Next year, I will be moving to a private school, and the number of AP classes offered are limited, and I’d like to some people to go over my plans to what to take throughout my high school years.
The AP classes are:
AP Physics “A”
AP Physics “C”
AP US History
AP English Literature
AP Calculus (AB and BC)
Unless I change my mind, taking AP Physics is unlikely for me since I would had willing to go for another type of Science AP like AP Environmental. AP Calculus I’m not sure since I’m only doing average/okay in Algebra I. The two APs that I’d probably go for is AP English Lit and APUSH since I feel more comfortable with those subject areas at the moment.
I haven’t chose my courses yet, and in the case that I’d be able to select a AP, I’d like to know if any of these AP classes would be suitable to take in 10th grade. If not, I’ll start in junior year.
Hello!
At my high school, all of these classes are usually reserved for juniors and seniors. APUSH is a very writing intensive class and you need to be able to write essays in a short time limit (to prepare for LEQs and DBQs). I would HIGHLY suggest against AP Calc as you are only in Alg 1 and only doing “average/okay”. AP Lit is a senior class for my school and is like APUSH in the sense that its a highly writing intensive class (obviously). I, personally, would wait until junior year unless you feel incredibly confident and can stay motivated.
Best of luck!
In 10th grade, I’d take AP human geography, AP world history, or AP psychology. All of the classes you listed are usually for juniors or seniors. If you’re in algebra 1 right now, you won’t be able to take ap physics c, because you won’t reach calculus before you graduate. If you wanted to take calculus, you’d have to take a math over the summer, which isn’t necessary, as you don’t need to take calculus in high school.
I’d had success with writing DBQs in middle school although I’m not sure if I could do the same with APUSH (Didn’t take long for me to write the essays though.) AP Lit is another AP I could go for.
AP Lit is a senior class and it isn’t exactly easy, so maybe go for Honors English for now. AP Physics A sounds like AP Physics 1, which only requires regular Algebra 2 as a prerequisite (at least at my school), so take that junior year, when you are in Algebra 2, if you wish. None of the AP classes you mentioned seem suitable to take sophomore year except for AP Physics 1, which does, as I said before, require concurrent or past enrollment in Algebra 2.
Look carefully at the school’s course catalog, especially the prerequisites for each course, usually located in the course descriptions.
AP Calculus (AB and BC) - if you started 9th grade with algebra 1, you will not reach calc during high school unless you take a math course over the summer. That’s ok; finish high school with precalc in 12th grade.
For science, first make sure you will have taken a year each of bio, chem, and physics at some point during high school. This should be done first, before getting to AP sciences. Do not take AP Environmental if it will prevent you from having taken a year of each of those, including a physics class of some type.
AP Physics A - if this is AP Physics 1, this might be a good choice, but not sophomore year if you’ll only be in geometry at that point. Take it junior or senior year. If it is AP Physics 1 and 2, that would be a very fast pace and you might consider taking a regular or honors physics class instead.
AP Physics C requires calc, or at least concurrent enrollment in calculus, so this course will not be available to you, unless you take a math course over a summer to advance to calc by senior year. Also, it is usually recommended to take another physics course first.
AP US History - usually a good course for junior year.
AP English Literature - usually a good course for senior year.
Agree. Also, look to see if they are limited to certain grades. AP Lit is usually a senior course and AP USH is usually a junior course, So just because a school offers a course does not mean that it is available to you at your grade level.
Ultimately, in addition to how your school directs choices, this depends on what tier of colleges you expect to apply to. You want to pace yourself properly, as some suggest. But you’ll need balace across all cores.
@r2v2018: Honors English would sound like a good place to start. I can try to see if I can make it to AP Physics before I graduate.
@evergreen5 Pre-Calculus sounds fine. At my current public school, the Science sequence is Earth Science, Living Environment, Chemistry, and Physics (Honors kids can take AP Chemistry in 10th and AP Physics 1/2 in 11th/12th). APUSH and AP Lit I can take in 11th/12th.
@skieurope I just checked my current school’s course catalog, and AP Lit is reserved for 12th, and APUSH is for 11th. Thanks for letting me know.
@lookingforward It doesn’t really matter, I’d just want to get into a good college, that’s all.