Should I take 5 AP's?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I really screwed up freshman year and that caused me to not get into any AP's in sophomore year. Now its junior year, and I feel that my transcript isn't impressive at all. Here is is:</p>

<p>Freshman Year
English Honors 1 - B,B (B's both semesters)
World History Honors - B,B
Art Appreciation - C,B
Advanced Algebra 2 - B,B
French 1 - B,B</p>

<p>Bio over the summer - A,A</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
Honors Math Analysis (precalc) - A,B
Chemistry - A,A
Health - A
Computer Science - A
Honors English 2 - B,B
French Honors - A,A</p>

<p>US History over the summer - B,A</p>

<p>EC:
Piano - studying for level 10 (last level)
Held a job as a tutor/corrector for about 2 years
Doing community service at an hospital - going to get at least 250 hours by the end of the school year</p>

<p>Right now, I'm a junior and I'm taking:
AP Comp Sci
AP Chem
AP Language
AP Calc BC
French 3 Honors
PE</p>

<p>Since my transcript isn't exactly attractive, I thought about adding AP Physics to my current course load. I have 4 AP's and an honors class already so I'm somewhat afraid that adding AP Physics will cause me to mess up again. There is close to no work in AP Computer Science besides the reading and occasional coding. It's more of an elective. However, I love any form of science. The problem is that school has been in session for 2.5 weeks already and I've been fighting with the admistration to take AP Physics. Even if I do get in, I'll have to catch up on quite a bit of work. Do you think adding AP Physics is a good idea or am I just biting off more than I can chew? By the way, I'm fighting to take AP Physics because I'm interested in Biomedical Engineering so physics is probably important for my major. Thanks so much for any advice you can give me. I'm really scared and stressed right now :(</p>

2

<p>Take the classes you want to take. It makes sense not to take a course if you are scared about taking it. Don't just take AP's for the sake that they're AP's, or else your grades can suffer.</p>

3

<p>Yes, but how else am I going to shine up my transcript? I want to go to:
University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, UC San Diego, Johns Hopkins</p>

4

<p>Take Physics. It isn't that bad. CMU and Hopkins would appreciate it.</p>

5

<p>Is there a lot of material and can I catch up on the first 2.5 weeks if I spend a good weekend on it?</p>

6

<p>You shine up your transcript by taking classes you are interested in, like I said. You don't take AP Chemistry, Biology, and Physics and then in a college application tell colleges that you want to go into a Foreign Language and hate science. Trust me, college applications are supposed to be natural, but everything today is turned into a game. If you had followed your interests from the beginning your college application would have written itself. That's not directed at you, just in general.</p>