Hello,
I am a junior in a public high school. I am experiencing frustration from the inability to get AP classes I want. Last year, I could only take one AP as AP World History were given to students who requested only a little amount of honors and APs and the majority of people with one other AP did not get the course. This wasn’t entirely fair either, I know some students who had the same schedule as me with the AP class I wanted. This year, I again experienced the same unexpected frustration. I got 4AP classes I wanted but not APUSH. Some students still got 5APs but very few got APUSH if they had other 4 APs. I am extremely bothered by this as our school doesn’t restrict us the number of APs and other students will get the privilege of more APs and better GPA. Is there anything I can do about this situation when all admin refuse to respond to emails, call, and meet up to discuss with family? I understand that AP and GPA isn’t everything but it’s very important to me to resolve this issue. Please help me to find a solution, (whether it be a way to get the school to change this somehow, or other) thanks so much!!
It’s not unusual for schools to ration AP courses. Sometimes there just isn’t enough room in the class for everyone who wants it. We don’t have enough information to know why others got this class and you didn’t. Maybe they went by grades in prior classes, maybe by teacher recommendations, maybe it’s random. We just don’t know.
Sometimes you just don’t get what you want even if you make a lot of noise. It sounds like you’ve emailed and called and haven’t gotten a response. Could it be that whoever you are trying to contact isn’t in the office over the summer or is on vacation? I’d wait until school starts and go see your guidance counselor in person on the first day to see if you can find out why. But, it may be that the class is full and nothing can be done.
Thanks for replying. To clarify, it’s merely based on the counselors and priority goes to people who requested less APs. I have not contacted them as they strongly emphasized for us to not do that. Our school doesn’t ration it fairly or in numbers but on the availability of classes. So some requested only 4 and later ask for a course request to change a class to an AP that has enough room. I didn’t realize this so couldn’t use this strategy earlier.
That’s really step number one, and it might need to wait until school reopens. Without knowing the school’s PoV, nobody here can really advise you. All we have is the one-sided version that the school is unfair. In real life, calling a policy unfair is not generally the strongest argument. And it’s not like you have no AP classes; 4 is more than enough for most students.
As an FYI, it’s “fewer,” not “less.”
In a previous thread, you indicated you were only taking three AP courses and would be “dual enrolled”.
Read your post from January 8. You clearly state you will continue with band, and take 3 AP courses…and will be dual enrolled. So…what has changed, and why?
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/t/more-aps-or-one-elective/
Yeah, the school specifically sent an email to not email and only fill out a course request form. The school is refusing to talk about it. I’m guessing they don’t have enough spots. Also I was typing in a hurry and didn’t care for any grammar mistakes lol. I get that 4 is a lot, but I just believe in my academic capabilities and feel this is taking away a chance that other students in the past classes all had equal access to. It is unfair as some students had exactly the same course as me along with an AP they wanted while I didn’t. It’s un fair because this decision wasn’t based on grades or any sort of merit. I understand that you did not see this aspect because no one can understand the situation given my little explanation:)
I decided not to take band as I no longer enjoyed it. I was talking about dual enrollment as a possibility if I continued band. I didn’t think I would have to explain in detail to people about my choices but hope this made the situation slightly clearer 
“I am extremely bothered” - isn’t getting 4 AP instead of 5 just a small bother. Many top schools are getting rid of AP.
So…if you have the option of taking a dual enrollment course, do that. Four AP courses is plenty.
Are you a super strong student? APush is a VERY tough class on its own, I certainly wouldn’t encourage many students to take 5 AP classes, with one of them being APush their junior year.
I would focus on what classes you do have, make A’s and 5s on the AP exams. You’ll be busy.
I do think of myself as a strong student and believe I can handle 4 APs. Based on the responses however, it seems that I just have to accept the fact. I will not have time to add a class as dual enrollment which is why I was hoping to take another AP replacing the on level class. Thanks for all your input.
