Hello all!
Recently I’ve been feeling rather insecure about my schedule. I know that I’m taking the hardest courses I can for myself, but compared to my peers it seems…lacking? Freshman year no APs are offered, however, sophomore year I didn’t take any APs while some of my friends took 2(These APs didn’t interest me).
This year I’m taking 2: APUSH and AP Lang. I feel like this isn’t enough compared to my friends who already have 2 under their belt and are also taking 2 this year.
To make up for this, I was thinking of taking 5 APs next year (AP Gov, AP Lit, AP Studio Art, and the others I’ll have to figure out) as well as possibly self-studying for AP Spanish?
I don’t want to look like I’m slacking off because I really did struggle with taking APs and I think I’m doing my best. So, do you think 7 AP total is a decent amount for pretty selective colleges (not including a possible self-study)?
Side note:
I’m technically a year ahead of my peers in terms of math and science classes. I’ll have 4 years of math science and Spanish under my belt by the end of junior year(took some in 8th grade), so would it look bad if I dropped math and science from my schedule senior year to focus on all these APs?
Thanks!
It will look bad if you don’t take 4 years of math or science. Especially math. From what I see, it looks like you haven’t taken a single AP math class. I would really recommend keeping math. What math APs have does your school offer? Also, you haven’t taken a single AP science class. Does your school offer AP Bio or Chem? With almost every above average student, they should at least take one AP science class in their whole high school career. It also depends on what science classes you’ve taken before. If you have a stronger foundation in bio, take AP bio and same thing goes for AP chem.
May I ask why you’re taking AP Studio art? Is it based on personal interest or fulfillment of an art requirement for school?
You should never drop a core class (math English science social science foreing language) to take an extra AP.
As Stanford famously put it, it’s not a game of who had the most AP’s, wins.
You are taking the two ‘big’ AP classes for juniors.
Will you be taking AP calculus AB next year? Or if you just completed precalculus and didn’t do too well, AP stats?
Ideally you have already taken biology, chemistry, and physics, so in terms of science you can take any if these at the AP level for level 2 in the sequence or APES (or AP CS Principles). If you haven’t, take the missing science.
Foreign language: have you reached level 3 or 4?
If you take AP gov , AP studio art, AP Lit, and one more AP, you’ll have a very rigorous schedule. 6 APs is enough even if your goal is a top 40 university/LAC.
The reason I didn’t take any AP math or science classes is because I don’t see myself pursuing anything in that field and think it would be a waste of my time, plus I already have 4 years of math and science classes. Maybe I’ll rethink this and take an AP science class senior year, I wa shrinking something light like AP Environmental (I heard it’s easy?). If I think I’m mentally prepared I could possibly take AP Calculus. But the reason I’m taking AP Studio Art is because I love art lmao. As you can tell, I’m more of a art/literature person. Also, yes, I’m at level 4 Spanish currently.
For science so far I’ve taken:
-Earth science honors
-living environment honors
-chem Regents
-physics regents(current)
Math:
-Algebra 1 honors
-Geometry honors
-Algebra 2 honors
-Precalcus College Level (current)
To reiterate what I said
For science so far I’ve taken:
-Earth science honors
-living environment honors
-chem Regents
-physics regents(current)
Math:
-Algebra 1 honors
-Geometry honors
-Algebra 2 honors
-Precalcus College Level (current)
I’m open to taking an AP math and/or science class if it will make my schedule look more rigorous, I’m just not a math/science person is all. Plus I have to focus on SAT/ACT/SAT 2 so that’s why I’m questioning if I should drop those classes since I’ve technically already filled the 4 year requirement by the end of this year
For the most competitive admission colleges, you may want to ask your counselor whether the choices you are contemplating affect whether s/he will indicate that you chose the “most demanding” courses available to you.
Some may want to see calculus if you complete precalculus in 11th grade, but it is often not clear; if there are any specific colleges you are interested in, ask directly if their web sites do not say. Very few colleges actually explicitly require or recommend calculus in high school for frosh applicants.
You may also want to consider taking statistics if you do not want to take calculus, since knowledge of statistics is widely useful.
Since for my school AP stats is a two year course I guess I’ll have to stick with taking AP Calculus. I’d rather suffer through it now than regret not taking it later! It’s just that math is my least favorite subject, but I really want to prove that I’m working hard in other areas to make up for my lack of APs.
