So I’m choosing classes for my senior year. This year (my junior year), I took 4 AP classes and my school counselors advised that we have the same number of or more AP classes in senior year. In other words, it will look bad if I have less AP classes in senior year than in junior year.
This was my originally planned schedule (I’m only taking 5 classes):
English Literature
AP Econ/Gov (1 semester American government / 1 sem AP Macroeconomics)
AP Calculus BC
AP Computer Science
AP Art History
Then I learned my school offered Honors Linear Algebra, which isn’t an AP class, but many would say has the rigor of an AP class. I would replace AP art history with linear algebra, but then my schedule would only have 3 AP’s.
Does the number of AP classes really matter (especially if I’m taking linear algebra instead)?
I also realize I COULD take AP English Lit but I absolutely dislike English class, and I’m 95% certain that I would end up with a B in AP English anyways.
ALSO I can choose between AP Macroeconomics and AP American government and I’m not sure which one I should take. I’ve heard AP Econ is much more “useful” and applicable to real life than AP Gov is but AP Econ is much more challenging.
I would not take linear. I think it would look weird on an application to be taking BC (calc 2) which comes before Linear in pretty much every college math curriculum. But maybe that’s just me; have you talked to your guidance counselor and asked for his/her opinion?
@gormar099 well, the prerequisite for linear algebra only requires that I take AP calc AB. i haven’t talked to my counselor yet but students taking AP Calc BC are only seniors (my school doesn’t allow students to skip Calc AB before going on to BC) so linear algebra students are also only seniors and have only taken AB… thats just my school though
If you’re looking for potential college credit, you are unlikely to get any for a non-AP course, regardless of how advanced it is. While you don’t need Calc BC to do linear algebra, having Calc BC + LA makes your schedule a little lopsided on the STEM end. Regardless, taking LA in lieu of an AP class will not make anyone think your schedule is less rigorous.
As for AP Econ vs. Gov, if your school does not have a gov and/or econ graduation requirement, choose the class you like better/has the better teacher/has a better track record on AP exams/you will do better in. Personally, I would opt for econ, but that’s just me.
It’s fine if you take Honors Linear Algebra, but then you’d have 3 math/CS classes, only half a social science, and no science. What else would you fill out your schedule with? 5 classes one semester and 4 classes the other semester is a really light senior courseload regardless of AP/honors rigor.
@goldenbear2020 what about 5 classes each semester? I’d take government one semester and econ one semester. i havent chosen which one im going to take as an ap class yet.