Hi everyone!
I’m an upcoming junior and I plan on taking the following AP classes :
I’m a much better writer than reader and did pretty well in AP Lang. We had periods of downtime in terms of homework, but for the most part it was challenging (a lot of planning your own time to read your book). The exam this year felt like a harder ACT English section, less like the practice exams I took. IMO, there’s not really a way to “study” for the exam – you learn all that you need to know in class, so just pay attention and do the homework. Always pay attention to small details and annotate.
APUSH wasn’t very hard at our school so I also did well. In my experience, it was easier than AP Euro. I took Euro with the old format, but getting used to the new format of the exam wasn’t hard at all (reading a passage and answering questions referring to it) – this may not apply to you if you have not taken AP Euro. Like most history classes, just know your timelines and big events. There are a lot of study resources online.
AP Econ was probably my second hardest class, right behind AP Chem. It had completely different concepts than any class I had previously taken, so transitioning into the class was challenging. Nevertheless, the exam was much easier and I highly suggest knowing the graphs in and out. I used reffonomics to study throughout (although it seems they moved. such a shame).
How did you do in science tho? Also, tbh I think I’m decent at writing. I either get A’s or B’s but never less than that. TBH, I have always skipped around reading. Like in English 2 Honors, we did Ender’s Game and Things Fall Apart. Even though I made 100’s on all the activities and also A in the final semester, I never really read the books. I always googled the summaries and etc.
Drop anatomy honors and apes. AP bio will occupy you plenty as far as sciences go.
AP language is going to be a rude awakening because you’ll need to work on close reading. It won’t be about summaries - in fact you may have excerpts from the presses, lots of non fiction, etc. So there maybe no summaries.
Take Spanish 2H if you’re aiming for a selective school - they typically want 4 years and you need the strongest foundation you can get.
So, new schedule :
AP Lang
AP bio
Apush
AP macro / micro
Honors pre-calculus
Honors Spanish
Something of interest, preferably non weighted (art or music appreciation are good ones.)
I don’t think there’s any way of dropping APES. Also, I’m hoping for the valedictorian spot. UPDATE- I didn’t pass AP Human in 9th grade cause I was a freshman and stuff. I didn’t have much knowledge cause I was new in the country as well. But I took AP Psych in 10th grade and HOPEFULLY made a 4 or 5 (we’ll see this coming Saturday!) So should I retake AP Human? I’m damn sure if I retake it, I WILL make a 4 or 5!!
One more update : I have AP Research on my schedule ( study hall).
Not all AP 's are the same in the eyes of adcoms.
AP human geography is a gateway to apply course for freshmen and sophomores. Most fail the exam but they learn the AP format, the rigor, etc.
So, no, don’t retake, it’s look stupid.
Also, as Stanford puts it, 'it’s not a game of who has the most AP 's, wins. ’
Why do you want valedictorian?
I have always wanted to be valedictorian of my class, like it has always been one of my ambitions. But one more update: I have decided to do AP Government (one each semester). I’m doing AP Econ in senior year, so does that make my schedule look a bit better? Balancing APUSH and AP bio with apes and two AP gov? For AP Lang, I will just enhance my reading skills.
“So there maybe no summaries.” This exactly, if you attempt to summarize you will not pass the class. I know only one student who half-read the books and did okay in the class, but he didn’t end up getting an A.
As for sciences, I have only taken one AP science (Chem) and I will say that it took a lot of balancing with other APs, and I would assume that also with Bio.
As for being valedictorian – it’s a good ambition, but don’t let that prevent you from taking classes you are interested in. I think colleges will appreciate your passion for particular subjects more than your GPA (to an extent).
@syedhasan123 Aiming to be valedictorian, as muddyducky wrote, is a good ambition, but more than often you are forced to take some BS AP classes in order to keep the weighted boost.
What really matter is how those AP’s align with your major/future career. If you take too many unrelated AP’s, you might look like a GPA whore, and colleges will have no idea what your real goal is.
Trust me, valedictorian is not very significant in the grand scheme of college admission factors.
I see you’re doing AP sciences and AP econs, but those have little in common with each other. If you plan to go into medicine, what’s the use of AP econ?
