Hi all, I’m a current high school sophomore and I’m registering for classes for my junior year. For context, I go to a small private school in CA and there are no AP’s offered to freshman or sophomores, and the only AP’s the school offers are considered “essential.” This year I took English 2 Honors, Geo Honors w/Trig, Chem Honors, Bio Honors, French 2, Required Religion class, and orchestra. I earned A’s in all of them. Next year this is what I’m planning on taking:
AP English Lit
APUSH
Precalc Honors (Sem. 1 is precalc, sem 2 is AP Calc AB)
AP Chem
AP Bio (I’m also thinking about a class called AT Physics w/Trig which is an equivalent of AP Physics 1, but I don’t have to take the AP test)
French 3 Honors
Orchestra
I feel like that is a huge difference compared to what I’m taking now. For anyone who has experience with these AP classes, any and all advice is welcome! I’m struggling to decide whether I should go through with this or not.
Given the increase in rigor from the prior year, I would not take more than one science class junior year. I’d pick the one class interests you more and/or has the better teacher.
I think whatever make you happy. Just remember that these course loads are a lot. I can’t imagine myself take 3 ap sciences in 1 year! You should probably pick one and do the rest next year. I remember taking 4 APs one year and I was drained emotionally and physically. I had to deal with family responsibilities, ECs and other things on top of that. Make sure if you want to take these APs that you can truly handle it and do stress yourself too much. Keep in mind that this year you might have to study for SAT/ACTs. If you know you can handle it then go for it but if you know that it might be too much for you, you always can drop it and pick it up next year.
Course load is very individual-specific. My younger D has a similar schedule and is fine. My older D had a slightly lighter schedule and dropped from AP to Honors in one class due to the workload.
Ask your counselor, teachers, and parents, all of whom have a better view onto your specific capabilities, work ethic, etc…
I wouldn’t take two, let alone three, lab courses in a year. At most, take one AP on the H Physics, saving an AP for next year. Hopefully there is enough of a course selection at your school to find something else interesting. My D, for example, is taking a dual enrollment Sociology class, which nicely complements the science/math weight of her schedule. My older D took Theater one year and Honors Engineering courses Jr/Sr years.