Hi everyone!
I am a junior enrolled at a very small private school (there are only 25 kids in the entire 11th grade…so yeah, it’s TINY). Because of its extremely small size, my school does NOT offer any AP classes. Will not having any AP classes on my transcript hurt my chances when it comes time to apply to college or will it not be held against me considering my situation?
Although I don’t have any APs, I am enrolled in all “Honors” level classes (the highest level my school offers) and am receiving dual-enrollment college credits for my Physics, English, and Economics classes.
Your school will submit a school profile along with your transcript that would indicate that no AP’s are offered. Colleges expect you to take the most rigorous program available, which you are doing. You will nlt be expected to take what is not offered of course.
My kids in same situation. It has not been a problem. So far son has been admitted to 4 very good colleges. Still waiting for more decisions. The only thing I do see though is that at certain colleges kids with AP credits may graduate sooner due to not having to take as many courses. Something to look in to. Also, you can take the AP exam without having to be in a class but if you felt you needed prep there are online AP courses. Check the AP website.
My DD15 didn’t have AP offered at her high school either. While she didn’t get into her reaches, I don’t think it was due to lack of APs. She was waitlisted at UChicago and Notre Dame. (3.9UW GPA and 1460 old SAT). Hope that helps.
If you’ve looked at AP curriculum and find yourself seeing overlap between your dual enrollment or other classes at school, then maybe it would be a good idea to write the AP exams for those courses this year. You can lurk around and find textbooks or other material online to help you prepare for the tests. Writing the exams will help you obtain some credits if you do well on them (scoring a 4 or 5 usually). See if you can still register for the exams through your school or another school nearby. You may need to contact a few people to get the process started, but it is not impossible.
While true, the OP asked about college admissions, not college credit. Let’s not muddy the waters.
To the OP, the other users are correct. Colleges will view your transcript against what is available. No college will expect courses that the HS does not offer.
Colleges expect you to take the most challenging courses you can at your school
For example, this is what Stanford says:
Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and A-Levels: Courses and Scores
Our admission process allows—and indeed encourages—the flexibility of a high school to design the most appropriate curricular offerings and opportunities for its students. What a course is named or whether it concludes with a standardized test is considerably less important to us than the energy a student contributes to the learning process and the curiosity with which he or she investigates questions and pursues ideas. Sometimes this challenging high school course load will include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or A-Level classes; other high schools choose to offer equally demanding courses that neither carry a particular designation nor lead to an exam.
We look for thoughtful, eager and highly engaged students who will make a difference at Stanford and in the world beyond. We expect that these students have taken high school course loads of reasonable and appropriate challenge in the context of their schools. We do not have a preference for any particular curriculum.
Students currently enrolled in AP courses are not required to submit AP scores as part of our admission process. AP scores that are reported are acknowledged but rarely play a significant role in the evaluation of an application. Grades earned over the course of a term, or a year, and evaluations from instructors who can comment on classroom engagement provide us with the most detailed insight into a student’s readiness for the academic rigors of Stanford.
OP, the top colleges expect you to take the most rigorous course schedule you can at your high school. You will not be penalized if your HS does not offer AP courses. But, in my opinion, this always makes guidance counselor letters and teacher letters of recommendation much more important. Without APs and if you applying to a school that is not familiar with your HS (familiar means that the college has accepted applicants on a fairly regular basis), those letters will really let a college know about you, your abilities, and where you stand in relation to your current class and past classes. And your actual essays you write just might be the most determinative factor. My advice is tailored at selective colleges, but even if that it not your target, I hope you can see how it is scalable. Good luck your junior year! Everyone knows it’s such a bear.