<p>Hi, I have been lurking for quite awhile and finally decided to make a thread. I am currently a junior in a well ranked public high school in New Jersey, and need some help deciding on my senior schedule. My grades are above average (3.7w overall and 4.2w for just junior year), and I am taking 4 honors and 1 AP class this year. My top choice schools are UVA, Cornell, Boston College, Bowdoin, UNC, amongst others. I may apply ED to UPenn, but am not sure of this yet. I am a fairly well-rounded student (don't particularly excel in one subject, but probably leaning towards humanities/social science as opposed to math/science).
Essentially, my dilemma is the conflict between an overwhelming workload and looking good to colleges. I am confident that I can get decent grades in these courses regardless, but I do not want this to take a toll on me. Is it worth it to be overwhelmed all of senior year just to have impressive classes on your transcript?
I will definitely be taking:</p>
<p>Micro/macroeconomics AP (combined into one year course)
English 12 AP
Physics B AP
Calculus Honors
?????</p>
<p>My conflict is either Spanish V AP OR Spanish V Honors along with Psychology AP. Spanish AP at my school is notoriously hard, where as Psych is not. My questions are:
-Which one would be less work?
-Do colleges see taking the easier option as an easy way out?
-Are colleges aware of notoriously hard or easy classes in specific high schools?
-Do colleges want to see 6 courses, or is 5 okay? (We have a total of 8 periods, and one would be taken by lab and one by mandatory gym, leaving six slots for classes. The Spanish V AP option would give me a free period almost everyday, whereas the other would only let me have a free period about once a week).
-Since I am already taking a social studies (econ), would AP Psych not really be seen as a positive, whereas AP Spanish would be an upgrade from honors?</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your help!</p>