As a sophomore signing up for classes for next year, I was wondering the amount of AP’s that would be considered most rigorous. My school has a lot of AP classes, approximately 25. Some are languages, arts, and other things I have no interest for. I am thinking about taking around 10-12 throughout my high school career. My school does not allow AP’s freshmen year, and a limited amount sophomore year. How does this plan compare to other students applying to top schools that have a similar amount of AP’s but less offered? Any thoughts?
My class offers about that many AP’s as well. This year, kids have gotten into HYPSM etc with as few as 8, and rejected with 15+.
What you really want for the top tier schools is to have a schedule strong enough so your guidance counselor will check that you have taken the most rigorous schedule available. I suggest you talk to your guidance counselor about this.
Of course, do not skimp on expected college-prep courses to take AP electives. For example, do not skimp on getting all three of biology, chemistry, and physics just so that you can take AP environmental science, and do not skimp on taking higher levels of foreign language just so that you can take AP human geography.
@happy1 I think that my guidance counselor will check most rigorous because I am currently in the top 5 of my class and it’s based on weighted GPA which increases the more AP and Honors you take. So as long as she checks most rigorous, I am competitive for top schools in terms of high school curriculum?
@ucbalumnus This is my plan in terms of AP’s. 2 sophomore year, 6 junior year, and 3-4 senior year. For senior year I am planning on having a free period both semesters which means only 6 classes. Also my honor classes might be Spanish 4 and Accounting (plan to major in finance/econ). I am not planning on taking science senior year as I already fulfilled my requirements and I will have taken biology, chemistry, and environmental science. Will taking less AP classes senior year than junior year seem as if I am being lazy? Do colleges care?
For senior year, taking 6 classes and a free period are OK, and taking fewer APs because of honors Spanish 4 and Accounting is OK. But you should take physics in senior year.
Ask your GC what would be required to be considered most rigor at YOUR school. In any case, do not overwhelm and suffer in GPA which is equally important as course rigor at most schools. There is no fixed number as it varies with each high school. Many high schools do not even offer more than a handful of AP classes. Some schools also limit the AP classes to seniors.
All APs and honors are not created equally so I still think the most important person to check with is your guidance counselor. This can be discussed when you meet to finalize your schedule.
yep, i agree with the above posters. personally, my school has around 12-13 APs, so about half of yours, and freshman are not allowed to take APs. The top sophomores are only allowed 1-2 APs as well depending on math, science, and language levels.
my school is still a top school; last year, we had MIT, Stanford, Duke, Cornell, Princeton, Berkeley, CalTech…loads of top schools, and not a single student got the National AP Scholar, so no one took more than 8 APs before Junior Year. I think the most APs was 6, and that student went to MIT, but the person who went to Princeton took like 3 APs.
There’s no “magic number”, but if you have the choice between honors and AP, if you’re serious about challenging yourself, take the AP. Colleges will see that you’re ready to take rigorous courses and would therefore be more prepared on their campuses.
This is my advice: How many would you take if APs were unrelated to college admission? IOW, which APs would you take just because you are interested in the subjects and want the challenge?
Then you’ll have your answer.