Keeping a Strong Senior Schedule
Junior Block Presentation
January 26, 2012
SOLID COURSES
When colleges refer to “solid courses,” they are referring to English, History, Math, Science and Foreign Language. Some schools will consider Visual and Performing Arts to be solid academic courses; others may not. Some courses that are definitely not considered solid courses are: Leadership/ASB, Journalism, Teaching Assistant and Senior Focus Projects.
A WORD ABOUT VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS AND SENIOR PROJECTS
While it is true that not every selective school will consider VPA and Senior Projects to be solid courses, this does not mean that a student should avoid them in the senior year. On the contrary, students should take advantage of flexibility in their schedule to enroll in the VPA or Senior Project courses that fit them best. For many, VPA courses are a specialized area where they have some advanced talents that they are continuing to develop. Colleges recognize and appreciate this.
While colleges may not give academic weight to senior projects, since each one is different, with different instructors and different outcomes, colleges are still made aware of the rigorous nature of senior inquiry via the PCS School Profile distributed to colleges each year.
UPWARD TREND
When colleges are evaluating transcripts for academic “rigor” or difficulty, they will often ask the question, “How difficult has the student’s curriculum been over time?” Admission officers will expect a certain upward trend in what they see. For example:
10th: 1-2 AP courses
11th: 2-3 AP courses
12th: [It helps to show at least 2 AP courses here]
FREE PERIODS – BEWARE
While one free period can serve a great purpose during the school day, two free periods is almost never recommended.
We all need time to catch up on our work – homework, projects, extra practice time. However, in the senior year, there can sometimes be a tendency to want to come to school for only half of the day. Colleges notice, in a big way. The goal of senior year is to show colleges that you are still willing to stretch intellectually, not that you are spending a good deal of your day at the beach.
Now – that said – it could be that you have gone above and beyond the PCS course requirements in certain subjects – and in fact, you have taken all of the subjects we offer in math, science or world languages. Again, congratulations. Still, in order to remain academically competitive, you may want to consider enrolling in an elective offered on campus, using a Senior Project to heighten your awareness of a certain subject, or enroll in a Cabrillo or UCSC course that could further your growth.
What colleges want to see – and what you have the opportunity to support via your transcript – is that you are taking full advantage of the array of options available to you. They want to know this because they want you to do it on their campus, too.
TAKING COURSES AT CABRILLO AND UCSC
Students are reminded that they are allowed to take courses at Cabrillo and UCSC that do not interfere with their normal school day. Students are also reminded that they cannot enroll in a course at Cabrillo or UCSC that is offered on campus at PCS.
Students cannot use courses from UCSC, Cabrillo or another college to fulfill graduation requirements. Courses taken at other institutions will count toward elective credit.