I’m currently a sophomore and I’m taking one AP class this year (AP Human Geography). Next year I’m planning to take 3 APs (AP English III, AP Chem, and AP Psych) and the year after 4 APs (AP English IV, AP Calc BC, AP Biology, AP Government). In total, that’s 8 APs. However, I have friends taking 5-7 APs next year, and it concerns me - should I try to take more? I can’t do a Language AP, but I do have one empty period next year. I was planning to do Colorguard, but should I take AP Statistics instead? Are 8 AP’s still considered good?
I seriously doubt that whether you end up with 8 or 9 or 10 AP’s will make any difference at all to your college admissions. Take the classes you like and do well in them. Don’t take AP Statistics just because it will add another AP to your list if you have no real interest in it.
if theres anything i learned in high school, its not to compete for APs. Youre just gonna burn yourself out and end up dropping, which looks worse than taking less APs and excelling in them. 3 is fine.
It’s the actual AP classes that count, not the number, though implicitly colleges may have a number in mind simply because the majority of applicants will have that many. 8 seems very reasonable, unless you’re applying to tippy-top Engineering/CS schools.
Is AP English III = AP Eng Lang and AP English IV = AP Eng Lit?
AP Stats probably won’t help you, but it somewhat depends on what major you’re interested in.
I would take APUSH instead of AP Psych unless there’s a compelling reason. APUSH is a very standard AP and not taking it especially after having taken HG and Govt would stick out like a sore thumb. Whereas AP Psych is an elective, and somewhat fluffy
If you can take 8 AP courses, ace them, and score 4-5’s on them, yeah they’re definitely good enough. Just make sure you’re not overloading or taking time away from extracurriculars. AP stats is useful if you can place out in university. Almost any science/business/engineering/social science program will need stats.
From my research, a lot of schools will give subject credit on AP Stats, but just about all STEM progams require calculus-based statistics, which AP Stats isn’t. So the credit itself in most cases is fairly meaningless, since a calculus-based stats class has a calculus prerequisite and usually not a stats pre-requisite.
For certain non-STEM majors, the AP Stats course may be of use, as a subject credit because it may fulfill a requirement.
Yes, AP English III and IV are just as you said. As for APUSH, I plan to take it over the summer at a nearby community college. I’m actually looking more into a career in medicine and science, though I’m still somewhat interested in STEM.
You might be better off taking the Stats and Psych classes at a community college rather than thru AP. Both are 1-semester classes in college as opposed to stretched out over one year each when taken as AP. Furthermore, many community colleges offer a beginning Psych class online.
Is APUSH very challenging over the year? A lot of my friends are also taking it over the summer and strongly advise me on doing it over the summer too. They tell me it’s really challenging to do it during the year, but I dunno what experience they’re talking from. I was originally planning to take Spanish II and do some volunteering over the summer, but now I’m not sure. I want to do what’s best for me, but I’m also a little scared I’d be overloaded, with band and all.
My kid would rate the level of difficulty as being somewhere in the middle for APUSH. Not the easiest AP, but certainly not as hard as Physics/Chem/Bio/Calc BC or AP Eng Lit.
3 APs is pretty manageable. The smartest kids at my kid’s HS tracked into AP Eng Lang/Chem/Calc BC/USH as 11th graders. My kid didn’t have much issue handling that load, though he did end up with Bs in his Calc BC class but got a 5. He did remove himself from symphonic band and marching band his last 2 years of HS.
APUSH is a time sink, even for kids that found the material pretty straightforward, there’s still a lot of work in that class.
“They tell me it’s really challenging to do it during the year,”
That’s why you don’t want to do it in the summer at a community college, adcoms are going to value an AP class taken during the year exactly for the reason that’s it’s challenging. I’d recommend colorguard over stats for sure. What’s your potential major, if it’s STEM, you can probably avoid APUSH since you have AP English.
Our S simply took the classes that he felt would challenge him without burning him out. For him that resulted in all honors classes except for 3 AP classes: World History, Calc BC, and English (comp I believe). Many of his friends took wall-to-wall AP classes. In the end he was admitted to all but one of his “reach” schools, so I’m not sure to the extent that AP classes are considered in admission decisions.
@Rivet2000 Do you mean he was admitted to all of his (match and safety) schools, but was only denied at his (one) reach school, or do you mean that he applied and was admitted to many reach schools, but was only denied at one? I ask because I think being admitted to tippy top schools with only those three AP classes would mean his application must have been exceptionally strong otherwise.
If your school indicates you took the most rigorous schedule it offers it doesn’t matter how many. Ask your gc. They will tell you.
Some specific ap classes help you prepare for college and are good to see for certain disciplines. Also aps can help make first year classes in college more manageable.
College classes, even intro level, move faster and deeper than you will be used to in high school. especially in calc physics and bio.
@damon30 This was 3 years ago (he’s a Junior now), but as I recall, his list had 4 reaches and 6 match/safety. He was accepted to all but one reach and one match/safety. His overall application was strong, but when it came to his high school classes his approach was “an A in an honors class is better than a B in an AP class”. Some of his friends were able to to take wall-to-wall AP classes and maintain 4.0, but it was a very tough slog and at least one burned out and his grades suffered.
@Rivet2000 Thank you very much! If you don’t mind one more question, what were the reach schools where he was accepted? You can PM me if you don’t want to put them in the thread.