Thank you for reading this. Just fyi about my courses right now, I am taking right now AP Eng Literature, AP Statistics, AP Comparative Gov, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP French, Calc 2 at local state univeristy, and honors religion course (Going to a catholic high school). I am wondering if dropping AP French would look bad to Ivies and elite colleges. Dropping it would not appear on my transcript, French for the senior year would just disappear. I am just thinking about easing my workload a bit. Thank you!!!
No easy answer. Your current schedule looks like you’re packing in some important rigor in the last year (AP chem and AP physics?) What sorts of classes did you take prior? If AP, what scores? DId you follow the target colleges’ recommended course coverage?
Did you make it through French 3 before now and have a French class in junior year? What possible major?
We have no idea of your stats, either. Getting into an Ivy or elite requires understanding what they look for. And it’s more than stats and the AP count. Yes, somekids will be at risk, for dropping language. No one gets cut for skipping AP stats.
Hi LookingForward, Thank you so much for replying.
The way my school curriculum is, 99 percent of kids take their first APs junior year. Last year I took AP Bio, Calc AB, Eng Lang and Comp, and US history. I got 5s on all but Bio (4). I did take Hon French 4 last year with an A average. Also a religion course as well last year (A).
Most of my colleges recommend 2-3 years of language, none say 4. *MIT Uchicago. I am in the top 5% of class-- school doesn’t rank which I am fine with. I haven’t decided what specific major, but something in the sciences.
Good point about skipping Language vs Stats and overall stats too. I don’t even know if Admissions scrutinizes this much over my transcript as I am doing…
Thank you!
I would drop the AP Stats class and keep AP French.
Colleges KNOW that AP Stats is a far easier AP class than any AP Language class.
And top colleges do NOT encourage anyone to take an AP class, just for the sake of increasing the overall # .They are interested in the rigor of the classes you take during HS, not the total # of AP classes.
Taking 6-7 hard AP classes during your ENTIRE HS career is plenty. Even Stanford says that.
Unfortunately, I would, but I cannot since my college class does not count for credit at my school. I need four math credits to graduate and I have three so far. Stats would be my fourth. My academic dean says this because our school does not have a partnership with the college. My parents and I were pretty mad about that but oh well.
Thank you for the advice @menloparkmom
Would you consider my APs to include 6-7 hard APs?
Thank you!
Then you have met the foreign language expectation of every US college. It’s fine to drop if you don’t plan to continue in college.
Yes. Stats and Comp Gov would be the blatantly easy ones IMO.
@skieurope thank you so much for the advice!
If you took French 4 Honors last year, I think dropping AP French 5 is fine if this ensures maintaining your GPA along with having more time to prepare your apps, spending quality time on EC’s and enjoying senior year. It looks like you have plenty of rigor on your transcript. FWIW, both my kids opted not to take AP Spanish 5 and did fine in the admissions process with T20 schools.
@BKSquared Wow your kids did awesome! Thank you for the help!