In-state: How many APs are acceptable?

<p>I have heard that the minimum is anywhere from 0 to 7. Could I please get a rough estimate of the number of APs you need to get in in-state?</p>

<p>Also, how essential is it to have 4 years of a language?</p>

<p>I think the out-of-staters drive up the averages a little. Most people from my high school who go/got into UNC took anywhere from about 4 to 14, but I guess it just depends on how many your high school offers. I think it’s more important to show that you can do well in your AP classes as opposed to taking a dozen of them and earning mediocre grades.</p>

<p>As far as foreign language goes, UNC only has two “required” units of foreign language. I know people who got in with just two, but I’m sure it helps you to have more than that.</p>

<p>Take as many as possible from your school’s offerings. If your school offers 0 and there isn’t anywhere else you can take them, then 0 will have to do. If your school offers 20, take as many as you can without killing yourself.</p>

<p>But I’d like to hear from some in-staters. How many does it take to be safe? I know there are tons of other factors, but there is typically an average.</p>

<p>My instate UNC freshman had 8 APs and 3 years of language.</p>

<p>I am from in state. I took five APs and then junior and senior year took all my courses at a local college. I took 2 units of Spanish and then 2 units of Japanese.</p>

<p>What I said is what you need to do, the end.</p>

<p>In-stater - took 8 APs and went through Level 5 of a language (so 5 language classes total).</p>

<p>You guys have to be the outliers though, don’t you?</p>

<p>Er, my school probably offered around 10ish APs? I really have no idea. I took 4 AP classes, 5 AP tests. I went through Spanish level 3 and didn’t take it my senior year so I could take another AP.</p>

<p>Admissions officers will tell you that there is no magic number- it is based on the number offered at your school. If your school only offers 2, then take 2. If your school offers 15, take as many as you can comfortably take without sacrificing your GPA. They say they look at the entire application holistically, which means that they look at not only the number of AP’s, but the grades in them, your GPA, SATs, and class choices, as well as lots of other things. One single factor (such as a fewer number of AP’s) will most likely keep you from being admitted. As for language, 2 are required, but they will look at your course choices- if you only take 2 language units and are very heavy on the “fluff” electives (weight training, art, etc.) that will likely count against you. If you take only 2 language units but the rest of your courses are academic electives, that will likely not count against you. Believe the admissions officers when they tell you that they look at the entire package- not just one factor.</p>

<p>My school had like about 15 APS available.</p>

<p>I took 8 overall.</p>

<p>OK. I’m just nervous. I’m only taking 7-8 by the end of my high school career, and my school offers around 15. I’m only going to have 3 years of Latin, but I’ll have 5 years of math.</p>

<p>That’s not a problem. A friend of mine got in with only three and all in her senior year. Your overall grades are more important than the number of APs. I personally have taken 8. I also only had three languages.</p>

<p>lol I got in with only three AP classes but my school only offers about six, maybe seven, so three is considered a lot by the students here. Haha band was the death of me, I wanted to take them but just had no room…I don’t think the number of AP’s matters that much, anyway; admissions looks at everything as a whole :)</p>

<p>Try for a 4.5+ GPA to be safe (generally, a deferral, denial, or waitlist is likely if GPA is anywhere from 4.3 or below). So I’m guessing that would mean 3 or more APs your junior year, just to be safe.</p>

<p>There’s always outliers in this situation. I think at a school that offers a good amount of AP’s, 5 is usually about right to take. However, I had a friend that got in with 1! and my school offers like 15!</p>

<p>The people posting on CC are always the cream of the crop, because they care enough about their education to post about it.</p>

<p>^Agreed! lol</p>