Junior Schedule - 6 AP Classes?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

First time posting here.

I’m deciding what classes to take for my Junior year of high school. I am attending a public high school and my current rank is 57 out of 632. My current weighted academic GPA is 3.94. I am planning on going into computer science when I get older. For extracurriculars I have been doing martial arts for a while and I run a for profit summer camp to teach kids basic programming skills and a non profit intro to programming at elementary schools during the school year.

I am currently looking at this schedule:
AP US History
AP English Language
AP Calculus AB
AP Spanish Language
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Biology
A fine art

I have heard AP Spanish is an easy A if you do the homework. I’m thinking AP Bio because AP ES (Env Sci) seems like it would look like I was taking the easy way out and I’ve heard it is easier than AP Chem. I don’t want to take physics junior year because my course load is looking super heavy, I’ve heard the class is really hard, and I can do AP Physics I senior year. AP CS Principles is a super easy class and I want to take it because I like computer science and it is an easy grade bump. I am also wondering if I should take APUSH or just regular US History. I am not that interested in history but I have heard APUSH is easier than APWH. Since I am interested in computer science, I would be taking APUSH for the grade bump only. The same goes for AP English Lang because I am not very interested in English. Last question is should I take a musically focused fine art to make me look more well rounded? Or should I take one that requires a bit less time that I might have more fun with?

Questions:

  1. Are APUSH and AP English Lang worth it, seeing as I am interested in Computer Science?
  2. What science should I take: AP Bio, AP ES, or AP Chem?
  3. Is taking AP Physics I senior year a good idea?
  4. Does taking a musically oriented fine art make me look well-rounded?

Thank you!

2

Hello! I’m a rising junior as well! I noted that your weighted GPA is 3.94- meaning either you took honors and AP, but did poorly; you didn’t take many honors/AP; or your school doesn’t offer many honors/AP classes. If any of those are the case, I would HIGHLY suggest AGAINST upping to 6 AP classes at once. Even if you heard some classes are easier than others or are easy if you do the homework, it might be difficult to you.
Here are two major tips I’ve gathered:
DO NOT take classes just for the rank/grade bump, but rather if you have an interest in it.
DO NOT take classes just to look more well rounded, find something you have a passion for and make that one area look amazing.
Moving on to answering some of your questions.

  1. APUSH wouldn’t really help you if you like ComSci, it is also a ton of work and studying. If you were to drop one of your APs, I would suggest dropping APUSH. AP Lang is up to you, it could prove to be useful in the future.
  3. Rather than taking AP Physics 1 senior year, try to see if your school offers normal physics. Normal physics usually covers both Physics 1 and 2, just not as in depth.
  4. Do not take a class you don’t have a passion in to make yourself appear better to colleges, only take it if you like it!
3

Look into taking English over the summer as dual credit, it would open up an extra class period and free time fot you. However I’d look into whether or not the college you want to go to accepts dual credit or not, but even if it doesn’t see if it counted as a weighted class. In my opinion if you can do the work and keep up with it you should be fine in those classes. Can’t say much for ap English or comp sci since I didn’t take then but the other classes are usually easier AP classes that you can bundle together. I think AP biology junior year and physics senior year is a good choice.

4
  1. Personally, I find that taking at least AP Lang would amount to you having more critical thinking skills and come out with better writing skills. Even if you are focused on science, you should at least know how to communicate through writing!
  2. Assuming that you wish to continue with computer science in college, I would suggest that you choose whichever one you will be interested in. For example, if you are more inclined towards bioinformatics, take AP Bio. Since you already have a science class, just take one that you think will be more entertaining, not by which is harder (trust me, you'll just get really disinterested fast). 3.I agree with the first poster, with just taking general physics. That way, when you are in college, you have a basic foundation for what you will be learning, and not just have learned mechanics.
  3. It will not look well rounded if you do not have a passion for it, and it will be obvious to others why you are doing it. Take something for fun, or else you will find yourself burning out from stress and boredom. Good luck with school this year!
5

Thank you for the advice. I’m still wondering if AP Env Sci looks too easy for colleges.

6

AP US History => switch to US History Honors
AP English Language
AP Calculus AB
AP Spanish Language
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Biology => take regular or Honors Physics, save AP Bio or AP chem for senior year
A fine art

3 hard AP’s and one easier AP + 2 rigorous honors classes + A fine art would be a very rigorous schedule that’d satisfy any elite college.