<p>I am a freshman in high school and today was the final day to choose our classes for next (sophomore) year. This year, I took all regular classes (I put *'s next to my strongest classes) and have a 4.0 GPA that I am sure I can maintain:
Japanese 1
Ceramics 1
Geometry
*English 1
*Biology </p>
<p>Now, I really want to challenge myself. I was recommenced by my current teachers to take all regular classes next year, but this conflicts with my plan to take harder classes in order to get a nice GPA. I decided to take the following classes:
Japanese 2
Psychology AP
European History AP
English 2 Honors
Algebra 2 Honors
Biology AP
Do you think that I am pushing myself to much? I really want to get into UC Berkeley, so I figured that I should step it up. </p>
<p>My plan is to self study for all of these classes over the summer - take notes, quiz myself, understand the material- that way, when school starts, it'll be so much easier to study.
Because of my current plan, I am missing some of the classes that a typical sophomore would take, so I was thinking of making up for those classes during the summer before junior year.
What do you think? Do you have any advice?</p>
<p>Why would your teachers recommend you to take easy classes if you have clearly proven yourself to be a good student? O.O
Three APs your sophomore year is pretty strong. I would expect Algebra and English to be alright for you. AP Psychology is pretty easy and shouldn’t be too bad. The problem is you are taking AP Euro and AP Bio. Those two require lots of work, but if you remain diligent, then you’ll be ok. You will look very good if you perform well in all those classes. If your really are able to make up those classes, then you should be ok too. Be careful though, many students study for the SAT during the summer before junior year.
Looks like you want to UC Berkeley! Me too 
Try your best to get a near-perfect GPA, be involved in extracurriculars, and do well on your SAT and you will be a strong applicant. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your reply!</p>
<p>Maybe just take one AP next year instead of 3. Especially Bio that at my school is known to be very difficult. The honors for math and english look good, but 3 AP’s Sophomore year is too many,</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply too! But I heard that Psychology AP was easy… is it really? I don’t want it to ruin my GPA!</p>
<p>your plan might backfire if you don’t get at least Bs in your AP classes. i wouldn’t be taking 3 AP classes as a sophomore if i were you.</p>
<p>AP psych is a relatively easy class, but it is still an AP class.</p>
<p>I say take one, possibly two. I recommend not to take AP Bio, but if you really want to… I took one AP class as a sophomore an I was fine. I’m sure you will be too</p>
<p>“My plan is to self study for all of these classes over the summer - take notes, quiz myself, understand the material- that way, when school starts, it’ll be so much easier to study.”</p>
<p>Don’t waste your life like that. None of them are really all that hard.</p>
<p>What classes will you be missing? Are they graduation requirements?</p>
<p>drop either european history or bio, it will be very hard to transition from all regular classes to a schedule loaded with AP’s and honors(even though you have a 4 right now)</p>
<p>Yeah I need to take World and US History along with government and economics or something like that senior year.</p>
<p>Maybe your teachers know what they are talking about- ask them why they feel that you shouldn’t take APs</p>
<p>Instead of Japanese 2, Psychology AP, European History AP, English 2 Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, Biology AP </p>
<p>Take Japanese 2, AP Psychology, AP World History, H English 2, H Algebra 2 and Chemistry </p>
<p>I recommend waiting until you’re a junior or senior to take AP Biology and you’ll have to take Chemistry at some point, so just do it now. Going from no APs to 2 difficult and 1 not so difficult but time consuming may hurt you. Ease into taking more APs your junior and senior years</p>
<p>Ok thanks. I’ll consider that!</p>