Hey everyone,
Next year I am debating about whether to take a bunch of AP classes (Which are really hard) or taking a few A or Honor level classes (which I can probably get an A in.)
My guidance counselor told me to take the AP classes, but I heard that it’s better to get the A’s.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
Take the APs; it looks better.
How about A in AP class, instead of B+ in AP or A in Honors?
A B+ in AP will deliver about the same GPA as an A in an Honors, I would go for the AP and shoot for the A, NOT B (make sure! or try to), as even if you get the B, your education will be much more enhanced in the subject taking the AP opposed to the Honors.
Just do your homework, getting the A should not be difficult asides from the rhythmic, bulks of homework you will get every class.
^ I agree
this is what I heard from a counselor about the A in honors, or B+ in AP: “Actually, it’ll be better if you get an A in AP.” You want to try your best to get As in AP classes because there are other students who you will be competing against for admissions. If the admissions counselors look at your school’s profile and see that your school offered AP classes and you didn’t take them…that might look bad. Go for AP, plus you have a chance on getting collee credit which will also impress colleges
I hate when people say “A in an AP”. That wasn’t one of the choices. It depends on the class. If it is geared towards what you think you might go into in college, take the AP class and do your best. If it is just an extra class or a required class that you’d rather not take, just get the A in the honors class and come out with a better unweighted GPA.
Challenge yourself in the material you enjoy the most. If not, you’re just wasting your time.
Besides, what college wants a grade grubber?
Not gonna lie, I tool loads of AP classes causes I wanted to “challenge” myself andbecause I had a passion for the information, when I was comparing report cards with my friends who were all in honors/academic classes and had 4.0’s whereas I had a 3.4, it did make my confidence go down and I felt like I wasn’t as smart as them, despite the fact I was in harder classes. Just something to think about…
APs are good to a certain point, but don’t take more than you can handle. Try to take classes that would be helpful in preparing yourself for college, but don’t feel that your schedule needs to made of soley AP classes.
Take as many APs as you can handle, i.e. as you are reasonably confident you can get As in. I’d say take at least two, but if the question is between four or five, and if you add a fifth one you’ll get the B+, then take that fifth subject as an honors or regular class for sure. Preserve the unweighted GPA!
I completely agree with you cicero_oratore! People say this all the time. But what Engineer Head said about it being easy to get an A in an AP class is completely untrue. Perhaps for Engineer’s school the APs are easy, but it’s unfair to generalize across the board. There are many schools at which the AP classes are extraordinarily difficult.
I would suggest taking the APs. AP exams are standardized, while honors classes are not. This gives colleges a better look into just how rigorous your course load is and a better idea of whether or not your grades are inflated.
Take AP classes in what you like and what you will excel at, assuming you will need some of this for your major. But don’t plan on using all of the credit you might earn for these classes. Sometimes it is better to use them for better preparation for college classes rather than skipping over them due to credit earned. Do your best and get the best grades you can. Take the most challenging classes you can. Aim for A’s
But also take AP classes when you can in areas that will be useful for getting credit in to lessen your load in college. If you are going to be a science major, taking English or History may help you get credit for classes that you will not have to take again in college. Get B’s or A’s.
You know, I used to really hate it when people would respond “get the A in the AP class,” but then I realized…if you can’t get As in the AP classes, you wouldn’t be a good fit academically for the colleges that would reject you on that basis anyway.
Don’t take too many APs just for the sake of taking them (helloooooo AP Eurooooo you are a SUCKY CLASS at my high school and I really should just have taken art instead), but do try to take at least one AP in each of: science, math, language, and humanities (includes English) if you want to go to a most excellent college. (Top 10-maybe top 20). If you have better things to do with your time–third college-level math course + AP physics + AP chemistry in one year, as a lot of the smart kids at my school do, certainly not taking a humanities or language won’t hurt you. (That’s the “well-lopsided” people.) If you want to go to a pretty awesome but not that intense school, you could easily get away with not taking an AP science or AP language, or both.
Take the AP Class and get an A in it. If you’re a good student and serious about the college admissions process, then take it to the next level and try your hardest to get an A. Often, the only difference between B+ and A is doing a few points better on a test. Even if you get a B+, it’s okay, because, for example in my school, they add 6 points weight onto an AP class. (We have a 100 pt scale)
The only exception is if you’re trying to be valedictorian or salutatorian and if you’re in a competition for class rank. In that case, it’s okay to take honors if you have other APs that you’re doing well in.
Good luck!
a UPenn admissions officer said something like “the world is not divided into people that can get B+s in hard classes and A’s in easier classes.”
i know you don’t want to hear this, but there’s no reason not to get an A in an AP class. especially since most AP classes are easier than a real college class.
An A in honors looks better than a B in AP. Still take the AP, though, and hope for an A. But I do warn you, IF you get a C… You’re screwed. A C on an AP class looks worse than an A in a regular class.
I’m totally with awkwardsquirrel but I’d say you should MOST definitely take the AP classes, just work your butt off to get As because it’s totally worth it. Saying “i’m not smart enough” or “I won’t have enough time” is not a valid excuse. You can do it!
I may or may not have missed the ball on this one, but anyways…
I took AP World sophomore year and got a B+. I took APUSH junior year and got a B. Those were my only APs going into senior year, but I signed up for BC Calc, Lang, Spanish, Econ, and Gov. I ended up getting all As.
Bottom line, go for the AP.
I struggled with the same situation when choosing my classes. I actually contacted admissions officers at colleges that I am interested in ( U of Mich, Yale, Berkeley, Brown), and they all told me to do the AP classes. As you know, AP classes are college level courses, so if you take them and get a relatively good grade it shows your competence and grasp of a rigorous schedule.
I hope that helps!
Best case, you want at least a 3.8, unweighted, and you want to take the hardest schedule you can. (The average GPA for admitted students is a 3.85 at Princeton and about a 3.8 at Columbia; Harvard and Yale do not release the averages.) The difference between a 3.8 and a 4.0 is not great when you are applying to top schools. I would take the AP but strive for straight As if possible. If you do in fact get one B+, don’t sweat it. Just keep them few and far between.
This is a relatively old thread, but for anyone’s future reference: take the AP and get an A. Don’t go into class with the mindset of settling for a B. If you work at it and don’t accept a B without some serious studying and hard work, you WILL get the A. It’s all in your mindset and what you’re willing to accept.
Don’t sell yourself short or settle for less.