Hello. I am a freshman in high school and I have just made the water polo team. However, I am also enrolled in an AP class that I have been attending since the start of the year. Water polo practices everyday after school but the AP class is one day a week after school. I am also planning on taking around 3 AP classes next year. What is more beneficial this year, water polo or an AP class?
No one cares if you take another AP class, especially as a freshman. Plus, unless it’s AP Human Geo or Psychology, you’re probably not going to do well on it anyway unless you’re spectacularly smart. However, colleges care if you do something you love other than classes, including water polo.
I agree…do waterpolo and take AP classes later in HS. Nobody expects you to take after school AP classes as a freshman. Having more AP classes but some of them being “easier” ones is not that helpful in admissions.
Talk to your guidance counselor and parents about this though.
@TrumpFTW I believe that OP is not talking about a water polo class but rather participating in the water polo team (e.g. interscholastic competitions, practices everyday, varsity level).
Furthermore, many colleges do not accept certain AP classes as the equivalent of a college class. Plus, OP is a freshman; freshmen and underclassmen don’t perform well on AP exams other than HG and Psych, and receiving a 2-3 on an AP exam is admittedly a waste of time, especially when you could’ve taken it later.
We don’t know anything abut OP except this question. For all we know, he’s able to do well in the class and its exam. Or wants to get this AP out of the way to increase rigor in future years. Or maybe he loves water polo and the team is a great way to grow. And maybe the coach will let him miss one day/week.
OP, it’s a toss up.
I personally think that HS is a time to grow and try new things…not necessarily just ALL APs ALL THE TIME.
As a freshman, yes! Join a team! Learn persistence and teamwork! Learn how to manage your time! make friends!
Not take an AP class after school.
Do water polo. You’re a freshman. Be a freshman and enjoy being a freshman. It’s kind of ridiculous how soon our society pressures our children to do “college level” (HA) work.
Water polo will make you a more interesting applicant down the road.
Join the water polo team! You obviously like it enough that you tried out, and making the team as a freshman is terrific. You don’t need fifteen billion AP’s to get into the selective college of your choice. As Stanford puts it, “it’s not a game of who has the most Ap’s, wins.”
What classes are you taking this year and what classes are you planning to take next year?