AP classes? Which one should I take and how much is too much?

Question

For my junior year, I plan on taking AP English 11, AP U.S. History, AP Psychology, AP Spanish, AP Chemistry Prep and PreCalc Honors. This will be my first year taking any AP courses and I've never taken honors. My reason for taking these classes is because they were suggested by my teachers and counselor. Will this be too much for me to handle? Should I drop some; if so what do you suggest? How will this benefit me for college?

Answer 1

First of all, for college, consider what is more important to you.  Having good grades you can show colleges how smart you are, or having the experience to do well in a college-level class.  That's what AP is, it's a college-level class in a high school setting.  So while some colleges don't really look at AP too much, doing well in college is more important than just getting into college.  

If you've done pretty well in regular classes and want to challenge yourself, I say go for it.  I took 5 APs my junior year, and while I didn't do THAT well on my APs (one 5, two 4s, two 3s), I still enjoyed being challenged.  To me, there's nothing worse than having 6 ridiculously easy and boring classes.

As for the classes.  AP English depends on the person and if you can write.  AP US for me was a bit hard because instead of memorizing facts, you have to take those facts and analyze them.  AP psychology - super interesting and super easy.  AP Spanish - if you've been doing good in Spanish so far, go for it!  AP Chem - ugh, this was hard.  I took this sophomore year as my only AP and I got a 3 :(  So...maybe you should drop it until senior year?  In my experience, it got to be pretty overwhelming.  

Good luck!

Answer 2

I listened to the advisers and took all AP courses.  I wish i hadn't.  I should have stayed in regular classes and gotten all A's.    No one at college cared what i took.  They want to know if you are a good person and if you will work hard for your education at their college.

Try one or 2.  Maybe they will work out better for you.  They were too draining for me at a time in life when relaxing would have been a better approach to life.

Good luck.  Can you already picture yourself out of college and working?  That's what i'm doing

Answer 3

i think that's wayyyyy too much. i took ap english & physics and honors precalc junior year and i was WAY STRESSED. i also did sports, volunteer, held a job, tutored and babysat on the side. (let alone try to live my life a little)

i went crazy with that schedule.

i don't think it matters if you haven't taken any before... just you won't be used to it, because you'll get used to it fast if you have a heavy load on your shoulders.  

that would be way to much evenif you gave up your entire extracurricular life and social life and family life and work life for your school work . (which believe me, isn't worth it either, in the slightest)

take 4, at THE MOST. i would drop psychology b/c it wont really help you in the future. *unless you're going to major in psych in collefe* english, precalc, history and spanish would b my choices.

even four will be rough. my school offered 4 my junior year and there was quite a few who took all 4. they were stressed, but not somuch  b/c they also dedicated their whole life to academics and mommy&daddy paid for everything so they didn't need to work.

it's up to you. colleges like to see a few, 1-3 a year is great! unless you're going for yale, then dedicate your whole life to planning for those short 4 years after high school.

good luck, you'll do fine!

Answer 4

About 50% of college admission is based on extra-curricular activities. If you don't have time to do sports or join some afterschool clubs then the AP's won't be able to help you that much. However, for the top schools, you need at least that number of AP's, if not more.

Answer 5

WOWWW!!

well honestly, if you do a lot of extra-curricular activities, i would drop some...

i'd suggest dropping psych.. and maybe history depending what you're going into.. if you go into something history related then maybe drop the chem.

11 ap is good. spanish ap is good. and same with the pre-calc honors. (they are decently general classes and if you do really well then that will look really good for college) the other three i'd recommend choosing them based on your interests... ap classes are really tough and if you don't have study time-you'll be soooo stressed out.

if you take too many and do poorly.. colleges might not take you.. so keep with your gpa. and act and stuff. i'm sure you'll do great.

i have friends who took 4 ap's and then pre-calc honors and they were SO stressed, they also dropped every extra-curricular that they used to do.

ap chem is a great class-i did take that one. pre-calc honors is perfect too.. not a huge deal at all.. but i'd limit to what you like to do..

just be careful with what you choose... but that's a good plan to really buckle down junior year.

good luck!!!! :) and hang in there.

Answer 6

Challenge yourself and take all of them.  I once took 5 in one year because I felt I could handle it.  Don't worry about failure.  Study hard, though.