Currently scheduling for my senior year and I’m worried about juggling everything!
My plan for right now is:
AP Government
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics
AP English Literature
AP Stats
Marketing
Study Hall (All Year)
I’m taking 5 APs (I’m only taking 3 this year) and so I’m worried about balancing those classes with their homework and soccer in the fall and then having a job. Does anyone have any thoughts on these classes and if it’ll be too much? Especially AB v. BC calculus because I’m up in the air on which one I should take! Thanks for your help!
Going from 3 -> 5 APs is doable (less risky than going from 0 -> 5)
And you also have study hall, which will allow you time to tackle hw/studying.
What’s a bit concerning is the fall semester, when you’ll have soccer AND a job to factor into your schedule. Although it is possible, you will probably have to start sacrificing free time and sleep - to some degree.
If I’m not mistaken, the difference between AB and BC Calc is an extra unit or two, I think. If you’re good at math, go ahead and do BC.
If you don’t mind me asking, what 3 AP courses are you taking right now?
@noemii Thanks for answering! Currently I’m taking AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, and AP English Language. I’m not too too worried about the jump from 3->5 but mainly, like you pointed out, with everything going on in the fall. I probably won’t have a job in the fall with playing soccer though so I’m thinking that should lessen the stress a little? And I’m decent at math (A’s) but not that strong and it takes me a bit longer to understand it, so I’m worried about keeping up. But I feel that if it’s only a couple of added units then it would be worth it to take it and get more college credit for it.
Sorry for the late reply - but I’m pretty sure that you’ll be fine!
Yes, that will be more manageable w/out a job in the fall while you have soccer.
I think it’d be worth it to take the BC test one way or another - it seems to only be an extra unit or two, but you’ll be moving at a fast pace.
If you decide to take AB Calc instead and find class to be easy - then you can self study the other unit of BC Calc and still take the BC test in May, but only if you want to. I know some people do this.
Colleges don’t make a difference between AB and BC and you’ll likely “retake” calculus in college anyway, so go with AB. You can take AP Stats as an elective but it’s not necessary and unless you’re hoping to major in the social sciences, it makes little sense considering you’re also taking calculus. Statistics is a VERY useful class to take, one basically every college student should have, but it should be taken in college, not in HS (this is the kind of class that’s important to employers, and employers don’t care what you did in HS).
AB/BC isn’t a unit or two: AB is the typical AP pace of 1 semester of college content spread over 8-9 months, whereas BC is college-paced, meaning it’s about double the content. If OP is getting A’s in Honors Precalculus and aiming for a STEM major, taking BC would make sense as it’ll help the transition to college, but most colleges don’t make a difference in admissions between AB and BC.
One class missing is Foreign Language (up to level 4 or AP is expected for selective colleges) - did you complete that level this year?
It’s often recommended not to take a study hall senior year, but rather take a class you find fun - this shows intellectual curiosity (you were given a chance to take a class and you chose not to learn something new = not good.) However if you stick to this schedule, it’d probably make sense and be necessary.
@MYOS1634 Thanks for your reply! I am taking Honors 4 this year so my foreign language is done and I’m thinking about going into marketing which is why I’m taking marketing and I consider that my “fun” class. The fun class I originally wanted to take was DMA which was 2 bells and a lot of commitment so I chose to drop that and go with the business class instead to get a feel to see if I would want to go into marketing!
@MYOS1634 I’m sorry, you’re right. I was mislead b/c I saw several other threads on CC recently, saying that it was only a difference of an extra unit or two & my friends who are took both AB & BC refered to BC as being a “repeat” of AP Calc AB with “some extra stuff”.
from what I have heard, stats is very manageable and gov is only 1 semester. If you did APUSH, this class becomes very easy. Calculus and AP physics should be your top priory, English is an honors class you’ve probably been doing since 7th 9as have i), just do your homework and your good. Great balanced schedule.
