Are 2 AP Classes Enough?

<p>Hi. I am a Senior at a high ranking college prep/private school. However, I have only taken 2 AP classes in my high school career, those being this year (AP Calc AB and AP Stats). My school only offers AP classes starting in junior year, and they only offer 13 AP Classes (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC, Spanish, English, English Writing, Latin, French, US History, Art) and most don't apply to me. Additionally, my school limits the amount of AP and Honors classes we can take each year to 3 (including combination of AP and Honors).</p>

<p>That being said, Freshmen year I took Honors Geometry, Sophomore year I took Honors Algebra 2, Junior year I took PreCalc Honors, Honors English and Honors Finance, and Senior year I'm taking AP Stats and AP Calc AB in addition to an online Economics course.</p>

<p>If I want to get into a top business program at NYU or Michigan, do I stand a good chance even though I only have 2 AP classes? It seems like everyone else has tons of AP classes over the course of their high school career.</p>

<p>What do you mean “Most don’t apply to me?” How can AP English, US History, a foreign language, or a science not apply to you? Of course they do! That’s a little like saying “I’m going to be a doctor, why do I need to take chemistry, physics, and know how to write?”</p>

<p>Your school offered 13 AP classes and you chose to take two. That is not going to look good in the eyes of top schools who emphasize rigor, rigor, rigor. You can’t redo junior year, but at the very least, take 3 APs senior year.</p>

<p>I agree with @MrMom62: If your school offers 13 AP’s and you have only taken 2, it will definitely look like you have not challenged yourself. How many AP’s do your classmates take?? To have a rigorous schedule in the eyes of admissions, you need to have a similar number of AP classes as your HS classmates.</p>

<p>You should take the most rigorous course load that is offered. For instance, my school only offers 1 AP class for juniors, but it won’t hurt me since that is the only AP class offered. If you school offers 13, you should be taking way more than 2. Since there is a 3 max, then you should take 3. That will be the most rigorous. </p>

<p>What I meant when I said they don’t apply was that I was restricted Junior year as I did a new pilot program that involved me having to take three honors courses in addition to my honors math which made it impossible for me to take any AP classes. Additionally, I don’t take Spanish, French, or Latin, so those weren’t on my radar. At my school, Honors classes are seen just as equal as AP classes.</p>

<p>Additionally, students are can only choose one each out of the following groups…</p>

<p>AP Bio AP Chem or AP Physics</p>

<p>AP Calc AB or AP Calc BC</p>

<p>AP English or AP English Writing</p>

<p>AP Spanish AP French or AP Latin</p>

<p>Again, I’ve taken honors classes every year and was maxed out in my junior year. As for senior year, even though the online course isn’t a CollegeBoard AP class, my school still requires it to be registered as an honors due to the nature of the course. So I am also maxed out in my senior year and can’t take any additional APs.</p>

<p>I think you just answered your own question. If you maxed out in both years, you were just as competitive as others at your school.</p>

<p>I realize that. Maybe I should have phrased my question in a different way. I am just worried that although I have maxed out my Honors/AP limit, colleges will still only see that I have taken 2 AP classes and view that as not enough. I’m not sure if colleges compare you to others at your school or, say, a public school where kids can take many more AP Classes. Thanks</p>

<p>You will be fine. Colleges don’t compare you based on other kids in other high schools, they look at you in context of your high school. You maxed out, that shows you chose the rigorous path. </p>

<p>Your GC should explain how your school works, as I’m sure they will in the school profile. If they say you’ve taken the most rigorous course load available, that says a lot. Why don’t you ask them what they’ll say about you rather than some people on the internet who know little about your school?</p>

<p>sounds good. Thanks!</p>