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How many AP classes should I take?
My school isn't very big, so it only offers 10 AP classes (I think). But anyway, for college admissions, how many is too many? Some kids take 5 or 6 classes and they end up being miserable. I want to have time to do other things in the areas I want to focus on (Science and Foreign Languages). Anyway, in my junior and senior years I can take 4 classes each (English, math, science, French). Is that too much? If it helps any, I'm planning on applying to several Ivy League schools. Thanks in advance!
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The second answer is the correct answer: take AP classes that don't relate to your major. You want to exempt as many gen ed requirements as possible so you can get to work on your major as quickly as possible when you enter college. If you're applying to several Ivy League schools, I suggest you take as many APs as possible and sell your soul to Satan now, because I took 6 AP classes, scores of 4s and 5s on all of them, and still didn't get into the Ivy I applied to.
Also beware of what AP credits the colleges you're applying to will actually take. Some schools will only accept AP test scores of a 5, some will accept 3 and above. Similarly, some credits may not transfer over. I ran into this problem with my AP English Language and Composition class: all freshman at my school were required to take two writing courses anyway, so I couldn't use the credit I learned in AP English to exempt a class. Don't waste your time on classes where the credits won't transfer.
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Wow, How small is my school then? They only offer like 2. English & Bio.
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I hate to contradict your first poster, but my experience with AP classes was a little different. I would actually recommend taking all the classes that are NOT related to what you want to study in college. I know that sounds crazy, but let me explain why.
Everyone has to take core classes in college. Generally you need a math, science, foreign language, English/composition, etc. These classes are to help you be a more rounded person and for those that still don't know exactly what they want to study, but they don't generally relate much to your major. If you take AP classes in those areas, you can skip them and start taking classes for your major right away.
Now, if you take AP classes in the area you want to study, you could run into some problems. Generally AP classes are a little easier than college classes. Regardless of what they tell you, I found my college courses much more demanding than their AP counterparts.
Secondly, you will have to start with upper level courses if you've already exempted the lower level courses. This could put you in an extremely demanding course without all the proper information. This gets even worse if you took the AP class Junior year of high school and then take the upper level class in College second semester freshman year. Not only are you lacking some information, you're trying to recall the information you do have from two years ago!
However, in areas other than your major, you won't have to take any upper level classes. You can just skip your core requirements and get straight to your major. This frees up more time to focus on the area that interests you.
Ultimately, college classes are designed to build on each other. Professors in any given department know each other. They know what the other professors teach and are therefore better equipped to prepare you for higher level courses.
I know it's completely against what most people will tell you, but this is what I found out the hard way once I got to college. Good luck!
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If you know what your major is going to be I would focus only on those AP clases that have a direct effect on that major. I would not focus on the Liberal arts classes such as English and Math if the are not part of your major.
I would also try calling the schools you are looking to attend. Speak with the admissions office. Many schools do not see in the transcripts they receive that a class is an AP class. All they see is the grade.This is something you need to know. Does your school transcript point out AP classes and do the schools you wish to attend give any special admissions points in the selection process to someone with AP classes.
The challenge of the AP class is an excellent reason for taking them. If your school does not point this out and say you earn a low B. Then someone with an A in a non AP class could be selected ahead of you if the schools you apply to is not aware your B is in an AP class. Also some schools do not give any special selection points to students with AP classes other than that these students challenge themselves more.
My advise is: That while the challenge of the AP class is well worth the effort. You need to know if the challenge is going to harm your chaces of receiving an admission to your school of choice. So make the calls and do the research. Then decide which if any AP classes you should take.
By the way you every right to know what the physical transcript that your school uses looks like. They may be reluctant to show it to you so you may have toi ask your parents to ask for a blank copy of=d to be shown what one looks like.
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