<p>My parents are immigrants and they did not know what AP classes were, and neither did I until the end of Freshman year. I tried taking honors classes but my counselor discouraged me, and my teachers would not let me. Same thing with junior year. And then at the end of my junior year, my physics teacher let me go into ap bio for senior year and that is my only ap class. This seriosuly is the truth..should I let colleges know even though i sent out my apps already? will this really hurt my chances at good schools?</p>
<p>yeah i would let them know, especially the part about your counselor discouraging you and your teachers not letting you. But if the reason they wouldnt let you do them is b/c they didnt think you could handle the curriculum, well then its no one's fault. but if you legitimately believe (and have the grades to back it up) then definitely send a letter in.</p>
<p>Generally I would say something like this should come from the counsellor; it will seem more credible that way.</p>
<p>True, but if the OP's counselor screwed him over then how would that make it credible? I'd be ****ed off too...I'm a junior and I haven't taken any AP classes...I plan to next year. See what happens when you are in love with your EC's - you're in honor classes instead. :) But I'm happy with that. Next year I plan to take at least one AP.</p>
<p>By getting into such explanations you show that it took you three years to figure the rules and requirements in your own school. You were not in a vacuum. You could ask your friends and senior students about getting into these classes. Also, discouragment from teachers is also suspicious: why would they discourage you but not others?
How are you doing in AP bio? You need an A+ to go with such explanation.</p>
<p>adcom might wonder why they wouldnt let you...</p>
<p>if they just wouldnt let you, but you could have handled them, then your counselors discouraging you is bull****. But if you had crappy grades, then why should they encourage you taking APs?</p>
<p>i had B's.</p>
<p>At our school you have to have high A's to take AP classes. My son had low A's in every single math and science class during his entire high school career and they still wouldn't take him.</p>
<p>In my daughter's school your GPA determines if you can take APs, and how many APs you can take. The GPA in a particular subject (or several subjects) determines whether you can take a particular AP. For example an 85 (or 88? not sure) GPA entitles you to 1 AP as a junior or senior, 90 is OK for 2 APs simultaneously, etc. Plus, to take AP Calculus, for example, you need a certain math average (90 or so). There is a little room for negotiation, but in general B students are not encouraged to take APs. Even if they can handle a particular AP, they are more likely to fail a regular course in their weakest area.</p>
<p>Our school is trying to encourage more kids to take AP's, and they do require everyone to take the corresponding AP test. The principal will let parents sign off on putting their borderline kids into the AP class. As she says, if a kid wants to challenge themselves, why not let them try? If they can't keep up, they are allowed to drop back to honors. It is all part of their attempt to make the school look better, improve their reputation by having lots of AP tests taken.</p>
<p>As to the OP, I guess I would try to explain the immigrant factor, taking a while to understand the whole AP system that was unfamiliar.</p>