Is this course load going to be too much? Will it result in an actual negative effect because it will decrease my marks? I can work a lot, but there is always a limit. I only have a certain amount of hours a day. Additionally, I go to a private school so there is a large work load. I score high in all my courses. I am not questioning about ability, but just about actual time. I study at a reasonable speed, but I like to be thorough so I don’t skim over the book and finish with that.
English Literature AP
Calculus AP AB
US History AP
Macro/Micro Economics AP
Comparative Government and Politics AP
European History AP
Self Studying:
English Language AP
US Government and Politics AP
University courses:
3rd year political science course and 2nd year environmental science course. (A lot of work for both)
Also what are the best prep books for the aforementioned APs?
This is EXTREMELY rigorous. Not a good idea. You’re gonna take 6 AP classes, 2 college classes, and self study for two and expect to maintain good grades all while maintaining your ECs? Sorry, not happening.
AND you’re a senior??!! No way! Don’t do this. Please do not do this. Your college applications are gonna suck if you do this because you’re gonna have no time to work on them. You can kiss Yale and Stanford goodbye because there’s no way you maintain a high GPA, do all of your school work, maintain your ECs, and write good essays and supplements. One area is gonna suffer. Ditch the self study and drop 2 APs or drop the 2 college courses. What guidance counselor in their right mind would allow this? There are not enough hours in a day for this schedule and this is way too much to study for.
Would it work if I prepare for a few in the summer before? I would have already studied US history because of the subject test, and I am thinking of review for the other courses such as Calc, Gov pol and Euro history. The English APs do not take much studying, nor is there much work in-class. It is just basically writing a few essays now and then.
And forget everything during the year? No, that isn’t useful. Do not do this. This is a horrible idea. There’s no point in self studying AP Lang. You’re likely not gonna get a 5 without the class. You can’t teach yourself the skills you learn in that class.
Look, do you want advice or not? There’s literally no point in Lit and Lang. They give you credit for the same exact class. Take Lang only. Lang is like Lit, but much better. Drop Economics and put in an elective course. Drop one of the college courses as well. If you go to Stanford, you can’t get credit for either of the things you’re self studying for.
Pick one AP English. Pick AP Gov or history, but since you already took US history SAT II I would not take it again, also AP Euro is a lot of work. Take AP Econ if you want. AP Calc is good. Did you already take enough science and foreign languages?
So I would take 4 AP in high school, English Lit or Lang, Calc, Comparative Gov, Econ
and the two college courses.
I don’t think the courses are the same, Lit is more reading literature and comparing and discussing, but my D had to write quite a few essays. Lang I think is more grammar and writing. But Cali meant that if you take the exam you only get credit for one or the other
AP Calc and AP Econ should be no problem the material is easy if you keep up with it. Like previously mentioned, I wouldn’t take lang and lit because you get the same credit from them, but if possible take lang as a class and forget lit altogether. I didn’t study for the lang exam because I had written essays and done practice mc throughout the year, but I can’t imagine self studying for it, especially without a teacher to grade and correct my essays. At my school it’s common for kids to take one of the gov courses and then self study the other, so you should be fine with US & Comparative gov. Taking euro and US the same year seems rough, but doable if you’re actually enrolled in both courses. The college courses are what’s most concerning. If you know they will require a lot of work, why load up your AP schedule so heavily? If you want to take both college courses I would drop one of your history APs. Or, keep all your APs and drop the environmental science course since political science seems to fit well with the AP material you’re studying.
US study materials: AMSCO, Adam Norris YouTube videos
Euro: Crash Course or Barron’s, Hank’s History Hour podcasts (I think that’s what they’re called?)
Crash Course is great for both gov courses
Barron’s if you take Lit, CliffsNotes if you self-study Lang (If you take the class don’t worry about studying with a review book)
My calculus teacher gives out Barron’s review books, but I don’t think it really matters & a lot of kids don’t even use review books for calculus
One very important thing that you did not include is the amount of time required to write college apps and essays. Rising seniors always underestimate the amount of time this will take. Additionally, you are an international student, which means since your chances are diminished against domestic applicants, you really want to make sure that your application stands out.
Some other thoughts: Don’t take USH and Euro at the same time. There is no overlap in material and the workload in each, for me anyway, is insane. Focus on one English.