<p>I'm currently a junior planning my senior year schedule...
and so far:</p>
<p>AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP Environmental Science
AP Psychology
AP Literature & Composition</p>
<p>However, i'm aware that classes like environmental, psychology and statistics are generally regarded as the "easy" APs.... while on the other hand, classes like AP chemistry or AP Physics C are regarded as harder...
Do colleges really care whether or not you took the "easy" APs?
Should I take harder ones to show colleges i'm taking challenging classes or is it not worth it? I'm planning on majoring in business and become an accountant or actuary or something in that area...so i don't necessarily need to take classes like Physics C but i still feel uneasy taking "easy" APs..</p>
<p>When it comes to applying credit after you enter university, you may find that many of the “easier” ones are not really useful for subject credit (though they may still give “generic” credit for them). English and Calculus are the ones most likely to be useful.</p>
<p>Also, be aware that while AP courses and tests are claimed to be “university level”, real university courses can often seem harder. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Many high schools force students (who are good enough in math to be two grades ahead) to take Calculus BC over two years, while the universities have students (who are zero grades ahead in math) take the same material in a one year freshman calculus course. So those with AP Calculus credit might be surprised at the faster pace of university level math courses that they take.</p></li>
<li><p>Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses in universities tend to have more lab time than can be included in high school versions of the courses, even AP courses. University physics courses for science and engineering majors are likely to make more extensive use of calculus (including multivariable calculus for E&M) than AP Physics C.</p></li>
<li><p>AP Statistics is equivalent to a low level non-calculus based statistics course in many universities; many majors which require statistics require a calculus-based course.</p></li>
<li><p>In many universities, those majoring in the various social studies cannot apply AP credit to their major.</p></li>
<li><p>Pre-meds will find that medical schools do not allow using AP credit to fulfill pre-med course requirements.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Note: if you want to become an actuary, you may want to consider a major in math, economics, or statistics, with electives or minors in the others and finance and computer science, since many business major programs do not have as much math content as needed for actuarial jobs.</p>