AP Classes

Applying to College
1

Hi everyone. I have a question about AP Classes. So my school doesn’t offer many APs at all and I’ve been trying my best to challenge myself with the most APs. In my Senior year right now, I could only fit AP Stats, AP Physics 1, and AP Spanish into my schedule (I’ve taken AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A). I desperately tried to fit in another AP, like AP Bio or AP Chem. Our school also doesn’t allow me to take AP Physics C alongside AP Physics 1. Other APs like AP English, or any AP Humanity courses aren’t offered (our school doesn’t offer many APs at all).

In terms of scores, I self-studied AP Comp Principles and AP Comp A, earning a 5 on both. I also got a 5 in AP Calculus BC and AP Environmental Science.

I’ve been thinking of applying to ivies like Cornell, but I’m afraid that they might think I didn’t challenge myself enough. I tried my best to sign up courses that challenge me related to my major (computer science), but any other APs didn’t fit. Some of my classmates took AP Physics 1 junior year and they are now taking AP Physics C. They somehow managed to fit in another AP class along it. That’s why I decided to try and use my free/flex blocks to TA and teach other students in computer science/calculus in my school. I wrote a paragraph in the Additional Information section on the Common App describing how I still wanted to productively use my free blocks for something (and in this case, I wanted to teach my peers) and also about my scheduling conflicts.

Do you think that not being able to fit a class into my schedule will hurt my chances into admission? I’ve been worrying about it for a while.

2

No one here will be able to know for sure, as we do not know what is typically expected for kids aiming for highly selective”ivy-plus” type schools from your HS, nor do we know how many per year get into those schools from your HS.

Sonce you said some classmates were able to take AP phys1 last year and/or fit in an extra AP last year, then clearly it is done at your school(though 5 kids doing it versus the top 1/3rd will make it less significant that you didn’t). However, that was not the choice you made and that’s ok (or your teachers may not have encouraged that path if they did not think you were ready—that is the case at our kids’ HS, highest rigor is usually teacher/advisor-invited, and involves sacrificing a study hall).
You can certainly explain why you took the courses you did, just talk to your counselor about the best way to state it, or ask them to explain in their letter.
Bottom line: for the vast majority of schools, slight differences in rigor probably don’t matter much. For the most selective, it could matter, especially if lots in your school took a harder path. If there is no other way to get the extra AP you want for senior year, then you have to move on from what you cannot change and just put your best foot forward with the schedule you have and know there are many great schools out there.

1 Like
3

Why cant you do ap physics C and not do AP physics 1 at all? You have already done calc bc, so you are ready for physics C. At my kids high school, the only AP physics offered was C, to be taken concurrently with calc BC, or after it.

Colleges wont ding you for not having done APs that your school doesnt offer.

If you can fit in AP bio or chem, great. If you cannot, you cannot. It sounds to me as if you still have plenty of rigor in your coursework, in the context of what us offered by your school.

2 Likes
4

I’m not sure why. Our school just doesn’t allow us to take it unless we have taken AP Physics 1.

5

Did you take what is considered to be the most rigorous courseload available at your HS? If you did then you are fine.

1 Like
6

Ask!!! You got a 5 on calc bc already. You are clearly capable and ready for physics C.

2 Likes
7

I agree with asking but at our school the kids who already took BC and go straight into C always end up dropping the class and take Physics 1.

I don’t know why but maybe they expect everyone to already know the concepts?

8

Honors physics was a prerequisite for AP C at my D’s school too. All the AP sciences had honors prereqs. I don’t think that’s too unusual.

3 Likes
9

So I just want to give you some comfort about the big picture here. No AO I have seen discuss this issue has ever said they have a certain minimum number of APs they want to see, certain set of APs they want to see, or so on. As a universal principle, they will say they want to see you take rigorous courses as available.

And the more selective colleges will tend to say something like they generally like to see you taking rigorous courses in all the core areas. However, I have also seen them note they understand that often kids can not take every rigorous class in every subject, and that different kids will make different choices based on their interests. So, some kids will go farther in Math, others in one or more sciences including computer science, others languages, others English or History, and so on. Some in fact will have to balance core course schedules against other interests, like music and art and so on.

