Hi,
I’ve been reading some threads and I realized most people seem to recommend 4 AP courses junior year and 4 AP courses senior. At my school, there are a lot of AP courses you can’t take as a junior, and some of the ones you can take count as electives; unfortunately, I have no room in my schedule for these. Is it okay to take 3 APs junior year if I’m also taking 2 honors courses? My only non-weighted classes are band and US History (I opted out of taking APUSH). Next year, however, I’ll probably be taking 5-6 AP classes with one of those being an online course. For a HYPSM school, is this course rigor enough? I understand that the ECs are what matter most but I’m wondering if 3 APs is too little as a baseline.
If people end up recommending another AP class for junior year, it’s still possible for me to take an online course, turn it into a self-study, and finish in time to take the AP test at the end of the year.
No AO is going to go through year by year to count the number of APs. If you’ve taken 6-8 APs over the course of your HS career, then you’ve, in most cases, taken “enough.” It’s not an arms race where the one with the most APs wins.
Colleges understand that some HSs have restrictions. You can’t worry about that.
ECs are important, but grades and test scores are more important.
I agree with @skieurope that the goal shouldn’t be to gain the highest AP count, but would stress that the most important objective factor for admissions is one’s high school transcript, meaning course selection and grades. Adcoms are pros at perusing transcripts, and can easily differentiate between degrees of rigor among applicants.
As an example, the transcript of one student I know reflected the highest possible rigor across the board, including the highest levels offered in mathematics, the sciences, history, and foreign language, with an unweighted 4.0.
This student’s conscious decision to take the most challenging course load offered by their HS was driven by intellectual curiosity, not a desire to win the race for the most AP’s.
Students like this are those most sought by the colleges to which the OP refers.
Agree with the above. I’d also add that the answer depends to a large extent on what is offered at your HS. Talk to your guidance counselor. For any chance at the top tier colleges you will need a HS program that is sufficient to allow him/her to check the box on the college recommendation saying you have taken the most rigorous schedule available at your HS. Note that that doesn’t mean taking every AP offered (for example Latin 4 Honors may be considered more rigorous than AP Environmental Studies).