Hi, I plan to take 6 APs for my senior year (screwed up big time freshman year, at least in my opinion and I can deal with this as i’ve dealt with 4 no problem) but to do this I cannot take a fourth science credit (Michigan only needs 3). Does Michigan care if I don’t take a 4th credit because I feel like it’s bad not to?
It’s not how many APs, it’s which ones. And whether you have all the core classes (precalculus/H, Foreign Language through level 4, 4 years each of English and social science history, each of Bio Chem Physics and one more…)
@MYOS1634 I do have all the core classes and I have taken bio chem physics. The AP classes I am taking or ap lit ap comp sci principles ap world ap gov ap comparative gov ap calc ab ap psych. So what do you think? you think it matters im not taking a fourth science?
Would you be applying to LSA for a social science major?
For starters, even though this is the internet, please punctuate and, where appropriate, capitalize; as is, the post above is difficult to read.
Secondly, since you are taking AP CSA now, I see no point in taking AP CS Principles next year.
Thirdly, I would personally take a science, which does not have to be AP, but I don;t know what options are available to you. But if you don’t, and you don’t get into UMich, it won’t be because you only had 3 sciences.
@MYOS1634 No, I will not.
What major are you applying for? This schedule suggests social science major to me.
@skieurope Okay, thanks for the help and sorry for the punctuation and capitalization. I am taking CSP because I have an interest in CS but I will not be majoring in it. I plan to major in the math field and I see no need in a science class as I have a good experience with it and can understand the topic well, especially physics. Why would you personally take a science class?
Can you take Calculus BC and Physics C and cut some other AP (AP psych definitely, either AP lit or AP world)?
Taking both would demonstrate your ability to handle math in two formats (pure and applied, as AP physics C uses calculus). Taking both of these would be more important to your major than taking six APs.
Honestly, I’m not too sure, all I know is I’m very interested in math and feel no need to take science as it would bring me down to 5.5 APs and the thought that I’m comfortable with mainly most sciences. You might say 5.5 APs is enough but seeing that I’m taking 5.5, I might as well take 6 as the second semester won’t be too much of a hassle for me being as I’m a senior
@MYOS1634
Okay, thanks for bringing this up, I really appreciate it as it can give me some more insight on this.
I am taking AB instead of BC because I have not taken Pre-Calculus honors, it is a much more simpler class compared to BC as one semester is covered throughout the whole year, and the main reason is that my family and friends tell me AB and BC provide me with nothing of a boost in college (other than of course, having experience of both semesters but I will be able to understand it either way).
Physics C, I was also considering but as I said in the above reply it brings me to 5.5, so if I’m taking 5.5 I might as well take 6 as it will look better for the common application.
I have taken AP lang so I might as well take AP lit, and English is required for all 4 years and regular English is 1 year long as well so I might as well take AP Lit.
I’ve always wanted to know a bit more about psychology and see what it can bring me on in the future. It could expand my horizon on majors for all I know. Also, it is an easier class and with all the other APs I’m dealing with it will be much less stressful.
As well as for AP world, AP world is a full year, whereas regular World History is half a year so cutting that would bring me to 5.5 APs unless I cut a full year AP elective for another one.
I completely agree with you that they will expand my ability in the math field, but my current focus right now would be to get accepted into Michigan, as my chances are not the best right now (3.64 GPA as of 2.5 years in out of 4 unweighted). So if these 6 APs would give me an advantage compared to 5.5 that would help and if this does help, getting the extra struggle and self-teaching won’t effect me.
No one is going to be counting APs.
6 AP’s vs 5.5 (or even 4 for that matter) will not boost your chances, particularly if you are not getting A’s in all of them. For you to make curriculum decisions based upon total AP’s is folly. This is not an arms race where the one with the most APs wins.
I disagree with @MYOS1634 (which happens very rarely).You should not take Calc BC given your current math course. One versus another will not impact college decisions,and you are likely to perform better with the slower pace of AB.
I can’t find a rationale explanation why a potential STEM major would not take science.
@skieurope : I had not seen that OP was in precalculus regular. Since she/he wants to be a math major I’d assumed precalculus honors. I corrected below.
@omghihowru
You only need 4 APs, above that the law of diminishing returns applies, 5 v.5.5 v6 is exactly the same for adcoms - as Stanford put it “it’s not a game of who has the most APs, wins”.
MSince you want to apply for math your main APs should be the most quantitative possible. Since the two most quantitative HS classes are calc bc and Physics C that’s what I had suggested.
However if you’re in precalculus regular it’d indeed be a problem to go from there to AP calc and AP calc AB may be the lesser of two evils. Precalculus regular typically leads to Calculus Honors which is meant for non quantitative majors. So AP calculus AB is already going to be a big step up. It’ll be sufficiently hard. And physics C isn’t possible in those circumstances.
What grade are you getting right now? How did you end up in regular Precalculus v. Honors precalculus since you want to be a math major?
Did your current math teacher recommend you for AP calc AB?
On the other hand, not taking the most rigorous math path in high school (or., Precalculus regular) and applying as a math major will be a problem for very selective colleges.
Can you dual enroll at a CC that might offer Discrete math and Logic? Have you taken AP statistics?
I’m trying to think of ways to boost your quantitative bona fide because your schedule as described reads “social major” NOT quantitative major. I don’t think it’d fly for a university Michigan’s caliber.
Another possibility might be to keep your schedule as is, cutting one AP, and applying as a social science major, switching during first semester.
Okay thank you, I understand that 6 to 5.5 may not impact my application.
Calculus honors is not taught in my school, it is only Calc AB and Calc BC. There are people in my school who take AB while taking Physics C, the only requirements for Physics C in my school are to currently be enrolled in any calculus class and to have taken Physics 1.
I got a 97 first semester of precalc and second semester just started but I am very sure it will be up there. I doubled up in Algebra 2 and Geometry last year if that’s what your asking (bit confused on what you’re telling me there). I have an unlikely option to switch from precalculus to precalc honors but the last day to switch was Friday but maybe I can make a switch (probably not), would that help (again, this will probably not happen but I can try)?
I may be able to dual enroll at a local CC but with those APs you’re telling me or even my 6 APs it will definitely be a lot of work, and I also planned senior year to be working so I can earn some money for my college life. During summer, if you plan on telling me to take them during summer, I am doing summer school for my college requirements (unless I can get gym waived, in that case, I can take one of the summer classes online then I can or I can take it during different hours of my gym class). I am currently in AP Statistics.
Thanks for thinking of ways to help me out, I really do appreciate it. To be quite honest with you, I am not the best at social studies, but I put a lot of effort in and that may or may not get me an A (most likely will). Also, I have no problem switching the first semester. If you think applying for social science is the best bet I’ve got, then I’ll do it.
Since I have said I’m not the best at social studies, I should also be asking should I switch out of AP world and AP comparative gov (gov is required and AP gov and regular gov are both 1 semester so I’ll be taking that whereas comparative is not required) due to this new information I have received? This may or may not bring a change in the social science major I could be applying for.
To clarify, my number one goal right now is to get accepted into Michigan and to see what I can do to maximize my chances. I know this started with 3 science credits but that was just a small step to this goal. Again, thanks for this, I really appreciate it. I understand this is a lot to take in.