My son is planning on applying to Harvard EA and everything -- preparation wise -- has been going good so far. When his high school senior schedule came out yesterday, though, my son wasn't very happy with the schedule, and I'd like your advice and input on what you think of the schedule from the perspective of what the Harvard adcom would view it as.
Here's how his senior schedule came out:
1) IB Math SLII
2) Power Volleyball
3) IB English A: Literature HL II
4) IB Theory of Knowledge
5) IB 20th Century World History
6) AP Physics 1
7) IB Spanish V
8) IB Chemistry HL II
My son was very happy with everything except 1) IB Math SL II and 2) Power Volleyball. Although he already took AP Calc. AB and BC in Sophomore and Junior years, he learned recently that he'd have to take the IB Math SL II even if it's redundant because that's what is required to get his IB diploma. He followed his older brother's path by taking the same AP Calc. AB and BC in order to avoid taking the Math SL taught by a lousy teacher (he no longer teaches this class due to so many parental and student complaints). He was assured that he could still get his IB diploma by just meeting with the Math SL teacher once in a while and then passing the test at the end of the term. Unfortunately, when it was my younger son to do the same, the school admins told him that the rules have changed and he can no longer do what his older brother did. So the redundant course showing up on his senior schedule.
As for 2) Power Volleyball, due to the way his rest of schedule is, that's the only course available to fill that slot, NOT that he's interested in playing volleyball or he has to meet the graduation requirement (he has already met the PE requirement). He wanted to take Orchestra but simply couldn't in both his junior and senior years due to schedule conflicts.
My question is: how would the Harvard adcom look at these two courses? Would they question why the redundant Math SL II, and because of the Power Volleyball, the overall question of his senior schedule "rigor"? If the Power Volleyball is questionable in terms of not adding to the overall rigor, then my son wants to eliminate it and take a course at a local community college.
In his junior year, he took all 8 weighted IB and AP courses, and his current GPA is 3.98 (UW) and 4.63 (W).
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