Top colleges do not want students stuffing their schedules with random APs for the sake of having as many APs as possible. They want students to get a well-rounded education in the five core subjects of math, science, english, foreign language and history/social studies, taking progressively difficult classes over time.
Ideally, the student will have four years of each core subject. If the school has seven class periods, the extra periods are typically filled with any extra graduation requirements that the school has (such as health, PE, personal finance, etc) and electives in the arts or extra academic classes of interest. I hope your daughter’s AP psych class took that elective space in her schedule, not the place of a core subject.
In the core area of science that you are wondering about, strong students aspiring to top colleges will generally take an honors classes in each of biology, chemistry and physics and then select an AP science in one of these for senior year. AP environmental science, while interesting and valuable, is regarded as an easier AP and should not be substituted in place of an honors class in the three core sciences. The strongest students (especially those headed for a STEM degree) would generally opt for an AP in either chem, biology or physics and only take AP environmental science as an extra elective IF it is of interest to the student and fits into the schedule. It is a hybred science, NOT a core! A strong student not aiming for a STEm degree might take APES after taking the three core honors sciences instead of a core science AP. And while a few very brilliant STEM students might skip the honors classes altogether and go straight to science APs I don’t think that’s generally recommended, let alone expected by top schools, as a strong foundation of understanding the basics is important before going on to AP science.
Students heading for selective schools are expected to take US history and World (or European) history, (whether honors or AP). I understand that AP world history is now split up into two one-year courses (ancient and modern world history. My daughter’s school also has a U.S. government requirement offered in regular, honors and AP levels. If two years of world history are not taken, a fourth year of social studies can be satisfied by AP economics, AP human geography, or AP Psychology, or they can be electives if the student has a particular interest. But they shouldn’t substitute for the core history classes.
You didn’t mention foreign language…I hope your daughter is planning to take four years of it (or at least three). Strong colleges will expect that.
Why are you focused on T-10 schools? That’s an extremely narrow range, and there are excellent, highly-regarded colleges and universities outside of T-10s that may be better social and intellectual “fits” for your child. Trying to force your child’s entry into one of these schools (which may not, in reality, be any better than schools ranked somewhat below) can be a recipe for heartbreak and a miserable adolecence. Much of the rankings are based on things that may not reflect superior academic excellence over other, equally-fine schools, just a clever manipulation of certain data used in the college rankings game.
