I just finished picking my classes for senior year. For now I’m planning on taking AP Eng. Lit, AP Calc AB, AP Art History, AP Gov/Econ (each is only one semester), and choir. I’m only going to take 5 classes, but I’m nervous 4 APs might be too much. I’ve gotten straight A’s every year except for 1 semester B in geometry. I’ve also heard Gov/Econ is one of the hardest classes you’ll take in high school. Just in general I don’t want to ruin my college chances by getting a bunch of Bs after staying pretty consistent. Should I move down to regular level gov/econ?
No one on CC is going to really be able to help you since we don’t know you that well. I did something similar (currently an HS senior) and I chose the harder path. I burned out a little bit after first semester, but my grades are still okay. One thing you want to keep in mind is as a senior you’re going to have some extra stuff going on, college apps occur in the fall, and if you are in any clubs, as a senior you’ll probably running for a leadership position.
You’re probably better off talking to your parents, they may have a good idea of what your limits are and if taking 4 APs will be overwhelming.
You only have 5 classes in total? Does that leave you free periods?
Lots of kids at top high schools all over the US routinely take 4 AP classes. It’s not even worth commenting on in our neighborhood high schools so many kids do it. So if you think you can handle it, go for it.
4 APs are not that unusual @ suburban Chicago. My son is a STEM kid and took AP Physics C, AP Stats, AP Spanish AP Chem, AP Econ/Gov senior year. Scheduling did not allow him to also take AP Eng Lit - for which he was thankful. He took a regular Eng comp course instead, and didn’t really care as he got a 5 in the AP Eng Language as a Jr… But as an earlier poster said - everyone is different. Good luck to you - and do what you feel comfortable doing.
And taking all those APs just in general is not what it’s going to take for top colleges to accept you. My son had one AP class and has gotten into a slew of top 20 colleges.
If you’re only taking 4 academic classes, you’ll be fine - you should have free periods to do your work.
However, do you have 4 science classes and reached level 4 in a foreign language already? If not, I would drop Econ/Gov to regular and take one science and Level4 in the foreign language.
I think it depends on the student. @nugraddad, we are from Chicagoland, too and I agree that 4 APs is not that unusual for senior year. My D is taking 5 AP classes this year: Lit, BC calc, Physics C, Chem, and French. Total in high school would be 10 APs.
To be honest, it’s your call. I know a person who ended up taking 12 AP tests in one year and did a loooooot of other stuff. I’m personally taking 7 AP tests and 5 AP classes as a junior, so in my perspective you’ll be fine. However, I have friends who burn out with 2 AP classes…your call… If anything, getting used to sleep deprivation right now is better than later :P…
And what will you major in? I’ve seen some take advantage of having ap credit and being able to skip freshman level classes. Or I know a young lady who was very hesitant leaving home and retook an AP class she had in HS which gave her more confidence as she learned her way in college. Those are the advantages I see but each person is different. I would focus APs in one or two areas rather than a shotgun approach. Can’t imagine a high GPA coming out of that except for a very exceptional student. Just know that colleges are not looking for you to collect a slew of AP classes. It’s counter intuitive.
Successfully completing a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum is not counter intuitive in my mind. Shows well rounded ness .
Really, if you are aimed at selective schools, all your competition will be coming in with whatever the most rigorous options were at their schools. GPA over rigour is a really not going to work for you if you really are aimed at Stanford/ more selective UCs etc. College credit is the last thing to worry about. Many kids out of standard/poor publics are coming out with 8, 10 or more, with top GPAs. Protecting your GPA with easy classes won’t cut it at the tippy tops. Your school profile will indicate what your school offers vs what classes you took.
wrt comment #11: standard/poor publics don’t offer 8-10 APs (some may offer only 1-3, some none; in Mississippi, and I do mean the entire State, it’s been hard to offer any at all and find students to enroll; the majority of students taking even one AP fail to pass, and the idea of taking 8 would make peole roll their eyes). 4-8 Aps is what top schools consistently recommend. The “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to APs does not impress them - they want to see students who craft their choices with care, not just whatever will impress a college. In addition, choosing among the “core” APs (English, Math, Science, Foreign Language, Social Science) is better than choosing from the elective APs, so it’s not just the number. I agree that GPA protection won’t help and that OP will be compared to what her school offers but it doesn’t sound like 4 APs is that common at her school.
I’m in the minority on CC to believe that APs are only for subjects that the student is especially interested in or good at. They are too often used as stress inducing ornaments to try to claw into schools that USNWR favors. Even that is a myth - the one kid I currently know at Harvard College took only 3 APs even though her school offered tons. I will be encouraging my own kids to limit their APs and have a more creative and healthy high school experience.
As long as it isn’t AP Physics or AP Chem… as long as those arent included. shivers