I am only taking three APs this year, because I have a zero period and no-lunch schedule. However, I regret not taking a 4th (AP World, which has the reputation of being the class w/ most workload in my school…I’m taking Honors World History instead, and it is so slow-paced I pretty much end up brooding about not taking AP World every minute I’m in the class). My classes are all relatively easy and time-flexible. Of course, this means more time to devote to other things, but I can’t help feeling uneasy about my schedule, esp. about how it would look to colleges (top 20). How much does 1 AP not taken affect your chances in admission? I have taken or concurrently am taking: AP Gov, AP Calc BC, AP Lang, AP Chem, and AP CSA. Senior year (next year) I will be taking AP Lit, AP Physics C, AP Latin, and AP Statistics. Thoughts on the rigor of my schedule?
My personal feeling is that taking 6-8 over the course of HS is fine. Taking more will not appreciably enhance your application. Of course if many students from your school are applying to the same highly competitive colleges, then taking 6 versus classmates taking 12 might be problematic. But the difference of one AP class will not make or break an application, IMO.
One AP won’t make or break your application. Use your time wisely since the way you choose to spend your free time out of school will matter greatly: do you hold a job? Volunteer? Play a sport?
Agreed with the above. It all fits in within the context of your school - how many are even offered and how have you challenged yourself in comparison to other students. In my opinion, I think admissions officers will understand that not everybody likes every subject or will excel in every subject.
But the people who do excel in every subject are the ones who are competitive for the top colleges. Mostly. I do play a sport, but i don’t volunteer or have a job. Oh, on the topic of volunteering: I was accepted to a service trip thing for high school juniors&seniors&college freshmen& sophomores. The thing takes place Feb. break, and I don’t have school off like college students do. If I were to miss those 4 days for the trip, would my absences be a big deal to colleges? I’m pretty confident that I can make up the work I’d miss, so that’s not a problem
Typically, you need 6-8 Ap’s/Dual Enrollment classes (combined, by the time of graduation), to be considered most competitive for highly selective colleges.
Then, you need one or two activities where you’ve shown what you’re capable of when you push yourself to the max. It can be ANYTHING. It can also be a steady job.
Colleges don’t care about absences as long as they’re legit (I assume you’d be cleared for the service trip by your HS so you’d be fine). What sort of service trip is it? How does it it with what you’re doing now (I’d STRONGLY recommend you get involved in the same branch of volunteering in your community before you go on the service trip, because college admission teams have seen countless kids who think a short service trip is enough goodwill.)
@MYOS1634 It’s centered upon creative writing, which I do a lot of in my free time, and something I’m genuinely interested in. I actually don’t have any recorded service hrs yet - I hope I can find other volunteer opportunities around me for creative writing, or promotion of literacy.
My family isn’t actually that well-off in terms of money, but the service trip is less pricy than most I’ve encountered.