<p>I was wondering if I can still apply to a top university with my number of APs. I go to a small all-girls private school, where they don't let you take any APs until junior year. After that, they let you take 3 per year, but I've convinced the administration to let me take 4/year. So, they are as follows:
junior year:
Calc BC
APUSH
Bio
Stat
senior year:
Comp Science
Chem
Physics
Psych
+ honors multivariable calculus
This is an intensely rigorous courseload at my school, but I'm worried that 8 isn't enough for admission to a top university.
Thanks!! :) </p>
<p>If you are limited by your school, the colleges will recognize that. Make sure your GC includes that bit of info on his/her recommendation.</p>
<p>There is never a certain number of AP required for any school. You just need to demonstrate a rigor curriculum and excel in it.</p>
<p>Okay! So, it’s not about the number you take, it’s within the parameters of your school and taking the maximum rigor available?</p>
<p>Often time it is not even the maximum rigor available but your GC considered to be very high vigor. For instance, you don’t need to take all 10 AP a school offers to be considered high vigor if most students take 3 or less in the same school.</p>
<p>Don’t pay too much attention to some of the amazing numbers of AP classes or tests that some kids take and post here on CC. At your school 8 may well be too many. Are they all classes you’re really excited about taking? How many AP classes did other successful top university applicants from your school take? After you answer those questions decide how many you want to take, but I’d caution against being stuck on a particular number.</p>
<p>Considering 6-8 APs is pretty much the maximization point for APs, OP’s schedule is just fine as far as number. But, taking a look at it again, there’s no AP-level English course - bad move, you need at least AP Lang or AP Lit. And AP Chem and AP Physics in the same year borders on insanity. If you are going to pair two sciences, make sure one is Bio. And put one of the English classes, preferably AP Lang, in place of either Comp Sci or Stats.</p>
<p>I would choose between AP Physics and AP Chem, unless you’re talking Physics 1 and not C. I’d replace that with AP English Language.</p>
<p>It really depends what is your intended major and which college are you going. AP Eng may be useless for some engineering school that do not offer credit for it. At least, it would be less useful than AP Comp Sci. If you really want to take AP Eng Lang, you may drop the Stat which is less useful. I don’t see why you want 2 Math classes in Junior. Also, OP has already taken AP Bio in Junior. As his school only offer AP to junior and senior, it will be inevitably to have 2 science in one year if he is talking all three AP Sciences. You may switch Bio and Chem though. Check with you GC if AP Chem at your school requires additional lab period.</p>
<p>It’s not a matter of getting credit for AP Lang, it’s a matter of demonstrating you can handle college level work in all core subjects. STEM major need to write also, too many of them think they don’t and it winds up being a major stumbling block in their careers - let alone admission to top colleges. </p>
<p>It’s often said by admissions officers that they can tell more about a student by what they avoided than what they took - and avoiding the tough classes in any area doesn’t look good. Fit AP Lang in there somewhere at the expense of one of the lesser math classes.</p>
<p>I think I might be able to fit AP Lit into my senior year schedule, on top of all of that. Thank you for all of the advice, this really is very useful. I’m taking all the math/science APs my senior year solely because they interest me, but I can understand how this might look a little insane. As for the junior year classes, I’m a junior now, so they’re basically in the past.</p>
<p>Admissions offices do not care about a high number of AP exams, as much as many people think they do. 3 in junior year is fine. What matters more is that they are in critical classes like math and English. and that you score well in them. If you took APUSH, BC Calc, and English Language and Composition and got all 5s, that would be better than taking 4 classes and getting 3s and 4s. If Junior year goes well, then I might consider taking 4 in your Senior year.</p>
<p>If you are interested in science, perhaps replace APUSH with a Science AP in Junior year. I think if you took BC Calc, English Lang and Comp, and AP Chemistry, along with your other classes, that would be reasonable.</p>