And their point has been those different choices can all be fine as long as it is clear that the kid is challenging themselves.

To sort of sum this up (and verify it as well), I am going to leave you with what Yale says on its admission page about selecting high school courses, because that captures what I have seen other AOs from highly selective colleges also say on this subject:

https://admissions.yale.edu/advice-selecting-high-school-courses

Yale obviously wrote that page with kids like you specifically in mind. And they really don’t want you to worry! Like, from what you said, I think you can confidently answer all these questions:

Ask Yourself These Questions

When weighing your course selection for the upcoming year, here are a few things to consider:

  • Am I taking a well-balanced academic program that will provide me with a good foundation for college?
  • Am I prepared to take college-level math, writing, and science courses?
  • Do I feel challenged by the courses that I am taking?
  • Are my courses among the more rigorous ones available to me at my school?
  • Am I seeking challenge or avoiding it?
  • Overall, is my four-year high school program among the most challenging programs available at my school?

Note the repeated use of the word “among”. That whole page is making the point they are not looking for some one single list of courses, they understand people have to make choices, and so what they are looking for is a set of choices that is AMONG the most challenging possible.

Again, I think you have done that, so I don’t think you should worry about kids who also did that in a different way. Yale and its peers will consider all of you as having chosen good courses, and their admissions decisions will then be based on a combination of how you did, plus all the other things they consider in holistic review.

1 Like
10

Calculus is not physics.

Most schools require an introductory physics course before Physics C.

Most students on College Confidential are not IMO medalists who might have a shot at convincing their schools that they need to make an exception because they’re special.

On the flip side, 99.99% of high school students who provide an “explanation” for scheduling conflicts will come across as whiny

I highly doubt that one AP course will be the difference between acceptance and rejection

1 Like
11

Scheduling explanations are better left for the Guidance Counselor report IMO.

3 Likes
12

Agreed

1 Like
13

I agree with others that I would not explain your AP schedule in the additional comments section.

I love that you are using your spare period for Tutoring Calculus and Computer Science. That is a very good use of your time, and will strengthen your application a lot.

Make sure you have all the basic requirements for colleges on your list, even if they are not APs. Does your school offer Math past AP Calculus BC?

1 Like
14

Hi. My guidance counselor recommendation will provide a sentence or two about the scheduling conflict, but I want to talk about how I decided to TA in that time instead (because that won’t show in my transcript). The paragraph I wrote in Additional Information explains how I couldn’t fit an AP I wanted to take, so I used my many free blocks to TA classes and give back to my school (in this case, not fitting the AP class gave me 2 free blocks almost each school day). Do you think that’s fine?

15

I wouldn’t dwell on the scheduling part. My approach would be more “this year I end up with a free block so…” Its what you did with your time that is relevant. But don’t give them another essay and make sure you are not wasting the additional info on something that was already said in your application.

ETA - you are likely overthinking this.

16

Maybe an EC or maybe add a note in additional info that you TA’d…but honestly, I wouldn’t address it.

Having a gap class is the norm - and note the TA as an EC and done.

2 Likes
17

One of my kids did Calc BC and then Physics C the year after without prior physics classes. He was fine and got 5s on both Mech and E&M
The other kid did Physics 1, and had much harder time. Some of the physics problems are much easier solved with Calculus.
I believe Physics 1 has the lowest grades of any AP class

18

It does, but that is because too many unprepared kids take it. As a rule, “easier” AP subjects tend to have a lower passing rate. It is a case of self selection.

19

Yeah, it is an unfortunate policy at some schools to require a less rigorous AP before the more rigorous AP in the same subject, like calc AB before Calc BC, or Physics 1 before Physics C. My district does not offer enough in elementary or middle school for kids who are ahead of the curve, but at least once they hit high school, they let them take all the AP classes they want, no restrictions. One of mine got almost 2 yrs credit upon entering college, and all of them got a good education while in high school.

At our school, AP Psych is the AP that all are encouraged to try, so there are a lot of 1 and 2 scores from the kids who did not want to do any work, but were pushed into it to increase the percentage who took an AP.

1 Like
20

No worry. I think Physics 1 is more important. You’d better not to skip the introductory part of Physics. Cornell will look at our GPA and evaluate your capability. Good luck.