Need help

<p>I posted this but did not get a lot of replies</p>

<p>I have been restricted to take 4 AP's just because my GPA did not qualify. (the GPA required is 3.8) I missed the minimum GPA becuz i had a 3.7. I've been restricted to take AP Euro, AP Bio, AP Art History and AP computer science. So, i decided to take commmunity colleges for those classes to try to "make up" not taking those AP's. Will competitive coleges know that I tried to take rigorous courses? I have taken 4 AP's. Does this look like i tried to take harder course. Also..will colleges know about my high school unfair requirements to enter an AP class.</p>

<p>I think it's pretty common for AP's to be somewhat restricted based upon how you did in earlier classes in that field or how many you can take in a single year. Are you talking about being restricted for a single year? or overall? Either way, I really don't think it matters too much, 4 is plenty and won't keep you out of any college. Usually your school will submit a profile to the college that will have criteria and restrictions spelled out, so they will know. I don't think GPA is a good reason to restrict single classes, and that's too high even to restrict AP's in a single year. So that may not be fair. My dd was not let to take AP Physics jr year because she took 6 academic classes, mostly honors and already had another AP, but it did not affect her chances in the end, and it likely kept her sane. She would have appreciated AP more, but that just tough. I think it's extreme to take CC classes if your school is a rigorous school, unless say, you maxed out in math or something early, but it's more advisable if your school is too easy.</p>

<p>well..our school is kind of weird where they believe a person should "deserve" to enter an AP class. I barely missed the GPA cutoff yet completed the other requirements (like, passing qualifying exams and writing a research report) yet they wouldnt let me get the AP classes i wanted. I duno, our school is weird.</p>

<p>I don't think your school is weird. I do think that you are personalizing it too much to use the word 'deserve'. I do agree there should be criteria for attending AP's that are based upon the students chance of success. Overall GPA is not a good criteria, to me. Since you take it personally, as deserving or not, which is qualitative, I can't really tell if your school's program is reasonable.</p>

<p>rEX - are you a junior or senior? If a junior, perhaps you can work, with your parents if appropriate, to appeal any particular AP decision that is really important to you.</p>

<p>I don't say this because I feel you NEED more AP classes, but if there is one which really interests you. Our S's HS has such an appeal process, where student and parent meet w. dept head, and we did use it successfully, once. Sometimes a face-to-face meeting helps.</p>

<p>Others on this board have more expertise than I, but I believe you will have shown, with 4 AP classes, that you are interested in challenging yourself,which is the most important aspect of AP, to my mind, for your college apps.</p>