My current schedule is this:
AP Studio Art
AP Calc AB
Philosophy and Literature
AP Chinese
AP French
AP Psych
I have one remaining slot. The courses for consideration are:
Honors Computer Science
AP Physics Mechanics
AP Biology
AP Literature
For this discussion, I would like to focus solely on the impact of my admissions chances (I’m looking at a few Ivies and high-tier liberal arts schools). As a student, my focus is very clearly not STEM - I’m selling myself as more of a Humanities person. However, most schools seem to want four years of science. Just in terms of admissions chances, which do you all think would make the best choice?
Actually, having 2 foreign languages at the AP level allows you to bypass the 4th year of science. Since you’re “packaging” yourself as a humanities person, in your case, I’d go with AP lit.
What science have you taken already? If you’ve taken Bio, Chem, and Physics already, I wouldn’t worry about the science and go with AP Lit.
Make sure that you fulfill the minimum requirement for the colleges you are applying to and if that involves taking a fourth year of a science that should come first. I am not aware of what @MYOS1634 was saying about how taking 2 AP languages will bypass the need for the fourth year of a science, but if that’s true then definitely don’t take another year of a science as that is not your interest. If 4 years of a science is not a must at the schools you are applying to definitely take AP Literature as it is one of the best ap courses for humanities. And if you do have to take a fourth year of science, I would strongly recommend reworking your schedule so you can take ap lit as it is truly a great course for humanities.
Not to speak for @MYOS1634 but that was given as an example.
Many top colleges may recommend 4 years of each core subject (English, math, science, history/social studies, foreign language). However, there may be instances where an applicant doubles up along the way and is on track to graduate with 5 years of science, but only 3 years of history or, in this example 5+ years of foreign language, and 3 years of science. That lop-sided schedule may be fine as long as the schedule aligns with the applicant’s intended major and the university in question (i.e. more foreign language in lieu of science probably will not bode well for Caltech.)
I would recommend AP Bio or AP Physics if you want to look your best for your schools and do what they are looking for, but if you have a passion for a different class that you have the option of taking and you can really show them that it’s really important to you in your application, do that. Otherwise, play it safe and do the four years of science.