Need help with High School

[Cloudy]

In my school, the high school offers several programs that a student can choose from. There's General Diploma, Business, Medical and Engineering. Currently, I'm taking the Engineering... Includes 4 Sciences and all Maths. Which is Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, Calculus. The Engineering and Medical Diplomas are the toughest, for Medical students they take full Sciences and 4 Maths.

This year I'm really having a hard time with Algebra 2 as a Sophomore. And in order to graduate with the Engineering Diploma (minimum CGPA 3.0 required), I'll have to take Pre-Calculus with Statistics next year. I don't think I'll be able to make it and go through those stupid calculations.
So I went and ask the HS Counselor whether Engineering/Medical programs have better benefits for entering college. They said no, it only helps me set a better fundamental or something. Now that I really can't decide if I should go on the 'tougher' Engineering program or I should lower to a Business Diploma one. For the Business program, the minimum CPA is only 2.75. Plus, I'll only have to take 1 more Maths next year and I'm done. The rest are just business managing classes.

So can anybody give me a suggestion or idea about the switch. Does taking harder subjects in HS really help in College? Or does it just pull down my grade and not allowing me to enter a good college?

If I take Engineering and I graduate with a 2.9, I'll have to retake some subjects and won't be accepted in good colleges. But if I take the Business, I can do way better without the Maths... One thing I want to make sure is whether colleges even care about what subjects you take in HS.

Thanks in advance.

[ixcuincle]

I understand your frustration with engineering...engineering in my biased opinion is one of the most difficult topics to go through. If you cannot do engineering at a high school level , it will be almost impossible for you to do engineering in the collegiate level. Take it from me , I didn't do well in math courses in high school yet I ignored my mathematical weaknesses and majored in engineering in college , which completely failed.

Since you can't do engineering math you might as well take the business courses because those aren't as difficult and you have a better chance to improve your GPA. If you take engineering classes you run the risk of getting C-ish grades and lowering your GPA.

[Anthony15]

Go to Business, if u open ur company, and its sucessful u might become a millionaire

[Amphatoast]

If you struggling and don't like math stay away from engineering. That's what they throw at you in college at first, math math math with some physics and other sciences pending what engineering u doing intially. At least that's how it was for me in my first 2 years. 1 more semester of math to go

[R.J.]

Go to Business, if u open ur company, and its sucessful u might become a millionaire

[[Q]]

do what you're good at. if you struggle with math in HS, you'll definitely struggle at the college level, and that won't go too well with the Engineering.

[Silas]

unless you're applying to a specific college, such as an art college or a specific school within a college, like foreign affairs or something, the harder classes always look better on a college and can often times be the reason you're accepted over another person.

[Cloudy]

Thanks for the advices, I am quite interested in architecture or some product designing. Any better suggestions I should take? Or it really doesn't matter at all...

@SilasDC... I see Berkeley requires a 3.9!! Can I enter it if I take like the General Diploma, in which Geometry is the hardest math!

[Silas]

well look at it this way, you have two kids, one of whom has a 4.0 after taking classes like geometry, woodshop, teachers assistant, choir/band, and a few other easy classes, or you have a student with a 3.8 that has taken AP chemestry, AP English, AP Physics, AP Calculus, and others, i think they'll go with the 3.8 kid.

[Cloudy]

no, what if you change 3.8 to a 2.8

[[Q]]

Thanks for the advices, I am quite interested in architecture or some product designing. Any better suggestions I should take? Or it really doesn't matter at all...

@SilasDC... I see Berkeley requires a 3.9!! Can I enter it if I take like the General Diploma, in which Geometry is the hardest math!

just curious where you're from, because it's pretty hard to get into Berkeley even for the ones in the top 15% of the HS class... You might have a shot at some of the other UCs which isn't a bad idea.
plus, my HS GPA was around 3.7, but my weighted GPA with AP classes taken into consideration was 4.1. If you get as far as geometry, you most likely won't get into a school like Berkeley... you should be at lest up to pre-calculus or calculus.

[Silas]

There are a ton of other factors, do you sit on your but all day after school or are you involved in sports, ASB, clubs, volunteering, etc. Also, a great application essay helps, and of course test scores like SAT and ACT.

[Donatello]

This is so odd to me; My high school didn't have all this specialization.

[The Other Kevin]

He's in Hong Kong if I remember right.

[Bang]

Um...unless you live in California, I believe it's almost impossible to get into the UCs. A friend of mine had a 4.0 GPA and 1300+ SAT scores and he did not get in and he only applied to UCs. So if you don't live in California, and if you don't even live in the US, I would recommend applying to the East Coast schools rather than UCs, they take more international students.

[Big-D]

i have been going to high school for a few years now and i dont understand what your talking about. I thought there was only one diploma you can get. Right now i have a 3.5 Gpa but my class rank is effing up my chances of getting into Marquette.

[Axel]

Why are you taking those dumb "pathways" as they're called. Don't you have the option of taking whatever you want??

Of the ones you have though, stick with what you're in. PreCal is extremely easy, I find it easier than Algebra 2. Statistics is supposed to be another easy one sort of like PreCal.

[Cloudy]

In Asia, mathematics are taught way harder than you guys in USA. I swear!!! We study with your books (those Houghton Mifflin or McDougal stuff). But our teachers don't follow with 'em, we get harder homeworks, harder tests...

And I'm not really aiming for a Berkeley type, but I just needed to know about those "pathways"... Well Silas, I'm pretty involved in sports and I'm part of the Yearbook staff. I think I'll join the Student Council next year too...

@Bang: East Coast? Like in NYC?
@QBaller: Damn you genius?! Maybe it really is easier there, my friend here usually gets a 2.5... He went to US this year, he got a 4.00... So...

[kevC]

My weighted GPA was 4.7155.
Again, adding to the stereotype.