Are you sure you can manage that many AP classes while juggling your ECs and also College Apps or ACT/SAT studying? If you are confident about it, I won’t criticize you for that, since it really depends on the school, teacher, and student on the workload received from an AP class. If you feel like maybe it’ll be too much (expect 30min-2hrs of hw from an AP class on average, maybe more, maybe less depending on the class), make sure to only sacrifice the APs that you may not be that interested in.
Does your school provide honors versions of the non-AP classes you are taking? That could potentially boost your unweighted GPA if you are able to handle it. Otherwise, your schedules look very rigorous.
Why would you take AP Calc AB then AP Calc BC the next year? At our school that isn’t recommended because AB is calc one and BC is calc one and two so you are repeating a class. You get the credit that the calc AB ap test gives you with BC I believe. Your schedule is actually quite similar to mine. My only advice is to look over math/talk to a counselor at school because taking both AB and BC at our school isn’t recommended, you either do one or the other. Also don’t overload yourself with too many AP historys at the same time because they tend to have a lot of outline work that sucks up time from other classes.
@cinniethepooh Let’s not assume things about OP’s school. At my school, you must take AB before BC. It’s a matter of how it’s structured at the school. It’ll be better for them to take AB, then BC since they are taking calc in their sophomore year. No need to rush the math track.
@cinniethepooh: there are two systems for calculus in the US. Some high schools consider that Ab= calc 1, taken one year, and BC (or just C) = calc 2, taken the following year, so if you reach Calc AB junior year, you take BC senior year. Other high schools consider that AB = slow-paced calculus 1 and BC= Calc1+2 at college pace, so you take either one depending on the intensity you want and can handle. (Colleges don’t care which one you choose).
@nerdy0202:
Does your school have 9 periods, with 8 classes + lunch?
10th Grade:
English 10 Adv.
AP Calculus AB => are you in precalculus honors in the 9th grade?
Physics=> did you take Biology in 8th grade and chemistry in 9th? You need one of each for college.
AP Euro History
Spanish 3
AP Computer Science => Principles?
AP Psychology => overkill, replace with Visual Arts
Principles of Engineering
3 AP’s in the 10th grade is very ambitious. Don’t overdo it. Remember, as Stanford puts it, “it’s not a game of who has the most AP’s, wins.” Top colleges want to see 6-8 AP’s over all of HS. Then other factors come into play (taking more than 8 is a personal choice but it won’t help with admissions as the principle of diminishing returns kicks in roughly at 8.)
11th Grade:
AP English 11
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics 1 => if you’ve already taken Honors Chemistry, you should try taking AP Chemistry instead
AP American History
Visual Arts => hopefully you took it in 10th grade; take a “fun” class of interest instead.
Spanish 4
Digital Electronics
ACT Prep/ AP Microeconomics => I assume each is a semester class?
12th Grade:
AP English 12 => Honors English is good, unless you plan to major in the Humanities/Social Sciences
AP Statistics => kind of a let down after Calc BC in 11th grade. AP Stats is designed for academically strong kids who can’t/won’t take AP Calc. If you want an easier math class I understand, but it all depends on whether you’re looking for a challenge in math (in which case, perhaps take Multivariable and/or Discrete Math and/or Linear Algebra)
AP Physics 2 => can be taken without AP PHysics 1 if you took honors physics, or you could take AP Physics 1 or, if you’re hardcore stem, Physics C, would make more sense.
AP Government and Politics
AP Spanish 5
Gov. & Econ.=> you already have AP Go/po that year AND you took AP Micro Econ in 11th grade. Replace with a “fun” class.
In 9th grade, I’m currently in Geometry and Algebra 2 w- trig. But, I’ll be taking Precalculus over the summer.
I’ll be taking biology in 9th grade. But should I also replace physics 2 w/ chemistry? My school doesn’t require chemistry.
And, yes. AP Computer Science. Principles.
My schools doesn’t offer honors physics or physics C, unfortunately.
And thank you for letting me know about math, because I was looking for a more difficult math course after Calulus BC, but my school doesnt offer many.
^Seconding this. There’s no point in rushing through precalculus only to end up with no advanced math senior year.
Take Precalculus Honors next year, then AB junior year and BC senior year.
High school graduation requirements are different from college admission requirements, and there are also ollege graduation requirements.
So, all selective colleges will expect you to have biology, chemistry, and physics, plus one AP science (two AP sciences will be good too but not mandatory). AP CS Principles, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics 1 would be excellent. You can typically take AP Physics 1 without a regular physics course , so you could potentially replace Physics next year with AP physics 1alongside regular chemistry, then have Ap Physic 2 junior year alongside AP CS, and AP Chemistry senior year. (Ap Chem is super intense.)
For history/social science, you’ll be expected to have one world/european/non US course, US History, plus two more, often including a combination of Go/Po, Go/Micro, Macro/Micro…
Thanks to everyone for all the helpful feedback! I reflected on these suggestions and made many changes to my plan.
Is there anything additional I should note? My new plan is as the following:
10th Grade
(Zero Period: Driver’s Ed)
English Adv. 10
AP Calculus AB
AP Physics 1
AP Euro History
Spanish 3
Chemistry
Drawing
Principles of Engineering
11 Grade
AP English 11
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics 2
AP American History
AP Psychology
Photography
Spanish 4
Digital Electronics
ACT Prep
12 Grade
AP English 12
Discrete Math
AP Chemistry
AP Government and Politics
AP Spanish 5
Adv. Photography
AP Comp. Science
10th Grade
(Zero Period: Driver’s Ed) => take over the summer; adolescent brains and bodies already lack sleep, leading to all kinds of problems. In addition, a 8-period day + zero period is just too much. Driver’s Ed can be taken over the summer with no problem. BTW don’t you have to take Health and PE?
English Adv. 10
AP Calculus AB => seriously, take Precalculus Honors. Precalculus is really important and the compressed nature of a summer course pretty much ensures trouble down the line. If you really really want to accelerate, take Calculus 1+2 junior year at your local community college over, respectively, Fall and Spring semesters.
AP Physics 1
AP Euro History
Spanish 3
Chemistry
Drawing
Principles of Engineering
11 Grade
AP English 11
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics 2 => if you plan on taking AP Chemistry, you need to take Honors Chemistry first (unlike AP Physics 1/2, which are two approaches to a level-1 physics course, AP Chem is a level 2 class with chemistry as a pre-req). My suggestion would be to take Honors Chem in 10th grade, AP Chem in 11th, and AP Physics 1 or 2 senior year.
AP American History
AP Psychology => overkill unless you plan to major in the social sciences. You’re better off taking Psychology in college. If you think AP Psych will impress college adcoms, think again; it’s known as an “AP lite”. Of course, if you are interested in the subject, by all means, take the class. Y
Photography
Spanish 4
Digital Electronics
ACT Prep
12 Grade
AP English 12 => Honors English sufficient since you have 5 (!) AP’s already schedule (and Discrete is post AP!)
Discrete Math
AP Chemistry
AP Government and Politics
AP Spanish 5
Adv. Photography
AP Comp. Science
I know the OP, and our high school actually has 4 block days with an alternating schedule. Just thought I would clear that up.
Also thought to address the whole Precal/AP Calc AB thing – at our high school the most accelerated math course you can take starts with Geometry and Alg II with trig in the 9th grade. Therefore, it is virtually unheard of not to take Precal over the summer and AP calc AB sophomore year.
