OP you asked for feedback and advice. You have gotten both.
4 APs junior year and another 4 senior year would make 8 APs. If you took any last year that would add to the count. There are many many threads about how many APs are ideal but after 9/10 it looks crazy.
Looking at this link you will see that the SCORE you earn for your tests is very important. If you are overwhelmed you run the risk of having a high number of APs…but low test scores. A bunch of 3s would be much worse than taking “only” 4 APs junior year.
Please go back and re-read post #12. The posts urging you to consider your health are from parents, and the ones urging you to take 6 APs seem to be students. The strategies for note taking, time management, etc. are excellent. But even with great study habits, 6 will be a lot. No one is saying not to go for rigor. But again I will say, your rigor is shown over 4 years, not just one, and your academic abilities are evidenced by the grades you earn on your transcript. I hope you will look at balancing and what your plan is for senior year.
"After 8 the law of diminishing returns applies and above 10 they don’t count anymore for admission purpose.
At a competitive school, what matters is being in the top decile. Your class rank within that decile would only matter if you were attending a lower performing school. Since you attend a highly competitive school, your exact rank doesn’t matter. However what WILL matter is how you use non class time (which is another reason why tons of AP 's and related hw is counter productive)." from #17
Sorry I did not see this before my last post. This advice is golden.
OP my kid took 7 AP classes. One sophomore year, 3 junior year, 3 senior year. Self-studied 2 that he enjoyed and knew he could do well in, Euro and Art Hist, 1 each year sophomore and junior. Got 5’s, except for a 4 (Physics) that was his hardest class – AFTER college acceptances came in. Used his time to keep up with homework and excel at the ECs of his passions. The ECs are what made him stand out, and by taking “only” 3 APs he had the time and energy to actually delve into the things he loves to do. He is now at an Ivy.
At least ask your guidance counselor : would s/he be okay with your not taking AP psychology (which, as an AP lite, doesn’t serve any purpose in your schedule except qualifying you as 'overloading on AP ') and pushing one AP to senior year ? AP bio is the easiest to cut since you’re taking biotechnology (so AP bio is a ‘double’) but it could be any class except AP language.
Senior year, AP CS and/or AP art history and/ or AP gov/ econ: choose two.
I can’t take credit for using the 'law of diminishing returns’as applied to AP 's, it’s a well known expression (and fact) in admission circles.
@nicknick567
That schedule looks much more doable. ^^
I’ve read stuff about taking too many AP courses since I’m from a pretty competitive school as well. My friends are taking 5ish AP courses junior year (we have space for 8 courses a year) I decided against what they’re doing since increasing the rigor too quickly can backfire. (I’m only taking 1 AP this year, I’m a sophomore too.)
However, I have heard this from my peers. In my school, if you drop the course before October, it will not show on your transcript. That’s why some of my friends are taking 6 or 5; they are planning to drop one or two depending on how they like it.
Also, you can self-study for AP tests… so if you still want some of that good ole AP credit without the course taking up space in your schedule…