<p>I'm a bit ignorant on this so forgive me, but how does your school's AP system work? Can you just pick however many AP's you want if you qualify for AP (do you even have to qualify?), or do you have to go through a selection process? Also, are your AP's grade based? Like, certain classes are only available to seniors and certain classes are only available to juniors. </p>
<p>Is your school the same as mine? My school only allows you take a certain amount of AP's per year based on your GPA. If you have a higher GPA, you're allowed to take more AP classes. For example, a 97 average allows you take 4 AP classes in one year. You don't get to pick and choose, you have to qualify first of course (sufficient PSAT scores and an average above 85), then face a selection process that pits you against your classmates based on a ranking system, and whichever one you match up with, you have to take. You're not allowed to drop or swap. The only AP in my school that's offered to freshmen and sophomores is AP Global, which is taken throughout freshman and sophomore year, and you have to qualify for that based on your global average. The most amount of AP's any given student is allowed to take in one year is 5.</p>
<p>Ideally, at our school, you need to have an 85 or higher in the prerequisite course in order to take an AP, with the exception of AP Physics, where you need to have both an 85+ in your current Honors science course as well as be duel-enrolled in Pre-Cal or higher. </p>
<p>However, with the majority of AP classes, if you’re told you don’t qualify, you can just have mommy or daddy call up the school and argue with the guidance counselor for two and a half minutes and then you get your way. I was the only qualified student to take APUSH my sophomore year, as I had a 98 in Honors US History I - but like 15 kids from my class ended up taking it despite being told they weren’t prepared. Some do well under these circumstances, while others fail miserably. </p>
<p>Sophomores can take three APs - AP English Language, AP Statistics, and AP US History
Juniors and Seniors can honestly take as many as they want, so long as they have logical prerequisites (as in, you can’t take AP Spanish Lit if you’re in Italian, or AP Computer Programming if you’re in Studio Art, etc.)</p>
<p>No requirements for AP or IB classes except for taking the honors/onlevel version first. Math teachers technically recommend you for the level you should take, but you don’t have to follow it and the guidance counselors can’t keep you out of a class.</p>
<p>@eternity So basically all you need is an 85 or higher average in a specific class to qualify for an AP course? Sounds like heaven. I’m only allowed to take 2 AP’s my Junior year, which I am, and my school has no Honors courses. I reckon it’s because we have a lack of budget or something stupid like that, but whatever.</p>
<p>@superstarlala So you can take however as many AP’s as you want in a year without restrictions?</p>
<p>At my school it is grad and prerequisite based. If you are in 10th grade than you can only take AP World History and maybe Calc AB if you took precalc as a freshman. Juniors can take any AP except for Stat, Econ and English Lit. Also, you have to take fundamentals of art and fine arts before you can take AP studio art. For all the other classes you can take them either as a junior or senior but you have to be approved based on your PSAT score or recommended by a teacher.</p>
<p>@MyRealName Well up to 7 because thats how many periods we have, but basically. I took 5 last year (6 pds) and I’m taking 6 next year (including IBs). Some people shouldn’t be taking AP/IBs but since there are no restrictions, not so bright kids take them. The only AP you can take Freshman year is US Gov and then APUSH or US Gov Soph year, but that’s only because there are grade-lvel required classes.</p>
<p>@MyRealName - You don’t even need an 85 essentially - that’s just what it says in the handbook. Kids who have low 70’s can take AP classes if their parents request it. I know tons of people who were in my AP Engl. Lang class that had 71’s and 72’s and are now taking AP Literature.</p>
<p>@superstarlala Are the classes at your school taught on a rigorous level? Like, was 5 AP classes pretty stressful/hard for you manage, because it seems like you guys just pick up AP classes willy-nilly.</p>
<p>@MyRealName
Well 3 were IB, but it’s the same idea. IB History was the hardest class I’ve ever taken. I got my first C in it, but the grade was mostly cause my teacher was an idiot. AP Chem was super rigorous. We had 15 page packets all the time and learned so much. It was my favorite class. IB English was kind of a joke, but one of the teachers just gave silent reading time every class, one was known to be easy and the other one was so nice so it wasn’t too hard. IB French was hard, but it was mixed with honors and French isn’t my best subject anyway. IB Film was horrible (I dropped it). Second semester instead of Film I took AP Micro which was an almost all senior class so they didn’t care because they were graduating. And the teacher for that didn’t care so I’d play on my phone all class. Overall I did have a rigorous year and I got a 5 on Chem and 4 on Micro so it isn’t like I learned nothing.</p>
