AP Capstone?

Applying to College
1

In my research I’ve come across the AP Capstone project, which is, as I understand it to be, a two year long program consisting of an AP Seminar and an AP Research class. I have a few questions regarding the program in the context of Ivy League (specifically Harvard) admissions.

I understand the classes to be focused on research and evidence analysis. That being said, the student typically focuses on a particular issue or angle to primarily research over the course of one or two years. What kind of issues do students usually choose? Are they primarily scientific, or can they reach into more English and Social Studies areas? How much freedom does one have in choosing?

Secondly, here’s my ideal course schedule as stands for the next two years:

JUNIOR
-AP US History
-AP European History
-AP Biology
-AP Language
-AP Calc AB
-AP Calc BC
-French III
-Drama

SENIOR
-AP Macroeconomics
-AP French
-AP Physics
-AP Literature
-DE Multivariable Calc or AP Stats
-DE British Lit or Upper Level English
-DE Upper Level History
-Drama

As you can see, there’s no empty spaces for these classes as it stands, so I’d have to drop a class. If I were to drop say, AP Biology, or AP Language, but focused on a scientific or English issue in the course, would it fulfill a Science or English requirement? Again, this is in the context of Ivy League Admissions- what would you recommend dropping?

Lastly, does anyone with experience have any advice on taking the class? I’ve researched and less than 900 students made a 5 on the AP Seminar exam and less than 400 made a 5 on the AP Research exam, if I’m doing my math correctly (that being said, not many students take the tests in the first place, so inherently less would make 5s). With so many other APs, would it be hard to be successful in the class? I feel like it could really prepare me for somewhere like Harvard if I were to go there, but is it really worth taking?

Sorry for all the questions- just wanted to be thorough.

2

As with pretty much every question that you have asked, you are going about this thing the wrong way. Do nothing with the sole purpose of how it will look to college admissions. If you want to take the class, take the class. But Harvard, and colleges at that level, will not care if you take the class or not.

AP Capstone. But again, don’t do it just for the sake of Ivy League admissions.

How it counts for a HS diploma will be up to the HS. How it counts for a college’s recommended prep will be up to the college. That said, I suspect the college would rather count AP Lang or AP Bio to the English/science recommendations.

I’ve said this on another thread, but it bears repeating: I have no issue with HS’s requiring some type of a capstone project for an honors diploma. The issue I have is with the College Board blatantly ripping off the IB Theory of Knowledge/Extended Essay and slapping an AP label on in. But don’t worry, the CB is not the only institution that I fault on this - I also blame the HS’s that drank this Kool-aid. One would think that both groups would have learned after the Physics 1&2 fiasco, IMO.

AP courses are supposed to be equivalent to an intro college-level course. There is no way that anybody can convince me that there is any college-level equivalent to this, except perhaps an honors thesis. But let’s be real, there are very very few 12th graders who can write like a college senior. Anyway, for that reason I suspect, few colleges give credit for it.

Having said that, if you have a burning desire to take this course when the time comes, it will certainly add to course rigor, but no more than any other AP course in a college AO’s eyes IMO.

3

@skieurope Respectfully, I believe my intent for the questions has been misunderstood. Never have I based my class schedule on the sole factor of how it will look in college admissions. I have considered many other aspects within my high school and talked to my guidance councelor, but I asked my question on here to get a different perspective and that’s why I ask it in the context of Ivy admissions. All other factors being equal, then I believe it is indeed okay to then look at how it will look in the college admissions process. I’m simply trying to look at it from a different perspective.

4

Then I’d suggest you phrase your questions differently, since it is easy to see how I came to this conclusion.