Strange that AP statistics is a two year course in your high school. AP statistics normally tries to be equivalent to a one semester introductory non-calculus-based statistics course in college, and neither the AP nor college course is typically considered difficult (usually considered easier than AP calculus AB or introductory calculus in college).
Hmm that’s strange. Ummm friend took AP stat last year and is taking it “again” this year like a continuation. Not really sure why. That’s why I wasn’t really interested in investing my time in a two-year course when I could be spending it for AP Calculus or others!
Ask your guidance counselor. There should be a one-year stats class. It’s important tobtwke a math class senior year (it doesn’t have to be calculus.)
You’re good with science and foreign language indeed, so you could take another subject.
If you think you’re going to major in humanities/social science, it’d make sense to continue the foreign language to strengthen your profile in this area, especially since you’ll be rusty after a year without practice for your college placement test (unless you intend to study another language in college).
So you think it would be okay to drop science/foreign language? I plan to study something in the art/literature field, but I’ll ask my guidance counselor about AP Stat
only if you replace them with Honors or AP classes related to what you’re interested in college (I’d keep the foreign language but since you have all core sciences you could take a history, English, or social science class instead of APES). However you do need to keep math.
The top colleges prefer to see 4 years of core subjects, ie each taken 9-12 grade. So if you are ahead, you should still take the next level in the sequence as a senior. High school isn’t career prep. You can specialize in college.
Studio Art shouldn’t prevent you from taking core subject classes, and should be in addition to.
No,. Dropping math and science for “light APs” is the wrong thing to do. I recommend you take AP Calc, an AP core science (whatever u enjoy) and AP studio art - if u enjoy it. You testing for SAT should be done before senior year or early fall senior year so that won’t affect studies. Loading up on easy APs won’t help u show rigor.
Are you getting good grades?
Alright, I’ll keep that in mind, thanks!
Yeah, I definitely don’t want to look like I’m slacking off. Do colleges not look at high school classes taken in 8th grade? I’m just a little uneasy about taking AP for all of my core classes plus AP Studio art and studying for standardized tests…but I’m willing to make that sacrifice if it will benefit me.
I’m currently in APUSH and AP Language right now, and I’m doing pretty well in both along with my other classes. Next year I plan on definitely taking AP Gov and AP Lit and AP Studio art, but after hearing your responses I plan on taking both an AP math and science as well. (Also plan on taking the SAT in March of next year)
I think that will be too much. Why AP Lit? I would take at most 4 APs. 2 math, science, and 2 others that u enjoy.
^Because OP said she’s interested in Arts:Humanities/Social Science, AP Lit, AP Studio Art, AP Gov and max one more would make the most sense. AP Lang&Lit, AP History, and AP Foreign Language are core AP’s for these students. (It’s as important for them as AP Calc and AP Science for a future STEM major).
I wouldn’t cut on subjects she’s interested in and make sense based on her academic profile.
She’s already taken all three core science classes and an extra science, so she doesn’t need to take one more (she can but doesn’t have to). I think that going from 2 AP’s to 4 is the maximum she should do, and for a student who’s taking precalc regular and doesn’t intend on majoring in anything science-y, taking Stats or AP Stats would make the most sense. So, AP Lit, AP Studio Art, AP Gov, AP Stats, foreign language 5 and one more English/History class (if the school offers it, AP Euro or AP World would be a good idea since they’re seen as more rigorous than AP Gov.)
Guessing OP is going to apply to Bing, Geneseo, Albany, New Paltz, perhaps , depending on NPC results, Fordham, H&WS, St Michael’s UVT, and for reaches St Lawrence/Dickinson (Vassar, Skidmore, Barnard would be high reaches) - what a strong student from NYS interested in Arts, Humanities, and Social Science would most likely do.
@kmarie9: remember to think of subject tests and to take them in June, right after you finished the classes (English Literature and US History would make the most sense for you). If the March SAT doesn’t go as well as you’d wish, you can take it in May and August. Register well in advance as those dates are overbooked and some students had to travel far to get to their test center due to not registering early enough.Remember NEVER to take a standardized test without preparing for it. Use Khan Academy assiduously.
Thanks so much for explaining! You described my situation perfectly lol. And yes, I already plan on taking 3 SAT subject tests this year: APUSH English and Spanish (taking them in June)!