Honors vs. AP History

Applying to College
1

<p>I have just started my junior year in high school, and already have a schedule conflict. I am taking AP US History, which runs the same period as Honors Latin IV. I must make a choice, and I would favor 4 years of language to, at most, 3. It seems that the highly selective colleges, too, recommend 4 years of one language.</p>

<p>I have two options, then. I could drop to Honors US History (which, like APUSH, is the second half of US history, with the first half being covered in sophomore year), and thus have Latin IV. The other option would be to switch to AP European History, which is apparently much harder than APUSH, and save APUSH for my senior year. However, Euro seems it would be more enjoyable my senior year as it would be with my own class (2014).</p>

<p>For reference, my current schedule is as follows:</p>

<p>AP English Language
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B
AP US History
AP US Government/Politics (online)</p>

<p>To colleges, what would look rigorous? (I am looking at Williams primarily.) If I take Honors US History, I plan to still sit for the AP exam. So, would a guidance counselor's note (saying that there was a scheduling conflict and if I had taken APUSH I would not have been able to take Latin IV) and an AP exam score (I know I can get a 5, history is my strong suit) be an acceptable explanation for not taking that extra rigor?</p>

2

<p>Your schedule looks fine. I only had TWO APs my junior year - and none before that - and some colleges I’m applying to are at least as competitive as yours. Adcoms won’t get so caught up in the minutia of your schedule as long as it’s basically as rigorous as you can reasonably be expected to make it. As long as an applicant’s schedule is rigorous overall, they won’t freak out too much over honors vs. AP history, AB vs. BC Calc, AP Enviro vs. AP Chem, three vs. four years of Latin, etc. Just do whichever option you think you’d like more. You’re in a great place already.</p>

<p>Is there a way for you to take Latin online? Even if not, you could self-study it and take the AP (assuming you have the time with all those other APs, haha).</p>

3

<p>Yeah, I tried to get the school to let me take Latin IV co-seated in the Latin III class, since I have a study hall, but they wouldn’t let me. I’m leaning more towards honors history, since I would then be able to take advanced art.</p>

<p>My mom also kept saying that she didn’t want to come up to my room to find me keeled over dead from all my APs. And Euro would only exacerbate this “Death by AP.” I guess I’ll save that for next year.</p>

4

<p>bump10char</p>

5

<p>In what universe would that not be considered a rigorous schedule?</p>