Soonerjeepman or any other educators/parents please weigh in

[FirstandGoal]

Okay, so my daughter is a Junior at Edmond Memorial and she's going to be selecting her classes for Senior year.

Her aptitudes are geared toward math and sciences and she is probably leaning toward a potential career in the health care field.
Her counselor is recommending that she take AP Physics B rather than AP Anatomy under the advice that colleges would rather accept a student with the physics class under their belt than the anatomy.

I kinda think this is not the greatest advice and it seems to be going against what my thought process is.

She's a bright girl and has successfully passed AP Chemistry and AP Psych. She is also very involved in both church and school activities and will be holding down a part-time job so time constraints factor in heavily into this decision. There's no way I want her signing up for both classes.
Right now we're going back and forth on what to do here so any input from anybody here would be greatly appreciated.

[8timechamps]

Wow, that's tough. I'd go with the Left Twix.


You're welcome.

[FirstandGoal]

Wow, that's tough. I'd go with the Left Twix.


You're welcome.

Heh, never had issues like this with my son.

[rock on sooner]

Okay, so my daughter is a Junior at Edmond Memorial and she's going to be selecting her classes for Senior year.

Her aptitudes are geared toward math and sciences and she is probably leaning toward a potential career in the health care field.
Her counselor is recommending that she take AP Physics B rather than AP Anatomy under the advice that colleges would rather accept a student with the physics class under their belt than the anatomy.

I kinda think this is not the greatest advice and it seems to be going against what my thought process is.

She's a bright girl and has successfully passed AP Chemistry and AP Psych. She is also very involved in both church and school activities and will be holding down a part-time job so time constraints factor in heavily into this decision. There's no way I want her signing up for both classes.
Right now we're going back and forth on what to do here so any input from anybody here would be greatly appreciated.

I taught high school speech/drama fresh out of college and have raised
two kids...one each...not sure if that qualifies...but here goes...first and
foremost, what does your daughter want to do? (My daughter, after a
LOT of college (Spanish degree, theatre minor) and then (RN, BSN working
in the critical care dept of the hospital) and now does nursing tutoring and
thinking about going for her Master's in Nursing...point here is she figured
out what she wanted to do and is doing it. As bright as your daughter is,
ultimately she has to live it, so I'd listen to what she wants and support the
hell out of her when she decides. School counselors, for the most part, are
well intended but not necessarily the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

16/17 year olds don't always know what they want for the future, but once
in a while, they do. Especially with strong opinions, so listen closely. The
health care field is ripe for the near future and, according to my daughter,
most rewarding.

Bottom line, go with HER/YOUR gut...it is early enough that you'll see if you're
off base and can correct, but anyone who wants health care ain't all bad...

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Both. Colleges like challenging senior coursework, but the grades aren't as important because admission decisions will already be made. Unless she makes a D in one, or Cs in both, she's ok.

[GDC]

AP Physics over AP Anatomy for sure, if she has to choose and cannot take both.

[ouwasp]

I teach honors physics and chemistry and use to teach anatomy. A lot of kids love biology and anatomy more in high school, unless they are geared towards engineering. AP Physics is tough and in premed she would probably have to have just general physics, and if she goes toward nursing or lab work would probably not even need this. College Anatomy was an eye opener to me with so much to memorize. If that is what she likes let her do it. I have learned to love physics and there may be a more general instead of AP class she could take of it. (This is WASPS wife)

[olevetonahill]

I majored in Drankin, Gamblin and Whoring. Ya prolly dont want my advice.

[SicEmBaylor]

Okay, so my daughter is a Junior at Edmond Memorial and she's going to be selecting her classes for Senior year.

Her aptitudes are geared toward math and sciences and she is probably leaning toward a potential career in the health care field.
Her counselor is recommending that she take AP Physics B rather than AP Anatomy under the advice that colleges would rather accept a student with the physics class under their belt than the anatomy.

I kinda think this is not the greatest advice and it seems to be going against what my thought process is.

She's a bright girl and has successfully passed AP Chemistry and AP Psych. She is also very involved in both church and school activities and will be holding down a part-time job so time constraints factor in heavily into this decision. There's no way I want her signing up for both classes.
Right now we're going back and forth on what to do here so any input from anybody here would be greatly appreciated.

What school is she trying to get into that you all are worried about the difference in AP Physics/Anatomy to an admissions officer?

Also, your gut is probably correct. You have to keep in mind that most HS academic counselors are absolute complete ****ing morons. In fact, why are you and your daughter even bothering with them at all?

[Ton Loc]

Also, your gut is probably correct. You have to keep in mind that most HS academic counselors are absolute complete ****ing morons. In fact, why are you and your daughter even bothering with them at all?

Exactly this

Also - College anatomy is a bitch.