I was concerned that colleges will appreciate 4 core class APs instead of what I have which is core class 3AP and then 1 computer science AP. Anyways, it seems the case is closed unless my school contacts me to let me know there is a spot. Thanks for your time.
Your schedule is sufficiently strong, in my opinion. I’d let this go for this year.
Are you a rising junior? If so, you can take APUSH next year.
Ok, thanks for your advice! This happened last year as well when I only had one AP, so this is the second time happening. This could happen again next year with AP classes for history. I can’t take APUSH next year, but I will let it go again and try my best in the things that are within my control
The way it works with some highly-selective colleges (and maybe others) is that your HS guidance counselor submits a form to the college stating whether or not you took the hardest level of courses offered at your HS. That helps to even things out somewhat between say private urban prep schools, and remote rural secondary schools where there are barely enough students to offer a class, much less a regular and an AP version of it.
I don’t know exactly what the form looks like from one college to the next, but it’s likely your GC will be able to relate on it that you took the hardest courses available to you given the various enrollment constraints. Your situation is very common – it’s something AO’s see all the time.
I hope you can learn something from this - if “I didn’t get into all the classes that I wanted to” bothers you this much, you have an important criterion for selecting a college. This is a very common college experience and some are better than others at handling this.
Just to reassure you that this was common at my D’s HS too. Her HS greatly limited the number of APs, and juggled to accommodate as many as they could, but it was very unusual to get the first choice schedule.
My D’s junior year schedule was a hot mess because she had some major conflicts but in the end it all works out.
Sounds to me like your schedule will be plenty rigorous. Hope you have a great school year!
For colleges using The Common Application, here is the school report form the counselor fills:
https://commonapp.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#d0000000eEna/a/1L000000guQg/GnFtbzQMfhXi0S4IXIOgI1r2h28wqtbNX2aUHuRbd3k
(from Member Support )
The question you are referring to is:
“In comparison with other college preparatory students at your school, the student’s course selection is:
_ Less than demanding
_ Average
_ Demanding
_ Very Demanding
_ Most Demanding
_ Prefer not to respond”
The counselor is also asked to rank the student in academic achievement, extracurricular accomplishments, personal qualities and character, and overall.
The questions do not suggest that a student who could not take the most demanding courses because they were rationed out of them while others could take them should get the most demanding mark.
I agree, when it comes to the check boxes in that form.
In the “Additional information” section, the GC is allowed up to 500 words to explain how the check-box answers may have been impacted by community-scale disruptions such as COVID-19 or a natural disaster. It also has a bullet for “Other extenuating circumstances” as being appropriate to discuss there, and notes that space is provided on the student’s portion of the application as well for such explanations.
At least at a competitive holistic-admission college, each AO reading the file will digest all of it and arrive at an opinion as to the overall academic suitability of the applicant. At a highly-competitve college, whether a file gets gets selected for championing when the AO’s meet probably won’t much hinge on academic particulars (my opinion, but I have seen a lot of applicants and their admission outcomes). That’s because there are many many more applicants who are quite qualified academically than there are admission slots. The AO will want to see great academics, but a whole lot more. EC’s course, but could also be something(s) which speaks to exceptional character, ability, or leadership (beyond “president of…”).
In my opinion, most admission decisions at highly-selective colleges don’t hinge on a couple of AP classes one way or the other. The overwelming majority of applicants who have all the AP courses one could want will still be denied admission, while others who for whatever reason couldn’t fully load up will be admitted anyway. So just explain your situation, and let the process work.
If you do decide to provide an explanation, do yourself a favor and keep it terse. Nothing about fair/unfair, for example. Note also that if your grades are less than perfect in the equivalent non-AP courses, presumably all of this is moot.
Thank you for this! I didn’t know if this will be applicable to my school as they provide all courses but not everyone gets it. I hope this can be communicated well even if I may not be able to take the course:)
I think maybe! I was even more infuriated as my counselor last year told me that this is happening and that I have many more years in high school and opportunities. Also because our class is the first to continually experience this. I think I should take your advice when selecting colleges, or either expect it beforehand. Thank you