I’m debating if I want to take 7 AP classes my junior year next year. I want to move up to at least position #2 of my class, and it should be possible if I pass all my 7 AP classes next year.
I’m currently taking both AP Chem and AP Euro as well as with honor courses in the other subjects and have managed to pass all my classes with A’s.
If I do take 7 AP’s next year, one would have to be a zero period. I am a bit worried about this.
Has anyone experienced a similar situation? What was the highest amount of AP’s you took in one year? Should I not take 7?
And if I do take 7 next year, they are:
AP Bio
AP Lang
AP Calc-AB
APUSH
Spanish 3 honors (not an AP but I will take the AP Exam)
AP Pysch
AP Art History (as my possible 7th AP)
All advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!!!
Wishing and hoping is not a good strategy. Your goal can only be accomplished by you getting all A’s and everybody ranked above you showing an appreciable decline in GPA.
Is it possible? Sure. Is it healthy? Probably not.
Are you doing any ecs? Doing 7 AP classes, and studying for the AP test, while doing ecs will put a lot of stress on you and your body. Moving up from taking 2 AP classes in one year to immediately 7 AP classes will be a large stretch. Best of luck to you!
I have never taken seven APs at the same time. I did, however, take 5 APs (Chem, Gov, Macro, Art History, Lit) this year while being dual-enrolled at a local community college and took 3 college courses first semester. It was not fun. I did manage to get all As and I didn’t lose much sleep, but these classes are extremely intense and I had to devote more time than usual to them in order to be successful. Also, keep in mind that I am a senior and that I already took a very rigorous courseload last year, so I might be desensitized. I was also legitimately interested in all of the classes I took, so that might have helped me.
If you are taking 7 APs for the sake of taking APs or to inflate your GPA, that is a very bad idea and sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Despite what everyone says, I say just either drop AP Biology or APUSH and maybe not do AP Art History. I say this because AP Biology and APUSH are both heavy memorized material, making it extremely difficult to do it at the same time. I would say taking 4 APs is already impressive enough Junior year.
You should not take 7. Period. I’m assuming you have a high class rank. And I doubt a rank change will make a difference to college. Take off AP Art and don’t take the AP Spanish exam unless you feel prepared.
That is the worst reason to pick classes. You are doing a high risk, no return strategy.
Yes, I’m involved in 3-4 EC’s. After reading people’s advice, I may just stick to my 5 APs and 1 Honors class. I appreciate your advice, thank you!
AP Bio => have you taken one each of bio, chem, physics at any level? If not, take Chemistry Honors or Physics Honors or AP Physics 1 instead of AP Bio, save it for senior year if you plan to go into Bioengineering, Biology/zoology, or premed (although AP Chem may be a better choice for the latter).
AP Lang => keep
AP Calc-AB => keep
APUSH => keep
Spanish 3 honors (not an AP but I will take the AP Exam)=> Keep as is. Take the SAT Subject in May or June, Spanish 4 or AP Spanish next year.
AP Pysch=> won’t help with college admissions and better paired with AP Bio senior year
AP Art History (as my possible 7th AP) => save for senior year
NEW SCHEDULE
AP Physics 1 or Honors Physics or Honors Chemistry
AP Lang
AP Calc AB
APUSH
Spanish 3H
Another Honors class of your choice
one fun/easy class or study hall
Senior Year
AP Chem or AP Bio
Honors English
AP Calc BC
AP Euro, AP Gov, or AP Art History (< see whether it counts as “art” or “history” at your school)
AP Spanish
AP Psychology or APES or AP CS Principles or Economics with Financial Literacy or one fun/easy class (depending on expected major)
Study hall
As someone currently planning to take 6 AP Exams come May (APUSH, Chem, Lang, Calc AB, Macro, Micro), the best advice I can give you is to take what interests you and what you believe you will excel at, from experience in other classes (ex-English H is easy, so try AP). If you take an AP for the sake of taking an AP and you don’t really have interest in the subject, it will be MISERABLE. Challenge yourself but be reasonable. For me, take the APs I listed is what I truly consider to be the greatest academic decision I’ve made, but it’s been quite a stressful first semester of my junior year, even being interested in all 6 subjects. Ask past students with similar strengths how they are doing and what they think of the class as well. Colleges want to see you challenge yourself, not torture yourself.
No. It’s not an arms race. Anything beyond 6-8 AP classes overall is overkill.
Having the highest GPA is not the be all and end all. The kids with the two highest GPAs in my D’s school did not end up getting into HYPS despite applying EA to those schools. The only kids that got into HYPS were among the top 5 or so in terms of GPA, etc., but were definitely not the top two.
@MYOS1634 wow! Thank you so much for taking the time for that advice and schedule! It’s greatly appreciated!!!
@hayisforhorse thank you so much! I’ll definitely use your advice and find the things that interest me the most. Best of luck to you and your exams:)
Is AP psych a year long class at your school? That seems like a lot of work. I would drop Art history and take a fun class.