How many APs should I take next year?

I’m a current high school sophomore. I am taking 1 ap (ap world history) and two honors classes (English and chemistry). I want to attend an Ivy League school, specifically Brown, or I’d like to go to UChicago. Next year, I will definitely be taking AP Chemistry and AP language and composition. I have been debating whether or not I also want to take AP US History. All of my upperclassmen friends are telling me that I will over stress myself. Would three APs be too much for my junior year? Keep in mind, I will also be taking honors Trigonometry and I am involved in all of the Drama productions (plays, musicals, concerts, etc). I am also a part of a rather eccentric sport (I am in a professional circus). Should I stick with the 2 APs and 1 Honors or should I go for 3 APs?

Well, what are your interests? Don’t take an AP class just to take an AP class. I know people who have done it and it backfired on them, specifically when colleges noticed it had nothing to do with what they wanted to major or even minor in.
APUSH is a ridiculously hard class and considering how you are involved in drama (As a choir student, I have total respect for you), I would recommend it maybe senior year. However, if history is your strong suit, then I would take it.

As someone who has taken APUSH, I can say it’s an extremely hard class. I don’t know if it was just my teacher, but I had to constantly write DBQ’s and read a very boring textbook. It will take up a lot of your time. If you are interested in something history related for college, I recommend you do take it, but if not then don’t do it. I recommend AP psychology and AP environmental science if you are looking for AP classes on the easier side. Plus, colleges will also be seeing the AP classes you take senior year, so if you don’t have time for it junior year, then maybe try and take more senior year of you have time and you want to build up the number.

@laly84100
I wouldn’t say AP Psychology is easy, especially when I know that the class is infamous for assigning hours of homework each class. But I would say AP Environmental Science is extremely easy (our school doesn’t offer it).

I guess it just depends on the school then. I am taking AP psychology this year and I am getting good grades and I’m putting in less effort than I have before for classes like APUSH or AP bio. But yeah, APES is very easy. I highly recommend if you are trying for a 5.

@laly84100
I am not saying the class is hard, as I know many people with A’s, but the work you get is ridiculous.

Just be aware that if students think that these classes are easy (and in general they are), AO’s know they are easy as well. Certainly take them if you have an interest in the material, but don’t take just because they are AP’s.

Anyway, the OP was not asking about those classes, so to get back to topic: 3 AP’s as a junior are usually not too much for students who are hoping for colleges at the Brown/Chicago level, and they often have time-consuming EC’s as well. Whether you can handle the workload is something only you (and maybe your parents/teachers/GC) can answer.

I want to major in something like liberal arts or political science, something like that. So I think that APUSH would be useful for that, but I just don’t know if I would have enough time to do that on top of AP Chemistry.