So, what do you want to study in college?
I empathize with you about wanting to be valedictorian. I never felt like it was absolutely necessary, but it was always a good motivation for me to continue to work hard throughout high school.
As for your classes, you have several writing-intensive classes on your schedule (Lang, APUSH, Gov), and thus you will definitely need to stay on top of things in order not to become buried under all the papers you need to write… Trust me, I’ve been there 
I actually can’t tell you much about APES because my school doesn’t teach it, but I have heard that APES and Bio are great complements to one another. At my school, Bio was kinda the “easy” AP science class, but that is completely dependent on your school, as I have many friends who complain of the strenuous workload this class puts on you.
Overall, your schedule sounds like it will be challenging but manageable if you make sure not to procrastinate! Good luck!
In my school, bio alone is a lot of work… Both homework wise, study wise, class work wise, everything. That would honestly be my only science class, but since you don’t seem set on making it your only science, then just be prepared.
In my school, bio was the hardest AP (tied with AP chemistry) and APES was the easy/lazy AP.
@thetex I want to go to medical school, so yeah you guessed right. Honestly speaking, one of my reasons for taking all these AP classes is I want to develop the best study habits before going to college. I also wanna get college credit. History is a course that I NEVER EVER want to repeat in college. When I go to college, I want to study what I ultimately want as my career. I just thought that taking these courses now and studying hard and smart enough so that I pass will save me from all these courses in college.
@snaketail9 in my high school, I have asked one guy about AP Bio and he said that his teacher doesn’t give them any homework at all, although I remember he said something about “self-studying.” I was like, what the heck… Your teacher doesn’t give you hw for AP Bio? 
@teiluuuj I personally consider myself better at Biology than Chemistry. I’m not bad at Chemistry at the same time. I got B’s both semesters in 10th grade but it’s because I know I didn’t put effort. Probably because chemistry and I don’t have any chemistry. But I don’t think I have ever made below B in any course at all in the last two years. For Chemistry, I will say that I’m confident I will make A’s IF I put in effort. I took Honors Bio in 9th grade. Ended up with A’s both semesters and I made a 3 on the EOC (the highest level being 5).
@muddyducky Yea I guess I just have to force myself to start reading… I honestly think I write better. I just lose motivation when reading comes into play. But I guess AP Lang. will spark that motivation
@MYOS1634 Okay let’s say that AP Bio, AP Lang., APUSH, AP US Gov, AP Comp. Gov, APES are my fixed classes. In that case, tips?
Get the textbooks now and start previewing AP bio and APush. (Take notes).
Talk to your teachers starting the first week to make sure you’re good, 100%.
Prioritize Lang, bio, ush, because those will likely require 2-3hours (total) per day. Get used to doing apes and gov efficiently in under one hour (total).
College essays may take you 1-2 hours per day of writing /editing if you’re aiming for top 25 universities /LACs. Get as much done now as possible - rolling admissions apps, common app general essay, coalition app general essay.
Buy a real alarm clock.
Make sure you have 8-9hours of sleep per night. It means no electronics after 7pm because the blue light disturbs your internal clock and melatonin secretion. If you get up at 6:30 it means you must be in bed between 9and 10pm. You can read a ‘paper’ book since this doesn’t affect your getting to sleep process as much.
If your grade gets below a B, drop down one level - no one is impressed with a C in an AP class, and no you won’t get a pass because you took a lot of them. Keep in mind top 50 colleges generally use your unweighted average.
Start reading now. Give yourself a goal of one book per week. Choose whatever you like to stay motivated. Increasing reading speed without sacrificing your critical understanding of the text will be a lifesaver next year.
That was SO helpful, @MYOS1634 YOU ROCK!! Okay one more sad update: I’m outside USA. School opens on 10th August and I go back on 24th August (which means first two weeks of school will be missed). Do you think that will massively impact me even if I stay ahead and finish studying maybe the first few chapters?
@MYOS1634 my first choice school is UF. My parents want me to do undergrad there. So any websites where I can see what the prompts are for the essays? I often get told to work on my essays but what essays tho lol? Ik college essays but what prompts? What am I gonna write on?