<p>I'm sure this one has been done to death, but...
Is it better to take more APs and get a lower GPA or take less APs and get a higher GPA. I mean like 4 APs in stead of 5, or 3 instead of 4. Also, I mean like a 4.0 instead of a 3.8 or something--nothing drastic.</p>
<p>Unless the number of AP's being taken is such as to totally kill you, it is better to have more AP's than a higher gpa. If you are taking the most challenging curriculum available at your high school and have a somewhat lower gpa, then that's life. If you have a 4.0 and have not taken a challenging curriculum, you don't have much of a chance at the elite colleges.</p>
<p>I totally agree. In fact, if the dufus before me had not posted (;)), I would have told ya the same thing. What colleges care about most is the strength of your courseload and how well you can carry it throughout the whole year. They look at trends. If you started out weak in say, AP Physics or AP Calculus but then got better by mid-year or even late-year, they would look upon that VERY favorably. Taking non-AP courses and having a high GPA carries less weight than a slightly lower GPA with more APs. PM me if you have any more AP-related questions. Good luck to you!!</p>
<p>-Jon :D</p>
<p>It's better to get the high GPA in the AP class. Seriously, for top colleges, you will need both challenging courses and good grades. ADCom's have a common saying: "When I'm asked whether it's better for a student to take an Honors class and get an A or take an AP class and get a B, I say to get the A in the AP class." Honestly, if you're good enough to get an A in an Honors class, then with a bit of work, you can get the same a in an AP. As for your question, a 3.8 is still a high GPA. If you have to choose one, taking the harder classes is probably better, because it shows you are challenging yourself. More difficult classes with only a slight decrease in GPA will look much better than a slightly higher GPA in easier classes.</p>
<p>Right, you need a heavy load and good grades for top colleges. If your school offers 25 APs and you only take 5, you will not be a likely admit at a top school. If they offer 8 and you take 5, you're OK.</p>
<p>Take several joke classes to save your sanity.</p>
<p>And take several bits of advice such as the advice by the above poster to ruin your college chances! ;)</p>
<p>Don't take joke classes. Joke classes are for wussies who dream of UCI.</p>
<p>:D Haha agreed :) Joke classes are worthless. You really won't get anything from them in the long term (except maybe some fond memories and experiences.... HAH!) LOL, the APs and Honors courses are the way to go!</p>
<p>A couple joke classes WILL NOT HURT you. They will BOOST your GPA and your RANK. Just taking 1-2 jokes like art, computers, or woods etc will also give you more time to study and more time to put effort into the other classes and keep your motivation levels high. Trust me. Last semester I had 2 jokes and got the highest grades I've ever had all around. I was against it at first, but I have 1-2 jokes for next year lined up. Plus the kids in these electives are MUCH funnier and more fun to be around than the Honors/AP cutthroats.</p>
<p>Aren't AP courses weighted though? At my school, joke classes bring your rank DOWN even if you get an A (which would be sad if you didn't)</p>
<p>Well, yes we get 1.08 AP and 1.06 honors and it is easy to get a 99-100 in electives. In APs most get in the high 80s or low 90s depending on the course. But taking the easy classes while others are all taking like all APs and getting 88s, you could take some electives, get 99s to boost your GPA, plus you can devote the time to a couple of APs in which you get like a 94-95</p>
<p>Whether a class is wheighted or not depends on your high school. And there are joke "subjects" which have AP counterparts. For example, art has several APs you could pursue (the most notable of which is AP Art History). "Computers" have their AP alter egos as well, namely in AP Comp Sci A & AP Comp Sci AB. I suppose 1 "joke class" can't hurt, as long as you absolutely MUST take it. Otherwise, take all APs and honors courses (preferably more APs). Just be conscious of what you can handle, and you'll do fine!</p>
<p>-Jon :)</p>