So I will be picking classes for senior year soon and I am in a dilemma. I go to a private catholic high school so my school doesn’t offer the “elective” APs like Econ or psych and being let in to the AP classes are very limited due to 15-25 student caps. I have taken multiple honors and only one AP(bio) so far. Next year I can’t decide if I should take AP or honors calc. I will most likely have one or two more APs next year and multiple honors but am stressing as to whether Uf will put much emphasis on course rigor.
Pros of AP:
Looks better
Potential college credit
Cons:
Can do math but not my strongest or favorite subject
i would be taking it with very competitive class mates so it won’t be as enjoyable
Much harder
Lower grade
Pros of honors:
Can take AP test at end of year if I feel confident(they are taught by the same person)
Will be with classmates that are much more my pace
Higher grade
Less stress during senior year
Cons:
Looks like I’m taking easy route
No Ap credit if don’t take test or score poorly
I would really appreciate any insight, and here’s my potential schedule(?'s mean maybe taking class)
Honors English
Religion
AP Spanish
Honors physics
Math
AP art history?
Film class and U.S presidents class?
AP chem?
AP stats?
Honors Java?
I can take seven classes so please help me pick my schedule
UF does place a lot of focus on class rigor, but it’s on the class rigor offered at your school]. If you’re taking the normal “most rigorous” classes at your school, you’re fine.
Don’t take AP math if it’s something you don’t feel you’re good at – AP Calculus is offered at my school but I took Honors instead. Take APs in things that interest you genuinely, not just to build up your GPA and profile. You don’t want to take a bunch of APs that you hate and do awful in them. Yes, taking APs will help you – but don’t kill yourself with all of them unless you think you can handle it!
@sak312@Gator88NE thank you both very much! AP is the highest level offered but I think I will take honors and hope Uf can look past taking an honors over AP.
I managed to slip through this year with 3 classes senior year so I am not entirely sure how class rigor is weighed. One class I thought was really fun was AP chem which I took as a junior.
I go to UF and took three APs in high school. I’m not the best at math, but I still took AP Statistics my senior year because I knew that I could get a good grade in the class. I think that APs are really great to have on your application, even if you don’t pass the exam. I would recommend taking at least one AP class because it may help your chances. Definitely discuss this with your college counselor, because they may have a better idea of what colleges are looking for.