Could Too Many APs Hurt Chances?

<p>I'm a sophomore in high school, and I absolutely love AP classes. The teachers are more passionate, the kids more focussed, the material more challenging....</p>

<p>My school only offers one AP to sophomores (AP World History - which I'm obviously taking), but 'm also enrolled in a virtual high school program and taking AP European History.</p>

<p>By the end of high school, I hope to take all these APs:</p>

<ul>
<li>AP World (10)</li>
<li>AP Euro (10)</li>
<li>AP US (11)</li>
<li>AP English Lit. (11)</li>
<li>AP Biology (11)</li>
<li>AP US Gov (12)</li>
<li>AP Spanish Language (12)</li>
<li>AP Physics (12)</li>
<li>AP English Literature (12)</li>
<li>AP Mandarin (self-study)</li>
<li>AP Human Geography (self-study)</li>
<li>AP Comparative Gov. (self-study)</li>
</ul>

<p>Would this look bad to the Harvard admissions officers? I know that's a weird question, but I wonder if they would think I'm just trying to look good for college. Obviously, I do want to go to Harvard, but these AP classes are the most engaging, enjoyable classes and I am generally interested in all these subjects. Would the admissions officers look down on me for taking all these? (I would always push myself for 4s and 5s on the tests of course)</p>

<p>Is there something about this easy-to-find sentence on Harvard’s admissions website that isn’t clear to you?

</p>

<p>With all due respect opensecret, I have obviously read all of Harvard’s application suggestions, and I was looking for someone with personal experience in applying to Harvard to expand on the information already provided and explain their view on it.</p>

<p>My son will have taken 14 AP classes by the time he graduates.</p>

<p>I have no worry that some college will think that he is doing this just to look good.</p>

<p>I see no negatives whatever to taking a lot of AP courses, except the risk of getting grades that are below “A”.</p>

<p>Hey guys do you think that having a 2400 on the SAT will hurt my chances at Harvard? How about playing 3 sports? Will they frown upon me taking a lot of hard classes and doing well in them? I don’t want to seem like I’m trying to get into college.</p>

<p>It sounds idiotic to ask something like the questions above. All of those things help you get in. If every good thing on your application screamed “just doing it to get into your school” the best wouldn’t get admitted, which we know they usually are. </p>

<p>If you like the classes, take them. It’s not like the reason you get in / get rejected will be the amount of AP classes you take - unless you don’t take any your school offers or get poor grades in the ones you do take.</p>

<p>If you can possibly sink the AP self-study time into extracurriculars I think that’s better for both personal growth and application purposes.</p>

<p>I took 13 exams, my friend who is also at Harvard from my high school took 15. Several of these were self-studied. Don’t kill yourself to take extra AP exams, as I think the marginal benefit isn’t that huge, but taking and performing well on them is definitely one way to demonstrate academic excellence</p>

<p>All selective colleges, including Harvard, are seeking students that take the most rigorous course schedule available at their school. That being said, taking an AP course, or 15 AP courses for that matter, does not matter for the purposes of Admissions, unless you take the corresponding AP test. </p>

<p>At Harvard, only AP scores of 5 will qualify you for Advanced Standing, or exempt a student from any further Foreign Language requirement. See: [Advanced</a> Standing Advising Programs Office](<a href=“http://apo.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k73580&pageid=icb.page388448&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent823379&view=view.do&viewParam_name=asgeninfo.html#a_icb_pagecontent823379_a_icb_pagecontent825552_apexams]Advanced”>http://apo.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k73580&pageid=icb.page388448&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent823379&view=view.do&viewParam_name=asgeninfo.html#a_icb_pagecontent823379_a_icb_pagecontent825552_apexams)</p>