<p>I'm only taking 3 APs senior year because I want a life. That sounds bad, but the harder classes I take the more I have to stay at home while others have fun. Some people like to take 8 APs and study in all their free time but I won't. </p>
<p>I don't understand how limiting your life and spending more time on school shows that you are "smarter".</p>
<p>*The rest of course (3) are Honors.</p>
<p>Not exactly smarter (although they probably will be by graduation), but just more prepared for college. Because when you’re IN college, all of your classes will be, well, college classes. If you take a huge load of AP/college level classes during the year right before college, then you are more prepared than someone who took a smaller load.</p>
<p>Slacking senior year is gonna bite you in the A** when it comes time to apply and everyone has a harder schedule than you…</p>
<p>Not necessarily. You take 4 classes in college and by no means do they compare to “AP” classes. AP Biology/AP History classes in my school are hours of copying from the book. I doubt I will have to do that in college. If classes were based only on knowledge/tests I’d be glad to take all AP classes, but they’re not.</p>
<p>It’s about showing that you still try in school despite almost being done with HS.
You’re sort of sending the message that you’re taking it easy by not taking the harder classes.
This makes them think that you’ll be more likely to take it easy in college, if you can’t be bothered to take the tougher classes in high school.
ALTHOUGH: If you only took 3 or 4 AP’s Junior year, you’re really not making a change (to you, anyway) and you’re probably fine.</p>
<p>Hm I don’t know. I know plenty of people who haven’t taken any/barely any APs who got into top schools. But I don’t know if it was considered a bad thing.</p>
<p>“Hm I don’t know. I know plenty of people who haven’t taken any/barely any APs who got into top schools. But I don’t know if it was considered a bad thing.”</p>
<p>There are exceptions regarding course load and acceptances, but those are exceptions. Most admissions officers emphasize academics and look at the difficulty of your transcript first before others. That doesn’t mean they don’t take your other credentials into account since they do judge you holistically, but if you’re going to be slacking off at the beginning of your senior year compared to your junior year, something else in your application better make up for it.</p>
<p>I don’t think colleges will outright reject you because of your comparatively “lighter” course load, but it’s still nice to play on the safe side in unknown territory, right?</p>
<p>But good luck! 
(And I must say, I envy you for making that decision. :P)</p>
<p>EDIT: Ah, I completely forgot to answer the overarching question, my bad.</p>
<p>I don’t think either schedule has to be “more impressive” than the other, but just make sure colleges think you’re challenging yourself. They’re going to be familiar with your school and the courses they offered, and if they see you didn’t take the most rigorous curriculum, they’re going to be wondering.</p>
<p>But of course, going back to my earlier statements, there are exceptions, but better safe than sorry. :)</p>
<p>Since when is 3 AP’s and 3 honors slacking? Does your school suck and therefor the honors classes are jokes? IDK why people are telling you to step it up???</p>
<p>“Since when is 3 AP’s and 3 honors slacking? Does your school suck and therefor the honors classes are jokes? IDK why people are telling you to step it up???”</p>
<p>Compared to students’ schedules from other high schools, this is considered to be slacking, probably because of the vast differences between the schools.</p>
<p>But once again, college admissions officers will be familiar with the curriculum offered at applicants’ schools. More AP courses are offered in other schools than in others, but they want to see if you took the most rigorous courses.</p>
<p>Usually people take 1-2 more ap’s senior year than junior year because they have a class like H precalc or Spanish 3. I would advice 4-6 ap’s junior and senior year.</p>
<p>You can have a life while taking 6 ap’s. Those 6 ap’s should in no way impact your weekend life or make you study till after midnight. Most people just do not know how to manage their time efficiently. And that is one of the most valuable skills that you can have in life.</p>
<p>limabeans01- 2/3 Honors classes are easier - only 1 of which the colleges will know by looking at its course name. The APs are hard - Science and Math. </p>
<p>Nascent- I agree, however the only AP I am considering at this point - although a guarenteed A for me - is one of those “just copy the whole book” classes.</p>
<p>thisismymingzi- At my school, you can take up to 7 APs senior year, which few, but some do (top 1-2 people/crazies).</p>
<p>yourecool: why did you ask the question when it’s clear from the onset that you’re going to defend your position? You signed up for it, you’re gonna have to live with it. </p>
<p>But clearly understand that if you’re applying to the top colleges, even your strong-ish schedule will be eclipsed by people who are taking 4-5 AP classes with ease (i.e. getting 4.0) and “still having a life” – trust me: I see them all the time as an interviewer for my HYP alma mater. Just don’t complain if your admissions results aren’t all what you want them to be.</p>
<p>It’s not about appearing “smarter” – it’s about others easily demonstrating that they can achieve at the highest levels. If that’s not a goal for you, that’s fine. No one says one is smarter than another – but for competitive college admissions, the extremely high achievers and most motivated learners are separated from those who aren’t. This should not be a surprise, right?</p>