If there are 6 periods each year, with only juniors and seniors being able to take APs (Unless u take summer courses)
is this a rigorous enough of a courseload?
Junior Year: AP Biology, AP Chemistry
: Calc AB, Psychology
Senior year: AP Stats, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC, AP French, AP Government
I’m trying for top 20 schools, but I know classmates who took lots of summer courses and have 12+ APs, and I don’t feel confident - Am I fine?
Also, how are summer courses looked at in the resume?
At this point you should realize it’s relative. College’s want to see that you have challenged yourself in the curriculum, which you most certainly have senior year, although junior year I am uncertain based on not knowing what courses are available. Summer courses are viewed the same as any other. You should focus more on other parts of your application process now!
Summah, the person who decides if your course load was rigorous or not is your guidance counselor. It’s determined relative to what your school offers and relative to what other class-mates have taken. At some schools, 3-4 APs is all they offer and taking 2 is considered a big deal. Others offer 10 or more and the top students take them all and that’s considered ‘most rigorous.’
If you are concerned about getting the ‘most rigorous’ designation for your transcript, you need to ask the GC whether your course load qualifies or not. He or she is the only one who can tell you.
Very few seniors take all APs, and 5 of them at that. I would be more concerned on whether or not you’re confident that you can handle such a heavy load and get top grades. One of the goals of taking all those APs is to get college credit for them. For “top” colleges that often means taking and getting a 5 on the AP exams. Are you also signed up for doing that? Lots of work ahead. Isn’t there a course or two that is not an AP that might lead you in new directions? My opinion is that you should dial down not up. Also using the summer for additional classes, while sometimes the best option, is not always the best use of a summer break. Are there intern/research/charity/travel opportunities that might be open to you this coming summer? I recommend that you explore those before signing up for a a summer of rigorous coursework. The “right” summer activity can both refresh you and boost your application. I’m not as convinced that more school will do that.
Does your school make you take Calc AB before Calc BC? At many schools it’s either or. I agree that taking summer school classes may not really be the best use of your time and worry about your ability to handle so many AP classes your senior year. I assume you are taking a regular or honors English class along with this schedule? GC determine rigor, but this is certainly rigorous enough to get you into most selective colleges.
Ask your guidance counselor if he/she would check that you have the most rigorous course-load available on the recommendation form with your schedule. What the guidance counselor thinks will be more important than what anyone on this board thinks.
Junior Year: AP Biology, AP Chemistry => It’s madness to take two of the most difficult AP Science classes the same year. Take one only + AP English Language.
: Calc AB, Psychology => sure; or, you could take these two classes via dual enrollment at a community college.
Senior year: AP Stats, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC, AP French, AP Government => drop AP Stats since you’re taking BC; make sure to have Honors English; have you taken Honors Physics and gotten an A? If not, take AP Physics 1 or 2, NOT AP Physics C.