I’m taking 2 aps, 2 honors, 2 regular classes (AP calc bc, AP english, accounting, physics honors, french 4 honors, and us history) and I’m worried it’s not enough (aiming for ucb or stanford ) . Our school don’t allow aps until junior year, so these are my first aps I’ve taken- I think I’m capable of taking 3 aps, I’m just not interested in any other ap classes this year- I really like all the classes I’m taking this year, but I’ve been told by all my classmates that I should take 3aps- should I switch accoutning to apcs or some other AP?
@lovescookies The number of APs is usually not as important as having an overall strong transcript where you take classes in all five core areas (English, math, science, soc sci, foreign language) all four years, with ones at least close to the highest levels available in your school.
You’re obviously doing fine with English and math, and French 4 is fine if you take the class that comes after it senior year. If you’ve already taken biology and chemistry, taking Physics honors is good too, as colleges like to see all three sciences.
Rather than just taking any AP class to increase the number of them, it might be good to try to take more advanced classes in a core area. Can you take AP US history this year? Can you take an AP science like biology or chemistry either junior or senior year? If you can’t, you certainly could switch accounting to some other AP like cs. But I don’t think it makes that great a difference overall to have 7 APs rather than 6 total in the end.
@Wilson98 - I can take AP USH next year, though I personally opted out because the class had a reputation to focus on memorizing (80 pgs/week) rather than analyzing history- and while I actually enjoy history, I personally did not want that much memorizing and lose my interest. I am planning to take AP Spanish next year… I really enjoy math, business and finance so would self-studying AP micro or taking a community college class count as another AP?
@lovescookies I think that your schedule is a very good one. The best plan is to do very well at a schedule that you are comfortable with.
I am not a big fan of AP history courses, something that I decided a few years ago after watching how much work it took for a daughter to pull off an A- in AP Euro. There are a lot of random facts to memorize that to me don’t look terribly useful once you are done with the exam. 80 pages per week sounds accurate, although I won’t say “about right” because to me there is nothing “right” about having to memorize 80 pages per week.
I expect that you have noticed that the acceptance rate at Stanford is 4.8%. Many students with straight A’s in AP classes and 1500+ SAT are turned down. UCB isn’t all that much easier. If you do very well in your courses (straight A’s) and if you have good test scores it might be worth applying to both, but definitely research other schools and make sure that you have safeties that you are happy with (and can afford).
@lovescookies Does your school offer AP micro or macro? That would be good to take if you’re interested in it. Taking the AP test after self-study would be OK, though it’s not really the same as taking a class. If it’s AP micro or macro, though, it might help in that with a good score you could have credit for an intro Econ class (depending on the college you go to). But the admissions impact might not be that big. With community college courses, the impact probably varies depending on the course, what your high school offers, and the college.
You certainly don’t have to take AP history if it doesn’t work for you. You might want to talk with your counselor about what is typical for students at your school applying to selective schools, as everything is in context.
Considering how high your aim is, I *would * increase from 2 to 3 APs. These schools will expect 6 AP’s total unless your school doesn’t offer them, especially since accounting is seen as non academic.
Our school doesn’t offer AP macro or micro, just a general econ course senior year. I took macro in a community college this summer (right now), and I’m planning to take micro this school year at a community college as well. The only AP options I have is AP bio or chem (dont like bio/chem too much, wanted to take physics h this year), APUSH (apparently not a very good class) or AP CS P or APCS A (fine but would have to give up accounting, which I was really looking forward to).
I’m a little bit nervous because I know that 2aps junior year isn’t going to cut it for UCB/UCLA but at the same time, I want to enjoy and really learn in my classes as well. Is there any suggestions on how to “redeem” the subpar number of aps other than taking those courses above? Or should I just grit my teeth and take one more ap?
Well, taking community college classes also counts, so if you take Econ at a community college next year you’re OK. Since that’d likely be one semester, you could take one more cc class in the spring to increase rigor without altering your current choices.
First off, six APs will not hurt you at Berkeley, I know students with that many or less get in. Stanford is a different story, but six is not going to keep you out.
If your high school only allows APs from junior year, you should definitely note that in your applications. Most public California schools don’t really have students taking APs till junior year anyway, even if it’s allowed earlier, so you’re not really at a disadvantage wrt CA applicants. Typically Cal students don’t take any honors or AP freshman year, the only possibility would be pre-calc honors or maybe AP CS. Sophomore year, they could take an honors science but again, history, LA, foreign language will not be honors nor AP. It’s really junior year where the APs and honors kick in.
What is your major, that would determine whether you should try for APUSH or an AP in science? If you enjoy history, APUSH is the obvious choice, but it is a time sink, no doubt about that.
@theloniusmonk yes, my school doesn’t allow APS or honors freshman year and it allows 2 honors soph (both which I took). At this point, I’m thinking of majoring in econ+ applied math…
I think you’re totally fine, make sure you have 3 or 4 APs senior year. What’s your projected senior course load?
AP stats, AP physics, AP Government one sem (general econ the other, no ap option), AP spanish, Euro lit, and maybe cooking? I’m def going to take 3, probably 4 aps, because I really like the advanced courses offered in senior year (more than junior year).
That’s a good courseload for econ/applied ath. Note that the UCs cap the extra weighting for honors/aps at 8 semesters, so 4 course.