[FirstandGoal]

Thanks for the advice guys.
Sicem, my daughter is like me when it comes to her education. She's anal-retentive and completely OCD about her grades. I was the same way and although it served me well, I sometimes wish I had been able to unwind a bit and have enjoyed that period of my life more. I was so completely goal-oriented that I was a licensed pharmacist by the age of 22. I managed to carry an average of about 16 hours per semester intense course work and I worked 30-35 hours a week. But enough about me, I digress..

The fact is my daughter has many of my characteristics when it comes to her education and she's in quite a state over this decision. Oh and the reason that she's listening to the counselors is because they're the counselors. While I admire her ability for independent thinking in many aspects of life, she is still only 16 and still hasn't realized that the great majority of adults are dumbasses. Especially the few teachers that she likes and who have given her this advice. I was discussing this very issue with my BF last night and he is of the opinion that for very general purposes, physics would be the better (although not by a large margin) of the two choices.

Mrs. Wasp, thanks for your input. This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.

SJS, LOL at your grades comment. My daughter is so very much like I was. She just made her first B ever in her life (last semester's AP chemisty) and it really bummed her out for a few weeks. The thought of making another one again before she graduates is almost unbearable for her. Thus why we are stressing this decision.

Here is an example of how my daughter's brain works:
She had met all of her core requirements she needs to graduate at the end of her Junior year so now she's just using this last year to prep herself in the best way possible for college and in her mind that means she needs to make every class and every semester count without jeopardizing her GPA. She feels the need for more AP classes to help offset that lone B that she is still taking as a personal failure. One class that she's thinking about taking is Latin II (she's already taken 2 semesters of Spanish and Latin I) just so she can have a third language completion on her transcript. She's thinking of this even though she's been told that Latin II is a bitch of a hard class at her school. Her other option? Take a semester as an office aide, but in her mind taking something that is seen as a "blow off" course is antithesis to her goals.

[SoonerBBall]

I think it is important to know which colleges she wants to get into. For something like OU, she'll be fine taking a blow off. For a more prestigious academic university, she'd probably need more than that.

Also, AP Physics B is only mechanics and not electricity and magnetism. It won't be terribly rough unless she doesn't have a calculus background. If she hasn't taken calc classes, she needs to stay away from AP Physics.

[rock on sooner]

I majored in Drankin, Gamblin and Whoring. Ya prolly dont want my advice.

Biggest question here is, what kinda grades you git?

[FirstandGoal]

Right now all I'm going to be able to afford for her first year is UCO. The reason is she can still stay at home and all I will have to pay is her books and tuition. If she goes somewhere like OU, she'll be forced to stay in a dorm and I just can't afford it. We're going to try to apply for scholarships, but I'm not too optimistic.

[SoonerBBall]

Right now all I'm going to be able to afford for her first year is UCO. The reason is she can still stay at home and all I will have to pay is her books and tuition. If she goes somewhere like OU, she'll be forced to stay in a dorm and I just can't afford it. We're going to try to apply for scholarships, but I'm not too optimistic.

She definitely does not need AP Physics to get into UCO.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Okay, so my daughter is a Junior at Edmond Memorial and she's going to be selecting her classes for Senior year.

Her aptitudes are geared toward math and sciences and she is probably leaning toward a potential career in the health care field.
Her counselor is recommending that she take AP Physics B rather than AP Anatomy under the advice that colleges would rather accept a student with the physics class under their belt than the anatomy.

I kinda think this is not the greatest advice and it seems to be going against what my thought process is.

She's a bright girl and has successfully passed AP Chemistry and AP Psych. She is also very involved in both church and school activities and will be holding down a part-time job so time constraints factor in heavily into this decision. There's no way I want her signing up for both classes.
Right now we're going back and forth on what to do here so any input from anybody here would be greatly appreciated.

I take it running start isn't an option here?

[Soonerjeepman]

LOL...sorry bud I'm ele school...I got 5th graders that don't know their multiplication facts~

also, trying to get my son to pull his head out of his a$$ for pre-calc...getting a baseball scholarship.

Do you know anyone at OU? The professors, as long as you personally know them, might be able to better answer this...sorry man. GREAT problem to have!

[rock on sooner]

Biggest question here is, what kinda grades you git?

Aw, Vet, yew musta flunked one er more, cause yew aint fessed
us to tha grades!

[Soonerjeepman]

LOL...sorry bud I'm ele school...I got 5th graders that don't know their multiplication facts~

also, trying to get my son to pull his head out of his a$$ for pre-calc...getting a baseball scholarship.

Do you know anyone at OU? The professors, as long as you personally know them, might be able to better answer this...sorry man. GREAT problem to have!

I feel like a dumba$$....Ma'am. sorry! (ya said BF, now I remember another thread...lol).

[olevetonahill]

Biggest question here is, what kinda grades you git?

Aw, Vet, yew musta flunked one er more, cause yew aint fessed
us to tha grades!

Just saw this, Hell Its been a Lifes work. Wont get the final Grade till They plant me.