Junior/Senior Year AP Schedule

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

It’s time to choose my course plan for the rest of HS. I’m currently a sophomore taking 4 AP’s. Does this look good?

9th-
English 10 Honors
Geometry Honors
Biology Honors
Spanish III Honors
Culinary Arts I
Freshman Studies/Health
PE I/II

10th-
AP Eng Lang/Comp
AP Span Lang/Cul
AP World History
AP Psychology
Chemistry Honors
Algebra II Honors
Dual: MATH 126 (Precalculus I AB)
Culinary Arts II

11th-
AP Eng Lit/Comp
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP US History
AP Computer Sci Principles
Art I (Grad Requirement)
Culinary Arts III

12th-
AP Government/Politics
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics 1: Alg-Based
AP Human Geography

2

Is your school on a block schedule (to understand doubling up on algebra 2 and precaclulus)?

Many colleges want 4 years of English. Here no matter what level you take without 4 years taken in actual high school no diploma.

Why only 4 classes senior year? Is that just not finished?

3

I agree with needing four years of English.

AP HUGE is probably the easiest AP class out there. Taking after AP World and APUSH could be considered decreasing rigor.

4

sorry I just realized you are only asking about ap classes. There really isn’t a need to take all ap classes so you have plenty. AP human geography kind of looks thrown in to get an AP class since it is often a freshman class.

What are you thinking of majoring it?

5

You are a sophomore taking 4 AP classes…but what are your grades in those classes? You may be doing very well and are prepared for more in junior year. Or you may just scrape by.

Why are you doubling up on Alg 2 and Pre-calc? Usually one doubles up on Geometry and Alg 2 because of lack of overlap.

Don’t take AP HUGE as a senior…it just looks like you are packing in the AP classes. Would you get college credit for it?

Stanford U says:
“We expect applicants to pursue a reasonably challenging curriculum, choosing courses from among the most demanding courses available at your school. We ask you to exercise good judgment and to consult with your counselor, teachers and parents as you construct a curriculum that is right for you. Our hope is that your curriculum will inspire you to develop your intellectual passions, not suffer from unnecessary stress. The students who thrive at Stanford are those who are genuinely excited about learning, not necessarily those who take every single AP or IB, Honors or Accelerated class just because it has that designation.”

“The College Board needs to say a similar thing about taking A.P. courses. We have data that taking up to five A.P. courses over the course of high school helps students complete college on time. But there is no evidence that excessively cramming your schedule with A.P. classes advances you. Let us say to students, ‘If you would like to take more than 5 A.P. courses because you love the class, do so, but not to get into college.’
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/opinion/higher-education-double-major-extracurricular-activities.html

6

I would suggest taking Physics Junior year and then figuring out which science area interests you most for a Senior year AP. Unless you’re absolutely 100% confident that Bio is your preference.

I would agree if OP wasn’t also taking AP Gov, which is a logical follow on to World/USH.

Take HG if it really interests you, but as noted, it’s a typical Fr/Soph AP. Adding it just to take an AP isn’t valuable.

Are you leaving out other 12th grade classes? Art/Culinary Arts/etc other years makes it seem like a complete list, but only 4 courses Senior year would not impress an admissions officer.

7

WHY TAKE PRECAL AND ALGEBRA 2 AT THE SAME TIME. You should have taken algebra 2 last year. Just stop taking precal if it isn’t too late but if you can’t fine. Also take another English class 4 years of English is better. Do not wait until senior year to take AP human take it sophomore or junior year. Take AP bio senior year and AP physics junior year. Maybe take stats with AP calc BC. Once you have AB I don’t see a point of taking BC if you won’t take stats.

8

Calc BC is viewed as more rigorous than AP Stats. A student that can handle AP Calc would likely benefit more from a real stats class, not the watered-down, lightweight version which is AP Stats.

9

BC is much preferred to Stats from a rigor standpoint.

There’s plenty of BC content not covered in AB. That material is crucial to move on to MVC, the next course in the math sequence. That’s the point of taking it.

10

I took English 9 Honors at the high school in 8th grade (so I would have 4 years.) I should have specified that Precalculus is dual enrollment over the summer (not concurrent with algebra 2.) Also, APHUG was my second choice as an elective for senior year since I enjoy history and my school no longer offers Culinary Arts AS. Regarding 4 courses senior year, that’s basically how my school district works. It’s almost harder to get a full schedule unless you’re retaking/failed core classes.

11

Many colleges want English each year of HS, regardless of how many credits you have.

Since your question was “Does this look good?” my answer is “No.”

12

I agree colleges do expect to see English taken in senior year as well as math. They may question why you started early when it was not to end up ahead. Why not do a dual enrollment English class senior year.

What do seniors do the rest of the day? We need a minimum of 5 classes a year and can’t go in late or leave early so I’m guessing your school is different.