I’m currently doing course selections right now, and I got recommended for AP Bio by my current science teacher.
I don’t know if three AP classes will be too much. I’m willing to study and work hard, and I enjoy the challenge, but I’m still not 100% sure. Any advice based off previous experiences of being in the class(es)/being the parent of a kid who took the class(es)?
It depends upon how rigorous and demanding these courses are at your school and what’s your own academic/ effort level is and what other time demands you have. Some students can take 6 high rigor AP classes with ease, others can’t handle 2 with average class rigor. AP exams aren’t too difficult for a good student but maintaining course load and grades in several AP classes at a rigorous school can eat up all of your time and not leave any for extracurriculars.
I took APUSH and AP Lang. I didn’t take AP Bio, but I did do AP Chem, AP Physics 1/C, and APES. So, I think the schedule is manageable.
APUSH and AP Lang are writing intensive classes. They will make you a better writer, but that means there probably will be a lot of work to put into them. In APUSH, make sure to take detailed class notes, and for AP Lang, make sure to look at released exam questions and scored answers. I loved the Princeton Review for APUSH, but I didn’t feel that I needed it in Lang. Crash Course is also useful for APUSH.
For AP Science classes, I definitely recommend Princeton Review or another review book. Regardless of AP Exams, they’re a good reference and easier to understand than a textbook- super helpful if you get lost in class!
I think that if you’re willing to put in effort, you’ll be able to succeed and it will be manageable.
Obviously, for questions like this, it comes down to the individual student, as well as the teachers who are teaching those classes at the student’s HS. That said, on the face of it, a good student would typically be able to handle those three classes.
To be repetitive - completely dependent on you as a student. My younger D has Lang, USH, Chem, BC, and Psych. My older D started with Lang, USH, and AB and dropped USH in the first week based on workload.
Think about how rigorous your workload has been to date - any AP courses, or several honors courses? If you’ve been fairly successful in a rigorous schedule to date, these three aren’t excessive for strong students
Are you a senior? Junior? My D took AP Lit AP Italian and AP Bio with the rest of her classes honors level. She was miserable. The AP Bio just proved too much for her. She didn’t “need” it as she doubled up sciences in her junior year she ended up dropping it. Like others have said it really depends on the individual, what they need and the rigor of the classes Don’t forget to be a kid! Don’t kill yourself. Look at where you will be applying to college what are they looking for in a profile what requirements they have.
Talk to students in your own school who have taken all three to get a sense of what the work load is like in your school.
APUSH isn’t that bad, I’m doing well in the class and usually don’t do any of the assigned videos because they take too long—here’s a little secret. For every period, look up “APUSH Period X key concepts filled in” and everything you need to know will be there. Memorize everything on those, understand how to write a good DBQ/LEQ and practice interpreting documents, and honestly it becomes easy.