I took 0 AP classes as a freshman. (School didn’t allow anyone to as a freshman)
I’m currently taking 1 AP as a sophomore (Comp Sci Principles)
3-4 AP classes next year (APUSH, Physics, AP euro, and AP Bio)
3-4 Senior Year (AP Calc BC, AP Chem, AP Gov, and AP English)
This results in a range of 8 to 9 AP Classes. Is this is a good amount for some top colleges or should I aim more (possibly at 10?) thanks!
It depends on how many APs your school offered and which school you are applying to. If you were allowed to take 8 APs sophomore year but only took 1, that may hurt.
No it won’t.
Once a student hits 6-8 APs total for 4 years, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. Each additional AP will not appreciably strengthen an application. Most high schools limit the APs freshman and sophomores can take. That said, if another student from your school applies to the same college with 12 APs and you have 6, in that case, there may be preference to the first student, all other things being equal (which is never really the case, though).
@studiousstudier I could only take 1-2 AP classes cause I have lunch and gym and it’s not like I can take AP English and AP Calc Bc sophomore year.
@skieurope Makes sense. I’m going to stick to the 8-9 AP classes
Its fine. My child took none her freahman year, one sophomore year and then loaded up and did just fine with college admissions.
Some high schools limit AP classes freshman and sophomore year, but others do not. Many do things like use APs to replace Honors classes, while other high schools require completing honors level classes (esp in sciences) before permitting enrollment in AP classes. As a result, you will see some students here with 10+ AP classes here because that is how their high school’s curriculum is structured, while others will have half that, which will be what top students at their high schools can fit in. So bottom line, don’t worry about what you see here that other students are taking. Do what you can within the context of your school’s curriculum.
8-9 AP classes is plenty. Unless your school only offers a handful, I can’t imagine a GC not checking the “most rigorous” box because you didn’t take every single AP available. DD’s school offers plenty of APs, but a good number of them are strictly electives. Fitting in the actual graduation requirements, students really only have room for two electives a year (unless you knock out a requirement at summer school -and honors and AP classes aren’t offered in the summer). The few APs available to underclassmen are pretty much electives. Juniors and seniors can take APs in the core subjects, but even the most exceptional students have to make choices.