<p>I'm extremely curious about this. Some people say they've been from 9 to even 12 AP classes and got into Harvard. Anyway, I would like to know people's opinions on what you think is a good amount of AP classes to get into Harvard through high school. If you also know what the senior course load should, I would like to know that, too. My school offers 18 AP classes.
(P.S. I know Harvard looks at many other things- like Sat/Act scores, extracurriculars, after school jobs, if any, etc.- but I just want to know about the amount of AP classes.)</p>
<p>I would think that 5 would be a good floor, and getting closer to 10 would be better. But that is all in the context of the overall record and the coherence of the “I an good enough for Harvard” narrative you are constructing.</p>
<p>Take as many as you can do well in. There’s no magic number – Harvard and peer schools look for students who are top scholars – but that doesn’t mean you take 20 APs your senior year and get two hours of sleep/night.</p>
<p>Five minimum. Ideally, I’d say 8 is average. Three social studies, two math, one or two science, two extra (language, extra interest like Psych or Compsci, whatever). I think the distribution is more important than anything else; It’s not that impressive if you took 9 AP courses and still haven’t taken AP Calc or Physics.</p>
<p>The more the merrier.</p>