<p>Generally, most of the smart kid in my school take AP Chem their Junior year and AP Physics their Senior year. However, I'm planning to take AP Environmental my Junior year and Honors Forensics my Senior year.</p>
<p>In college, I plan to major in Environmental Science and Economics, straying far far away from the Chem/Physics/Engineering department. So is it really recommended that I take these courses for the pure sake of rigor? I would also be sacrificing a good chunk of my GPA.</p>
<p>However, since I'll have a lot of time next year with the easy APs, I'm planning to self-study AP Human Geo (to go with Env Sci) and AP Micro/Macro (to go with Econ). So pretty much I'm just going to end up taking a bunch of easy APs next year.</p>
<p>So pretty much it comes down to this.</p>
<p>7 Easy Relevant APs + Good GPA - vs - 4 Rigorous APs + Okay GPA</p>
<p>Take the classes that are meaningful for you. You will learn more. You will get better grades. You will be a happier person. Don’t worry about this one.</p>
<p>Alright, thanks a lot!</p>
<p>I would never have considered it in the first place but my guidance counselor (and a few of my teachers) were all up in my face about it. They were telling me that I was underachieving (which I wasn’t) and that colleges won’t like what I’m doing. Which is really annoying, because I had 80s in Pre Calc and Honors Chem this year. Both teachers wanted to recommend me for AP despite my low grade because: “Your brother was brilliant, and I know you have the potential to be just as successful as he is.”</p>
<p>While I agree with happymom, rigor>relevant for admission. </p>
<p>Self studying APs doesn’t really add towards your AP count because self-studying doesn’t entail the rigor that comes with the class. Colleges give self-studied APs little weight.</p>
<p>By the way, if you’re planning to major in environmental science, I’d say chem is pretty important. I’m 100% with you on dodging physics though.</p>
<p>It really depends on what you’re shooting for though… to a certain level, taking a good number of APs is really all that matters, no matter which APs they are.</p>
<p>Ha, I bet I asked you pretty much the same exact question like three times. At first I was debating with myself, the second time with my parents, now my teachers/counselors.</p>
<p>Anyways, I might end up taking AP Chem over Honors Forensics my Senior year. Depends on if I’ll have the test scores to somewhat balance out the low GPA or not. But personally in Honors Chem this year, I haven’t found any relevancy between Chemistry and Environmental Science. My Honors Chem teacher is also the AP Chem teacher, so I’m not expecting much to be honest.</p>
<p>And whether colleges put big weight on self-studying or not, I’ll probably end up self-studying Human Geo and Micro/Macro at least, since it’s not offered in my school and it’s probably good background to have for college.</p>
<p>Second what Pancaked posted. Take AP chemistry- colleges are looking for Lab sciences. AP Human Geography is probably the least respected AP and uses the worst book of all AP’s. It is easy to say you will self study, much harder to do. Start looking at some of your possible colleges for what courses they like to see and what they look for for admissions. Rigor of curriculum shows up as number 1 along with GPA at many colleges.</p>
<p>Will colleges care whether I take AP Chem senior year or junior year? I’d personally like to push it off if I can. I’m taking AP Biology this year as a sophomore, and it’s killing me). My dream school is Stanford, but to be a little more realistic, I’m aiming for Brown/Dartmouth.</p>
<p>No, it shouldn’t matter which year you take it.</p>
<p>AP EnvSci is pretty weak in chemistry… You really only hit it with greenhouse/ozone, but even then its reallly dumbed down… But chemistry is far more important to environmental science than course lets on. Many environmental problems are chemically based. AP Chem would be really good, particularly if you’re aiming for Ivy level schools, but you certainly don’t HAVE to take it.</p>
<p>And I definitely didn’t mean to say you shouldn’t self study. If you want to learn the stuff, and possibly get credit, definitely go for it. It will count for something in admission, but I was just saying self-studying is not the same as taking an AP course in terms of admission.</p>
<p>By the way, I don’t know aaanything about your profile, but calling Brown/Dartmouth a “little more realistic” than Stanford is a bit of a stretch haha. Brown/Dart have slightly higher admit rates but they’re all incredibly selective. Just something to think about.</p>
<p>Ah, I should mention that I’m an Asian from New York, that’s why Stanford would be rather unrealistic for me. xP</p>
<p>And thanks for your advice, again! I definitely see what you’re saying about Chem now.</p>