How many AP's do I need?

Applying to College
,
1

I know this question is asked fairly often, but I would like an answer pertaining to my situation (please).

When I graduate, I will have 5 AP’s on my transcript: US History (junior year), Human Geography (sophomore), Statistics (senior), Literature (senior), and Government (senior). I’ll also have (roughly) two years of honors classes on my transcript. (That would leave 1 year of standard classes).

My high school offers a total of 23 AP courses. I would have roughly 20% of my high school’s AP on my transcript. I also have a diagnosed learning disability, although it would be considered “mild/high functioning.”

I’m looking at schools with acceptance rates down to 20% (10% for Bates). Think Kenyon, Bucknell, Holy Cross, URochester, Bates, etc.

Are these enough AP classes for the schools I’m looking at?

For reference, I have an ACT score of 31 and gpa of 3.59/3.83 (three years of high school). This is an upward trend (3.4 fresh/soph year to 4.0 junior year).

2

There’s no magic number. If the top kids in your school usually take 8-10, then that’s what I’d shoot for. Also, assuming that’s the range, I don’t think school’s care if a kid take’s one more AP than you do–you’d still get lumped in the same pile as a high achiever.

3

The rest of your schedule would also be viewed for context. For example:

  • What level of math (other than AP statistics) have you completed?
  • What level of foreign language have you completed?
  • Did you complete all three of biology, chemistry, and physics?
  • What will your counselor indicate for how demanding your course selection was and your overall academic achievement?
4

@ucbalumnus
would finish up senior year w/ hon. pre calculus BC. I know, I’m not a calc student, so my counselor recommended I take AP Stats to bump it up. 2 weeks in, and I’m doing fine so far.

Latin, level 1, 2, 3. I’m considering adding 4, as I have another week to add one more class if I want too.
hon Bio, standard chem, hon physics.
She has not said. I learn that in a few months.

5

If you likely college major is something like classics or history (particularly if you have an interest in Roman or Catholic history), or if the colleges you are interested in want to see level 4 of a foreign language, you may want to strongly consider taking Latin 4.

6

@ucbalumnus Will consider Latin 4, especially as I am looking into a more english-based major.

Besides Latin, is my transcript looking OK enough for schools like the ones listed?

7

If your middle school math placement had you starting 9th grade in algebra 1, then precalculus in 12th grade is the expected math level.

For science, biology, chemistry, and physics are the desired three years of science. A few of the most selective colleges want to see a fourth year of one of them at an advanced level, particularly if relevant to your intended major, but you are likely fine for most colleges.