<p>My school offers pre-AP courses in grade 11 and AP courses in grade 12. Being semestered, it's possible to take a pre-AP semester 1, and the AP version semester 2, then take the AP exam I guess.
I know I need lots of AP courses and many AP exams to get into a high-tier university, and since AP exams are in May, at least a few should be taken in junior year because applications are in before the exams in senior year.
I never really thought about that until now (I'm entering grade 11), and I am worried about what to do. I've been reading that 3 or 4 is a good number for AP exams taken in junior year, and the only way for me to do that is to do what I wrote in the beginning, to take the grade 11 course sem. 1 then the grade 12 in sem. 2. But if I do that I can only take 4 subjects. I will still need to take other grade 11 courses, so is it recommended (or even OK) to take the missing grade 11 courses in grade 12 instead, and which AP exam subjects should I be taking in grade 11?
Thanks ahead of time for any help I can get!</p>
<p>When you apply to colleges, they will be aware of your school’s requirements and guidelines and everything and they won’t look down on you for that - keep that in mind.</p>
<p>What grade 11 courses would you be missing to take the pre-AP and AP classes? If they’re not going to be helpful in the AP classes, I see no reason why you couldn’t put them off until senior year, as long as you could still take one or two APs with them then.</p>
<p>As for what subjects to take, that’s entirely up to you. You should take them in something that relates to your future major, or something that interests you and you perform well in.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help! My grade 11 courses would be English, Math (functions), Bio, Chem, Physics, History, French, and Accounting. In the pre AP/AP situation, I’d have to pick 2-4, although it seems having 4 AP classes and 4 AP exams all at once may be too overwhelming.</p>
<p>The AP classes themselves are not really part of the application process. Plenty of students get into their dream colleges without them, because their schools don’t even offer them. The benefit of AP in the admissions process is to show you are taking a rigorous couseload to prepare for college. They are familiar with most HS programs, and might be concerned if they see you taking “senior” classes in place of Junior level classes. Further, I would be surprised if your school would even allow this. Most AP classes are taught as full-year classes. </p>
<p>Most states require 4 years of English, and you really shouldn’t be taking two classes concurrently (and again, I doubt the school would allow this). Math is all about sequence, so you take functions now, and AP Calculus (AB or BC) as a senior. Incidentally, BC often gets you 2 courses worth of credit in college). </p>
<p>Take the classes in the sequence suggested by your HS. It sounds like you wouldn’t end up with more AP classes through your plan of action, so there is little benefit (except perhaps a higher weighter GPA and class rank after Junior year, to be balanced by lower GPA senior year due to fewer AP classes that year).</p>
<p>Also look at the colleges where you expect to apply. Some don’t give AP credit, so there’s no real reason to take the exams. Some use their own placement systems, and still require the same number of classes taken on campus. Any AP classes would simply place you in higher level classes earlier.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>