It’s been a month into junior year and I have the option to drop out of classes this week. Currently I’m taking these classes
-APUSH
-AP Calculus AB
-AP Chemistry
-Honors Physics
-Honors Amer. Lit.
-Honors Spanish
I’m deciding to drop AP Chem and replacing w/ an elective but I’m worried that not taking enough AP’s will be a flaw on my college app.My school offers 18 AP classes and its my first year taking an AP course. Will I still have a good chance on getting into a top 25 school?
My daughter attends a top 25 school and only took 5 AP classes. But at her school it was hard to take much more than that. I have always heard that they want to see that you took a rigorous course load but they take into account what each school offers. I would say the fact that you are taking a lot of honors and other AP courses, you should be fine, especially considering I assume you are not doing well in your chem class.
What did your schedule look like previous years? You said you didn’t take any AP’s. Did you take other honors courses?
I am surprised you can pick up another class a month into school.
Frosh i took mostly college prep (CP) classes - CP Lit 1, CP World History, Hon Geometry, CP Bio, CP Spanish II and CP Business
Soph i took mostly honors - CP Lit 2, Hon US History 1, Hon Math Analysis (Alg 2 & Pre-calc in one year), Hon Chem, Hon Spanish 3 and CP Comp and CP Art
I’m not 100% sure that I can pick up another class but it’s possible according to what my guidance counselor said
I currently have a B- in the class but i just bombed the last test and i feel that my grade will go downhill
It’s not about who has the most AP. It’s about the right rigor in cores. And top grades and AP scores.
And, when anyone thinks of “top 25,” you want to be the sort who doesn’t drop a class because the first grades were lower. What options do you have to bring it up? What possible college major? If you drop AP Chem, what will sr year look like- still get in all your sciences or overload with two next year?
Look at what courses your targets recommend, on ther web pages.
Tough decision.
My grade has been stagnant but it’s on the verge of going downhill. Idk if i have any options to bring it up because I’ve tried really hard on the tests and labs and haven’t made much progress. So far I want to major somewhere in STEM but lately I’ve been dreading chemistry and questioning myself if it’s a career choice i want to do. I enjoy physics a lot more than chemistry so senior year I will likely take AP Physics C since the AP Physics in our school is easier than AP Chemistry. I will update by the end of this week whether i keep/drop AP Chem
STEM areas that favor physics much more than chemistry include physics and most engineering areas (chemical engineering will require good knowledge of chemistry).
Are you allowed to take AP Physics C without AP Physics 1? Our school wouldn’t allow it, but we don’t have honors physics either, just CP or AP.
If you drop, will you still have a year each of biology, chemistry, and physics on your transcript? Those are the three years of lab sciences colleges want to see.
Why are you taking two sciences this year?
If you drop AP Chemistry, will your guidance counselor still check the box on his letter of recommendation stating you took the most rigorous classes available at your high school?
Yes I’m allowed to taking AP Physics C; Mechanics next year b/c I’m taking Honors Physics this year.
If I do drop I will still have a year for each science (bio, chem & physics) because I took those classes. AP Chemistry is 2nd year chemistry.
I took 2 sciences this year to see if I can take on the challenge and I want pursue a STEM career in the future
Currently I’m taking all my other classes in the honors/AP level, which is pretty rigorous but not technically the most rigorous because dropping AP Chem would be a decrease in rigor. I’m not sure if my guidance counselor would check it.
UPDATE: After much debate, I decided to stick with the class for the year because I’m currently in a good state right now and I’ll push myself this year to keep my grade up. I’ll only drop if it’s an emergency (like failing the class). Thanks to everyone for giving their opinions.