<p>I noticed you asked this question on the Rate My Schedule Thread. I replied to your post there, but might as well post here as well :).</p>
<p>Freshmen aren’t allowed to take any AP classes. Sophomores have the option of taking AP World History if they maintain A averages in Honors World Geo and Honors English I during their freshman years. Sophomores used to be able to take Physics B, but I think my school recently changed that policy.</p>
<p>Juniors and seniors can basically take any AP classes they want. Juniors, however, cannot take AP Literature, Economics, or Government. Also, AP Studio Art has a selection process. You either have to have had taken Art I - III or have to send in a portfolio to be judged by the AP art teacher.</p>
<p>Also, if students receive a C (79 - down) or lower within the first 6 weeks, they are forced to withdraw from the course, and believe me, the AP classes at my school are no joke. Most core AP classes are downsized by half by the end of the first grading period. Of course, the students who remain in class mostly receive 4s and 5s on the AP exams. My AP Lang teacher last year has only had 2 students not pass the AP exam in her 13 years of teaching.</p>
<p>At my school you are usually recommended for AP classes but you can honestly take whatever number of AP classes you want. There are prerequisites (honors chem is needed for AP chem, honors bio is needed for AP bio, honors physics for AP physics, honors precalc for AP calc BC, etc) but yeah you could always waive yourself into any class I guess. Freshmen don’t take AP classes, sophomores usually only take 1 (AP Euro or AP Human Geo) and juniors and seniors choose how many they want. Only some classes are offered to a specific grade: Only juniors and take AP english language, only seniors can take AP english literature, only juniors can take APUSH. Yeah.</p>
<p>9th grade: AP Government (Only if you have 85’s in Language Arts and Social Studies). Or was it 90? Not sure.
10th grade: AP World History (I think 85 in AP but 90/95 in reg. government).
11th grade: Go crazy
12th grade: Go crazy</p>
<p>We have a “right to fail” policy. Ideally, you should have a 92 or above in any prerequisite regular course before AP or an 85 or above in the honors equivalent. However, you can simply sign a waiver and get yourself into the class. </p>
<p>9th Grade: None
10th Grade: AP US History I
11th Grade: Anything except AP English Literature
12th Grade: Anything </p>
<p>However, if you take summer classes, this can vary greatly (my one friend took an honors Chemistry class over the summer and thus took AP Chemistry as a sophomore).</p>
<p>At my kid’s Catholic school, AP courses can only be taken in junior and senior year. There is no limit to the number you can take, but there are several pre-requisites, including grades of B or better in related Honors courses, PSAT score minimums, teacher recommendations, and an assessment test. I’ve known kids who didn’t meet the requirements - and parental phone calls didn’t get them in the classes. You are required to take the AP exam, and the school has an 87% passing rate. Most kids score 4 or 5. In the local public school system, there is a standardized test minimum score that is “required”, but if you and your parents meet with the school they’ll let you in. Students are not required to take the exam, and many take the AP class just for the bump in GPA. The passing percentage for those who do take the exam is 60%.</p>
<p>As a side note - our school doesn’t have AP classes. Only AP-esque classes. So, you don’t take AP English Language and Composition, you take “Advanced Placement Equivalent Language” - the only differences are, your GPA isn’t weighted nor do you take the exam.</p>
<p>Also, on our transcript, it just says “Honors English 11” - but I’m 99% sure that colleges see it as AP. </p>
<p>Our school is pretty nice that way. We do take practice AP exams, and those factor into our grade. Like I got a 5 on the practice Advanced Placement Equivalent exam so I got a 92 for 4th quarter (and an 88 for the year. Thanks Collegeboard!)</p>
<p>Its really nice, I like it best that way. No pressure, plus we put tons of kids into the large public university every single year!</p>
<p>At our school, as I said before, there are some things like classes and such.</p>
<p>This is what I know happened this past year:
AP US Gov- 30 kids per class, A LOT of classes. Everyone takes this AP
AP Bio- 50 kids per class, 3 classes
AP Chem- 15 per class (smallest class size you can have), 2 classes
IB Film- 18 (well now 17) kids, one class</p>
<p>AP World: A or B in English. Recommended by teacher. Selected by counselor.
AP Physics B: A in Trig(at least a B in geometry to take Trig)
AP Chem: Honors Chem first
AP Bio: Juniors and Seniors only
APUSH: Required for some people, otherwise, same selection process as AP World
AP Lang: same selection process as AP World
AP Lit: required for some, other can take British Lit</p>