<p>How are the AP courses that you took used for admissions? Because, in my school ( don't know about other schools) there aren't many AP offered to juniors. Seniors is another story. So, I will only take like 2 in junior year, but like 5 senior year. But, they will only know the number I take, not my AP scores for judging my admissions. This could be a bad thing for me. So, what do they do in this situation?</p>
<p>I would like to know too.</p>
<p>My school is the same way. As long as it's explained in your counselor rec or school information packet you'll be fine.</p>
<p>The school report asks if your school limits the number of APs students can take and the answer would obviously be 'yes', so don't worry.
If you really want to take more APs, you could ask for an exception or you could self-study.</p>
<p>I took one in tenth, two in 11th, and am taking 5 as a senior. If you take as many as are available to you, that'll look fine. </p>
<p>My school report will say I took 8 out of 10 APs available, so the colleges I applied to will know I wasn't just slacking off junior year ad then got serious senior year. Same should be true for you.</p>
<p>what about if ur school doesn't offer APs?!.. yes! mine doesn't... no IB, no AP.. it's not my fault though so I think it won't hurt huh?!..</p>
<p>It won't hurt you. The school report includes that piece of information, so colleges know.</p>
<p>I heard from numerous adcom reps at more than a dozen colleges: we want to see if you "maxed out" and took the hardest program available at your high school. They know there are differences across the country as to which schools offer what, and can't hold that against students. If your school offers AP's and you don't take them, that's the problem, not if your school doesn't offer any.
Otherwise, they could make AP's admission requirements, but you see that they never are.</p>
<p>paying3tuitions is correct. The adcoms realize that schools are different. Your school sends its profile, which tells what is offered & when it can be taken. Colleges know what to do with this info, so trust that they know if you are maxing out on your school's offerings.</p>
<p>Schools definitely know that you are taking 5 AP's senior year --- you will be submitting that info to them when you apply. In fact, they look to see if you drop any of those AP after you tell them you are taking them (that's on the midyear report). We have been told by adcoms that dropping AP's is not good, so if you find that you must drop, you might want to discuss WHY with your admissions rep. There are good reasons to do so, but you need to communicate.</p>
<p>AP scores are NOT used in the admissions decision. Good ones might help, but bad ones don't hurt ... at least that's what the adcoms say. They seem more interested in students who are willing to challenge themselves by taking the most difficult load of courses available to them & performing well in those classes (not on the AP test). Hope that helps!</p>
<p>If AP courses arent offered, I would recommend doing courses at a community college as this shows "initiative". Saying school doesnt offer APs is acceptable, but taking them yoruself is better.</p>
<p>What about if your school offers 15 AP's and you have taken 12 ?</p>
<p>My kids go to a HS that gate-keeps AP courses. Even if you meet the qualifications the most you can take is 2 junior year (none before) and 5 senior year. AND the district is considering eliminating AP classes altogether. This HS send 99% of its graduating seniors to college...every year. Many go to top unis and LACs. My kids were all admitted to top 15 universities...with no more than 2 AP's junior year and a total of 4, 5 & 6 respectively. If your school explains its policies in their profile the adcoms all say you will be considered in the context of your school. That has been our family's experience.</p>
<p>My kids attend a high school that offers very few AP classes. They do offer classes that are similar to APs but they do not teach the official AP curriculum. Most kids do not take classes at the college level for a variety of reasons. However, students still get accepted to top colleges and seem to do well once they get there. I wouldn't worry about it.</p>
<p>An additional thought about why take AP's. Right now, you're thinking about them in relation to getting into college. Even though the final exam scores (...3,4,5=best) don't count to admissions officers, they might count at the college you attend, either to bump you up to intermediate classes in the department (so you don't have to take "Intro l0l") or, depending on your score and the individual college, could count as college semester credits. This will lighten your load in college. Each college approaches AP's differently, and some even have a maximum because they don't want students skipping an entire year of college this way! </p>
<p>My D, now a college senior, commented that it was hard to take 16 credits in the fall of her senior year, while also trying to focus on grad school and fellowship aps. Her friends had easier course-loads as seniors, because of their AP credits from better h.s.'s.</p>
<p>She entered college with no AP's, since her h.s. offered only 1 in Chem, not her subject at all. </p>
<p>She says she wished she had known then that there is an "Art AP." Her many art teachers and GC never told her, although she was in a super pilot Media Studies program. Grrrr.</p>
<p>She feels she could have readily assembled her h.s. portfolio onto slides, which would have been reviewed outside of her h.s. Then she'd at least have 3 credits counted towards her college graduation. </p>
<p>The internet sites are MUCH better than ever. So, go onto the website for Advanced Placement (different than the SAT site) and READ, READ, READ!!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>