Exactly how important is it to take AP courses?

<p>How exactly do AP courses play a factor in college admissions? What do you do if your high school will only let you take AP courses if you finish the prerequsites (therefore, you don't/can't take a lot of AP courses)? Say that since you haven't finished all the pre-req's, you aren't able to take many APs but you take as much honors classes as you can -Do colleges weigh this in? Is there a good chance that you will still be accepted to an Ivy league school with only 1 AP class under your belt?</p>

<p>AP classes are very important when comes down to top school admissions. If your school doesn't offer any or very many AP classes, then you should take the toughest course load possible, as this is what colleges will be looking for. </p>

<p>To answer your last question, probably not. Especially if your school offers like 10 APs.</p>

<p>bump. bump. bump.</p>

<p>like the previous poster mentioned, you should still try to take the toughest course load possible, if you can't take the ap's.</p>

<p>Even if you can't take the AP Course take the AP Exams anyway, and do well obviously. This shows initiative, thirst for learning, and that you're capable of handling a college courseload.</p>

<p>Yeah. this is what i'm planning to do. Anybody else?</p>

<p>anybody?????</p>

<p>yea I know what you mean....I go to a small private school, and although very good and competitive, the course load is set up such that only seniors are able to take AP classes. For example, there are required English, Math, Science, and Social Studies classes for grades 9-11, along with required technology and religion classes, so no room for AP even if permitted.</p>

<p>its important to take the toughest courseload available. if your school only offers 5 ap courses, take them--they won't penalize you for not being offered such. my high school only had 6 ap classes, 2 of which were in spanish--and i didn't take spanish. I did fine.</p>

<p>Adcoms always say they expect you to take the hardest curriculum available. Is there a valid reason why you didn't do the prereqs - that now prevent you from taking APs? Perhaps you transfered into your HS and have to take those prereqs now. IF so, your GC can explain the situation in his/her rec. If you simply chose not to take the required courses and chose easier classes, then you'll have a tougher time explaining why other candidates from your school were able to take 5+ APs and you were only able to take 1.</p>

<p>It's not that I chose easier classes...you basically have to suck up to the teacher or pass the writing exam to see if you qualify for honors english iii...it's things like that hurt me.</p>

<p>I'm taking the AP bio test this may even though I'm not in AP Bio but in regular bio. Should I take honors physics next year of AP Bio? What if i pass the test?</p>

<p>it shows u took the challenging courses</p>

<p>Do not take an AP exam just because u want to get in to a better college. ADCOMS ONLY SEE WHAT AP CLASSES U TOOK, NOT WHAT EXAMS U GAVE.</p>

<p>zainuu is correct. Ap scores are sent after you are accepted, so putting down a lot of ap exam scores on your app isn't verifiable, only if your school puts the exam scores on your transcript (if you take the class).</p>

<p>My school offers: AP Euro, AP Comp A, AP Comp AB, AP Bio, AP Chem, AP US, AP Psych, AP US Gov, AP Spanish Lang, AP French IV, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC, AP Econ, AP English Lit, AP Eng Lang, and AP Studio Art. </p>

<p>I took: AP Euro, AP Comp AB, AP Bio, AP Psych, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC. So you can't take them all, because we're only allowed to start taking APs in Sophomore year - but there are two kids in my senior class who are taking 5 aps this year, and took 3 previously</p>

<p>It is very important if they are available to you.</p>

<p>Untrue @ zainuu.</p>

<p>AP Scores are extremely important. A Person with a 100 in an AP Class and a 1 on the exam clearly is a moron and thus his AP Class means crap. A person with a 85 and 5 on the exam however, is clearly academically superior to the first person. </p>

<p>'AP scores aren't verifiable' - so what? EC's, Essays, Teacher/Counseler Recommendations all aren't verifiable and are just the random scribblings of a person, and yet for top colleges they still play a role that often trumps "verifiable" things like GPA and SATs. AP's dont play a major role of course, but the scores do mean something. </p>

<p>Self-studying AP's is the way to go, and demonstrates a unique and special determination by applicants.</p>

<p>AP scores are not sent after you are accepted. They can be sent any time after you take the exam. This is an important distinction - my d took 3 APs in her Jr year - and got all 5s. You can bet that she had the scores mailed to every college she is applying to. At her school SAT scores are on the HS transcript, but not AP scores.</p>

<p>Also, if you can't tak APs, take lots of SAT IIs. There is some overlap, especially in History and English.</p>

<p>I think people are getting off track for Movie freak. Ivy's and even top tiers are going to look at your transcripts and see that you were not tracked into the AP route. As much as it shows initiative to take these tests on your own, more weight is going to be placed on why the school did not track you into the AP route. I don't know your school, but traditionally the tracking starts long before hs (typically at 6th gr....yes 6th) If you don't have the advance Math, Sci, Eng. and a foreign language in 8th than you can't get into the AP Eng. AP Sci., etc. you should be able to take AP History. My kids have gone to 3 different hs in 2 different states and that has been the way. Everyone has to complete the req before AP. Adcoms know this and so they will scratch their head. BTW it is not that easy to get a 5 especially if you are teaching it to yourself through a book. THose books are more supplemental reading</p>

<p>I seem to remember my son being asked by some of his colleges to self-report his AP scores. Since he had been taking AP classes since 10th grade, he had several scores to report as well as SATIIs in those subjects (took both types of exams each May). He took 6 APs in 12th grade but obviously didn't have scores for those (just class grades). We were told by some schools that adcoms use the scores to verify the difficulty of the classes (an A in our HS classes usually equated to 5s on APs and 750+ on SATIIs). I didn't realize until reading CC that some schools offer AP classes that aren't all as challenging. Our HS teachers really push the kids and the ones who work hard are definitely prepared for both exams in May.</p>

<p>moviefreak, take the honors physics. It will be seen as challenging, and you might end up liking physics :)</p>

<p>bulletandpima, I agree about tracking from 6th grade. Could you elaborate on "Adcoms know this and so they will scratch their head"?</p>