Avoid AP Course Overload: It Matters Less Than You Think (2024)

FAQs

How many AP courses are too much? ›

Take as many AP classes as your school allows and excel or demonstrate a unique talent. Help them understand that they do not need to give up a unique talent for the sake of taking an extra AP class online because the difference between eight and nine AP classes is not great.

If you are interested in attending a highly selective school, you should take 2 or 3 AP® classes your sophom*ore year. If not, you might want to take your first AP® class in a subject that you enjoy this year to begin to learn about the process.

How many AP classes is too many? In general, college counselors recommend taking 5-8 AP courses. That said, there are lots of factors to consider when enrolling in AP classes, beyond the ones previously mentioned. The other biggest factor to consider is which AP classes your high school currently offers.

While experts say AP courses are viewed favorably by admissions officers, Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling at Khan Lab School, a private K-12 school in California, notes colleges will consider a students' applications in the context of the curriculum offered at their high school, meaning applicants won't ...

An Ivy League hopeful might take 3 to 5 AP classes, while if you're aiming for less-selective schools, 2 to 4 would be enough. Senior Year: Take more APs in core subjects and additional subjects, again being careful not to overburden your schedule and to leave time for college applications.

6–7 AP classes is plenty. Many people get admitted to UC with fewer than that. Instead of adding another AP course, look to make sure you have extracurriculars showing leadership and at least a couple teachers who know you well who can write you strong recommendations.

Senior year

That being said, your college applications will likely be done by the second semester, so you will gain more free time. Students aiming for highly selective schools may take up to six AP classes this year. But again, don't overburden yourself.

Your AP course load should be dictated by the answers to these questions: -If your school over 20+ APs , then taking 1/2 of them is not too much. If your school only offers 6, then take 6. -If the best students at your school typically take 10-12, then you are in the right zone.

For competitive Ivy League schools, admission officers also want to see AP courses for core subject areas and additional courses. If possible, aim to pass about seven to 12 AP exams if applying to these highly selective schools.

Applicants aiming for highly selective colleges usually take 5-6 AP classes this year, but keep your limits and schedule in mind. At this point, adding one more AP class might not have a huge impact on your college chances, but it could reduce the time spent on applications to a great extent.

What AP classes do Ivy Leagues like? ›

Ivy League schools want you to take the most challenging classes in math, science, social studies, English, and foreign language. If you take all APs in those subject areas but skip AP Music Theory, admissions committees won't fault you for it.

Yale does not require students to take AP courses to get accepted by the school.

Colleges like to see that a student can perform well in advanced classes, and both AP and honors courses serve that purpose. Some elite colleges even look to see if you've taken the most challenging classes your high school offers.

3 answers. Last year for my Junior year, I took 3 AP's and had the rest of my classes be honors classes. I've heard the number of AP's you take matter to an extent, but if you take leadership in extracurriculars and demonstrate you are a well rounded student that cares about things. The amount of AP's do not matter.

To be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount, assuming the student can handle that level of rigor. There are no colleges out there that require you to take 14, 17, or some other obscene number of Advanced Placement offerings.

The Key Number

If that answer isn't fully satisfying, here is a look at the average number of APs students tend to take over the course of their high school years, broken down by college selectivity: Selective schools: around 7–12 APs. Semi-selective schools: 4–8 APs. Less selective schools: 1–5 APs.

In addition, ensure you devote enough time to studying for the SAT or ACT this year. For example, if you are hoping for an Ivy League, you will need to take 3-5 AP classes. On the other hand, taking 2-4 APs would be enough if you are aiming for less-competitive schools.

The expectations for academic rigor continue to escalate, even in the face of mounting evidence that more APs, beyond a fairly low threshold, do not predict greater college achievement. However, they do predict higher stress levels for students.