I am currently taking Spanish 3 and wondering if I should take Spanish 4 (honors but not AP) in my senior year. This conflicts with my goal of taking all APs my senior year. My GPA is 4.0 unweighted and I am a junior taking Calc BC and AP stats and a bunch of other APs. Also, I already speak another language fluently, so would colleges like Harvard care if I don’t take 4 years of Spanish.
What is the reason that taking all AP courses is a goal?
What does your schedule look like, and which course would be replace with Spanish 4?
Also, what language do you plan to take in college (if any)? If you want to keep taking Spanish in college, I’d recommend you take it in your senior year so your skills don’t get rusty.
I want to replace Spanish with AP Chemistry and I am not really planning on taking any foreign language in college.
It would be totally foolish to do all APs (which probably means 6+) senior year, when you’ll be dealing with extra-curricular activities, college applications, and scholarships, which arguably carry as much work as another class in high school. What have you taken already and what is your prospective senior schedule (with and without Spanish IV)?
Not only should you take Spanish IV, but you should replace some of non-core APs with interesting electives or study halls so that you only have four MAX. After taking about eight or so college (dual enrollment) or college-level high school (AP/IB) courses throughout high school, any additional ones start to lose effect on your overall course rigor. So, if you’re doing this for college admissions, it would be a major waste of time. If you want to take an excessive amount of APs (5 or 6 or more) for your own personal enjoyment and learning purposes, then go right ahead, but it is still a poor choice.
This isn’t an attempt to be judgmental; I am a senior and I definitely was a little too ambitious with my schedule (5 APs + level IV foreign language + dual enrollment). My grades really didn’t suffer, but some days I am totally swamped with work and left with almost no free time.
So often, the way kids ask makes me wonder if they looked at what the college suggests. https://college.harvard.edu/are-there-secondary-school-course-requirements-admission
I don’t entirely agree about electives, not if they’re wacky or the sort of vocational courses some hs offer. But if OP needs to drop language to fit in AP chem, i do wonder what the other AP are, if he’s stuffing his list.
And again about how important it is to be informed, when you want a tippy top: H is on record stating it’s not all about the longest list of AP; not that he with the most AP wins.
Colleges like 4 years of FL.
I would counsel against all APs Senior year, and this is why.
FIrst you want to be able to do well in all of your classes. That will be more difficult when you have 6 APs.
In the fall, you are in college application season. You may be taking the SAT again. You may want to visit some more colleges. You have to write college- specific essays (hopefully you already wrote your common app essay over the summer.). You have to fill out your Common App and get recommendations.
Also you may be in marching band or Sports or be a leader of a club. College Apps is like another timesucking EC on top of that.
Then in the spring, you may have senioritis. You are been accepted to college and are looking toward the finish line. You have to study for the AP tests…it will be difficult to study for too many at once.
Stanford U says:
“We expect applicants to pursue a reasonably challenging curriculum, choosing courses from among the most demanding courses available at your school. We ask you to exercise good judgment and to consult with your counselor, teachers and parents as you construct a curriculum that is right for you. Our hope is that your curriculum will inspire you to develop your intellectual passions, not suffer from unnecessary stress. The students who thrive at Stanford are those who are genuinely excited about learning, not necessarily those who take every single AP or IB, Honors or Accelerated class just because it has that designation.”