Is 3 AP Classes Sophomore Year a good idea??

<p>I am a freshman in high school in a relatively competitive public high school. Currently I have a really high average (97) and while I'm not obsessed with grades, I really want them to stay high, but I find the classes I am taking now pretty boring. Also, I run for the track team all year round and I am pretty devoted so I don't want to give that up because life is too hard.</p>

<p>Long story short, I got into three AP classes for next year: </p>

<p>AP Chem
AP Euro
AP Calc BC</p>

<p>I can't decide whether or not three APs in one year is too much, especially in sophomore year. I don't want to burn out too early in high school, but I also want to be challenged and I find all three of those topics interesting. The class I am most unsure about is Calc BC and I've gotten mixed feedback on whether I should take it or not. Any advice?</p>

<p>Honestly, a lot of kids at my not so great public school take 8 APs a year. So 3 is definately not too much. I took 5 my sophomore year and I was extremely devoted to my varsity swimteam and varsity orchestra.</p>

<p>If you really want to compete for a high class ranking, you need to step it up.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t take those particular 3 APs all at once as a sophomore. Those are some very difficult classes.</p>

<p>^ True, but if you are very good at math and science (Talking about AIME and USAMO qualifiers) then those classes are fine.</p>

<p>You need to keep it in the context of what’s a challenging curriculum for your high school. 1 AP in sophamore year is the norm here, adding 3-4 AP’s a year until graduation. You need to ask your counselor because only he/she knows what the top students are taking each year. If your intentions are to remain very competative then ask them what the top students are doing.</p>

<p>Sure, if you think you can handle it. It seems like you can with your high average.</p>

<p>At my school, they make all sophomores take 4 AP classes. So you can definitely handle it if you have a good work ethic, and I survived. I even took another as an elective, making it five.</p>

<p>^^ very true.</p>

<p>my high school doesn’t allow freshman and sophomores to take ap classes… the honor classes are very challenging. I went from a lazy 98+ student in public school and now I actually work for my a’s. o.O</p>

<p>it sounds like you are doing very well academically and need a challenge next year. talk with your friends that are taking those ap classes and see what the demands are.</p>

<p>The average for the Ivies is 3-5 APs Junior Year and Senior, A few self studies, and Honors classes/1-2 APs Soph, but make sure you are taking classes you will enjoy. That’s why I’m not taking AP Stats Junior year,but instead taking C Programming - which is a regular class :)</p>

<p>At my school I know about 1/6 sophomores took AP euro and maybe truly 10 took AP Chem. None took AP calc BC. My advice is choose 2 out of the 3. Whether AP Chem/Euro, AP Calc/Chem, or AP Calc/Euro, start with 2</p>

<p>@runnerboy: I think your schedule is doable, but it really depends on what else you scheduled.</p>

<p>AP Calc BC as a sophomore doesn’t really leave you anywhere to go Junior and Senior year, unless you kind of regress and take Statistics, but still, that leaves senior year. If you haven’t taken AP Calc AB, take that first.</p>

<p>And Euro here is one of the toughest APs to take AT ALL, and it’s completely unheard of for a sophomore to tackle it. I dunno, though-- each school is different.</p>

<p>That’s definitely a doable schedule. I did 4 AP’s sophomore year (Physics B, Euro, Calc BC, French (non-native)) along with 2 other Honors classes and pulled it off well.</p>

<p>Should be fine. Persevere!</p>

<p>AP Euro should be fine. That is what 1/4 sophmores at our school take</p>

<p>AP Calc BC- idk how ur getting into it as a sophmore… have u taken PreCal? Stats?</p>

<p>AP Chem- at our school u take bio reg/bio h as a freshman then chem reg/chem honors as a sophmore. Then you can take the APs of those classes in Junior and Senior year. but idk how ur school does it.</p>

<p>I mean but the basic idea of doing 3 APS sophmore year is NOT that bad. I am doing AP Euro, AP World, AP Latin Vergil, along with precal honors, english II H, chem H, physics H (prereq for AP Physics B)</p>

<p>I took three APs sophomore year, but granted they were easier than yours will be (World History, Art History, and Statistics). I had no problem, and if you take your classes seriously, I’m sure you’ll do fine.</p>

<p>3 AP classes for a sophomore is totally doable. I know sophomores that are taking AP Calc and AP Physics at the same time. Some are taking Calc, Physics, and Chem. It is totally up to you, and if you think you can handle it, go for it. You know your limits. </p>

<p>Good luck :)</p>

<p>You can totally do them. As long as you are a dedicated worker, as displayed by your average, and good at science and math. I may take 4-5 APs next year and they’re not the easy ones. It’s definitely doable. Go for it</p>