.8, my Sophomore GPA was 4.0, and my Junior GPA was 4.3. My SAT Reasoning score is 2260 (780 Reading, 740 Math, and 740 Writing) and my SAT Subject scores are 780 (Mathematics Level 2), 740 (U.S. History), and 650 (Physics). I haven't taken the ACT.

Vaynor

2010-08-15, 09:39 PM

The UC website will tell you how to calculate your GPA. It only takes into account your sophomore and junior years, giving you about a 4.1-4.2 (if you added in the bonus points for AP classes correctly). With scores that good you'll be able to get into pretty much any UC except top-tier schools (Berkeley/UCLA) with ease and possibly those two as well. I know someone with a 4.1 who just barely got into Berleley's spring semester but someone else who got full admittance with a 3.9. It's pretty up in the air with those two, but I think you can count on getting into at least UCSB/UCSD. I'd talk to your college counselor about it of course, this is just a guess. If you join some clubs this year and write a few awesome essays I'd say you have a pretty decent shot at Berkeley (but don't get your hopes up or anything, I don't know everything about your application :smalltongue:).

I will say though, I wish I hadn't been so lazy in high school, I'm regretting it immensely (not that UCM is a bad school, I just know I could have done better if I had tried). Oh well.

THAC0

2010-08-15, 10:56 PM

Kids start back Wednesday. I still don't have my class schedule, and I haven't even been 100% confirmed as to which schools I am teaching at. :smallmad:

Commander McCoy

2010-08-15, 10:57 PM

The UC website will tell you how to calculate your GPA. It only takes into account your sophomore and junior years, giving you about a 4.1-4.2 (if you added in the bonus points for AP classes correctly). With scores that good you'll be able to get into pretty much any UC except top-tier schools (Berkeley/UCLA) with ease and possibly those two as well. I know someone with a 4.1 who just barely got into Berleley's spring semester but someone else who got full admittance with a 3.9. It's pretty up in the air with those two, but I think you can count on getting into at least UCSB/UCSD. I'd talk to your college counselor about it of course, this is just a guess. If you join some clubs this year and write a few awesome essays I'd say you have a pretty decent shot at Berkeley (but don't get your hopes up or anything, I don't know everything about your application :smalltongue:).

Thanks for the advice. I've really been stressing out about this. :smallsmile: