<p>Excellent math skills would manifest in an accelerated math track (which you are not in). Sorry to be blunt, but once again, you are setting yourself up for failure. Of course the decision is ultimately yours, I am just responding to your request for outside opinions.</p>
<p>A B in AP World History. This proves that you won’t be able to handle the work.</p>
<p>Honors Algebra II ======>Calculus BC - bad idea. </p>
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<p>A false motivation for even taking an AP class.</p>
<p>Well, I don’t know what classes to drop. I want to take all those AP classes and I kinda have to. My counselors recommend me to continue taking AP classes, even if may be plentiful and stressful. And even if it becomes that, I can always get a level change.</p>
<p>FYI, I had a 95 last semester and this semester might average out to a 92.</p>
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<p>You need to be realistic. A B in APWH just proves you don’t have superb memorization skills. Moreover, like Jersey13 said, you have to be in an accelerated math track to be noticed for your excellent math skills. Moreover, a 95 in Geometry and Algebra II, even if they’re both Honors, just prove you’re just average, unless your mathematics teachers are difficult.</p>
<p>Ok, what do you suggest? Dropping some AP classes… okay I like math and might be interested, so I’ll keep those… and couldn’t AP Psychology be self-taught if I bought a review book and flashcards. I’ll reconsider on dropping Spanish Language, too.</p>
<p>Okay, don’t take all this too seriously. There are many factors that could have accounted for your B in World History, not just that you could not handle the work. However, everyone is right in that your schedule may just be too hard. It doesn’t mean you’re not gifted or intelligent; simply that it may just be too many AP classes.</p>
<p>No, I think you guys are right. I just don’t know how to juggle my schedule for next year. I might need some assistance.</p>
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No, not really. Just because you may be rather intelligent, or even a genius doesn’t mean your days are more than 24 hours long, or that your body doesn’t require sleep, or that your brain can handle more stress than everybody else’s.</p>
<p>The point is, no matter how smart you are, it takes a LOT more than intelligence to do well in MULTIPLE AP classes, let alone SIX! On top of that, you’re going from ONE to SIX. It’s just not do-able, based on what you’ve told us.</p>
<p>I mean, I originally expressed aversion to the idea, but look at everybody else. I’m obviously not the only one.</p>
<p>Key points:
- At this juncture, you are setting up yourself for undoubted failure.
- Taking an AP class as a GPA booster is foolish and is a stupid reason. It’s like wanting to become a doctor just because they make a lot of money.
- Taking an AP class and not taking the exam is also foolish.
- pre-calc is something you should take in school, not over the summer, so you can really know it before moving on to AP Calc. Furthermore, if you do happen to skim pre-calc by taking it in the summer, then you should definitely be taking calc AB and not BC. Take BC in your senior year. Your teacher who told you to go straight into BC doesn’t make any sense, because you still have two years left. Outside of the world of CC super-geniuses, not too many people are at the calculus level by their junior year. Take advantage of that advancement, take AB your junior year, and take BC your senior year.
- If you don’t want to make A’s or do well on the AP exams, ignore everything we’ve said and take all the APs you want.</p>
<p>Quite the logic… what do you suggest… I’m speechless here…</p>
<p>I told you what I suggest in post #3.</p>
<p>Well, I AM suggesting to drop Spanish Lang and English Lang. Wait, maybe not English Lang… Ughhhh!!!</p>
<p>I also want to mention: There are a lot of geniuses here on CC who can easily handle 7 APs per year, plus some self-studies, and do superb on all of them. However, just because it’s easy for them doesn’t make it any easier for somebody like you or even me. Don’t feel intimidated or that you need to live up to some sort of standard here on CC of taking a gazillion AP classes throughout your high school career. Do what YOU can handle, what YOU feel comfortable with, and what YOU feel is suitable for you. NOT what everybody else is doing because it makes them look pretty damn cool.</p>
<p>Edit: I’d drop stats and Spanish Lang. English Lang is a good class to take. If you take it your junior year, you can consider English Lit your senior year.
Think long and hard about your performance in APWH because APUSH is going to be the same thing, but a few times more difficult, to a more in-depth extreme. If you feel overwhelmed with APWH and/or don’t do well on the exam, be prepared, because USH is very much like it (just more difficult).</p>
<p>which of the following APs that I can take be self-studied… Psychology? Stats?</p>
<p>Psychology. Pure memorization. It’s easier if you have a passion for it, too.</p>
<p>So now I’m down to 5… still a lot, huh?</p>
<p>the exam and the class for APWH was easy; but the exam, I wasn’t fully prepared for it, so I think I failed. Had I been more prepared, I would have done better. I learned this lesson for next year for my next AP classes.</p>
<p>Take English Language for sure. There isn’t a lot of homework or studying to do and it helps your writing abilities A TON, including for other AP classes.</p>
<p>Because your senior schedule is so heavy, I suggest not taking English Literature unless your first choice colleges accept Lit but not Lang. I haven’t taken Lit yet but seems like Lang would help you more in real life. You might want a second opinion on that though.</p>
<p>APUSH will require a lot of reading. The teacher probably won’t go over everything that’s on the tests in class, so you will need to read the chapters and absorb the information like a sponge. Your textbook will probably be boring so remember to ABSORB. Very smart, studious people fail the chapter tests. A good memory is definitely an asset for this class. You can decide yourself if you think you can do it or not.</p>
<p>That’s all the advice I can give you because I’ve only taken Lang and APUSH so far. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>If you must self-study an AP test, I’d say Psychology or Environmental Science; those are rumored to be (and confirmed by me on Env. Sci., especially if you read the news and stuff) the two easiest APs, and definitely the “memorization” kind. (If you’re good at memorization/interested in those subjects)
I’ve also heard of students self-studying BC from AB; it may be slightly harder than just going to BC, but at the same time, if it turns out that you hate Calculus AB, you can “fall back” and just study AB without changing classes. Just a note, Calculus (in my opinion) is very different than Statistics or Pre-Cal.
As for the people saying “You got a low score/B in World History, so you can’t take APs”, obviously, World History isn’t your forte. Last semester, I had (not to brag) the highest grade in my AP English class (and I’m 100% sure I passed), but I narrowly avoided getting a C+ in Calculus. I seriously would not transition from 1 to 6 APs anyway…as someone else said, it’s not about how smart you are, but how tough; and obviously everyone thinks they’re tough, but they don’t know until they experience it.
Also, you can relegate a senior-year subject to a community college-over-the-summer/summer school course in between junior and senior year. I’m almost certain your senior year plans for classes will change/solidify, however. Various factors include teachers, how hard certain subjects end up being for you during junior year, what colleges you end up wanting to go to and what they give credit for, etc. Just reserve what you feel like you <em>must</em> take senior year (like AP Bio) and figure out the whole Chem vs. Anatomy thing later, unless you’re factoring those into your junior year plans.
Find out your school policy of dropping and switching classes, just in case. Colleges don’t like to see students backing out of APs, and as a result, at my school it’s extremely difficult to drop an AP class. But it depends per school.
This also sounds like bad advice, and it should really only influence the most on-the-fence decisions, but see what your friends are taking for the AP classes you’re less interested in (like APUSH). It helps to have at least one friend to study with, or ask questions outside of school.</p>
<p>I was stuck in your situation with picking classes as well this Spring (though to a much lesser extent)…good luck.</p>