<p>Just wondering, if I didn't take the toughest math class available in my school, how negatively would that affect my admissions to top/ivy schools? (I'm talking a difference between... AP calc AB and AP calc BC.. I just didn't want to kill myself next year, with 7 other APs.) I am in the most difficult courses available in all other subjects, and I am getting A+ grades. How bad will this look?</p>
<p>7.... Other..... APs......</p>
<p>Calc AB and seven..... more...... APs......... </p>
<p>Fine, fine.........</p>
<p>Why seven APs? Do you feel the need to buy deep wrinkle cream in your teens?</p>
<p>It'll look fine. 8 AP's is a pretty intense schedule, most applicants won't have 8 total, I think you'll be fine.</p>
<p>yeah, I'll have about 14 APs by the time I graduate.. but my school is crazy.</p>
<p>I can't even fit 8 majors into my schedule what kind of school do you go to?!</p>
<p>they are not all majors (ap comp sci, psychology, art 2D, etc.), and the only requirment i have (we have 9 periods) is that we take gym, and enough in other subjects to fulfill graduation requirments. I have that plus a research seminar. some APs in our school are only half year as well, so that gives us more room.
the reason why I was concerned, though, was because there are kids in my school still taking AP calc BC and that's obviously more competitive... hm. and since everything is relative, in a way.. you know.</p>
<p>D will be taking AB instead of BC. There is no need to kill one self in high school unless you want to major in math/engineering/physics.</p>
<p>so it won't negatively affect admissions?</p>
<p>It won't affect you at all.</p>
<p>I meant like major classes, at our school, the more classes you take, the harder it is to make a schedule for you, so most counselors stop giving you AP's after like 5 or 6.</p>
<p>Many people get into top schools with not the best schedules or ECs. Remember, course rigor is nothing compared to your GPA. No matter how impressive your 6 to 7 APs may be, it won't make up for a string of B's and C's.</p>
<p>Ooh... Post 666... :)</p>
<p>A retired Ivy admission officer came to D school and said to students, "you should take AP classes only if you can get A and Bs"
I disagree, course rigor is definitely important. I'm sure you heard of Ivys turn down hundreds of Val/Sal right?</p>
<p>yeah but getting Cs in your AP classes only shows that you're either lazy or aren't competent enough to handle that work load.</p>
<p>I wouldn't pass that judgement. Again it depends on the school. At D school, the second hardest AP course gives D grade. Previous students that graduate from this high school said they took similar course at UCSD and it is cake walk for them comparing with this AP course.</p>
<p>I seriously doubt it would matter. Within the IB program at our school, there are four levels of math seniors can take. The highest level, HL Math/Calc BC, is taken by only one class period. While many of these students are among the brightest and got into grat colleges, there are also many many students in the second highest level (SL Math/Calc AB) who got into extremely good colleges, and even some people from the two lower levels of math who did, since they are all full IB Diploma students, and thus taking a rigorous courseload.
Part of the success of the AB students is also due to the fact that it is the "normal" senior year class...only, basically, those who doubtled up in math or something get to BC. Thus, at my school, being in AB isn't necessarily opting for an easier option, but rather simply indicates that your class interests were elsewhere, though equally rigorous.</p>
<p>All in all, I think that was more arcane info about my school than you needed. But the point was that the students of my school not in the <em>most</em> rigorous math class still had great success in college admissions.</p>
<p>yeah, my school strongly advises against people taking APs if they know they can't get As in the class... but at the same time basically forces people into taking APs (they do that by saying "okay, either you're in AP or you're in remedial, take your pick." lol)</p>