Taking high school AP courses can help you stand out in the eyes of College Admissions departments and can help you prepare for the type of course work you will encounter in college. So should you jump in and apply for AP classes? Well, yes — but only if you feel that you WILL excel in these classes. These classes require hard work and can be stressful. If you have a job or multiple extra curricular activities and feel that you can’t dedicate the time to do well in these classes, then don’t opt for AP courses. It’s better to get an A in a regular or Honors class than a poor grade in an AP class so as not to affect your GPA.
What are AP Classes?
Advanced Placement or AP classes are part of a nationwide high school program put together by the College Board. They developed 37 courses across 22 subject areas to be at college level and much more rigorous than standard high school classes. High Schools decide if they will offer these classes, and high school students can opt to take these courses if they want to stand out academically, want to be challenged, or have a keen interest in a given subject.
At the end of the AP course, and for a fee of about $85.00, students take the AP exam and if they score well enough, some colleges will accept these scores as college credit – for example, if a student scores high on the AP Biology exam, he or she can skip the introductory college Biology class. Qualifying to skip courses can save you money in college tuition, plus save you time allowing you to graduate on schedule, or even earlier in some instances. Not all colleges accept high AP exam scores for college credit, so be sure to check your future college or talk to your high school counselor.
AP classes differ from Honors classes in that Honors classes are developed locally and don’t allow students to qualify for college credits. Also, Honors classes are typically offered in grades 9-12, while AP classes are offered in the 11th and 12th grades. As far as degree of difficulty, generally speaking, Honors courses are one level up from standard high school courses, while AP classes are 2 levels up from standard high school courses and are often weighted as such. Ask your future college if and how they look at AP scores.
Bottom Line
AP classes can be very rewarding both personally and academically, but you have to weigh them against what other activities you have going on in you life. Best best is to talk to your guidance counselor and ask them if AP classes are a good idea for you based on your current academic progress and extra curricular schedule.
September 7th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Thanks for the info. I am signed up for two AP courses this year. I’m a little nervous, but I think I will be okay.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Seniors who take APs should remember that the AP tests are at the end of the school year. This means that they need to resist “senioritis” and stay focused until the bitter end of their high school careers. APs are rewarding nonetheless.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
hello, karl:
i have a question. i heard that one needs to have credits in order to apply colleges. what is the credits mean? how many credits do i need in order for u to apply a college? and i also don’t know wether i should do some volunteer works in school so that i can get credits for college? i am in Forest Hills High School. what kind of volunteer work is that? join some clubs or do part-time job? oh another question, does AP class really important for a student when they apply a college?
thank u
September 11th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
wenbo,
You need to be on track to earn a high school degree in order to be accepted by an America college or university. While some advanced/ambitious students earn college credits while still in high school, you certainly don’t need to do so.
Participation in extracurricular activities is encouraged in high school. You can volunteer, get a job, or join a team; it’s up to you.
Successful completion of AP classes is seen as evidence of academic talent and dedication. You should seriously consider taking an AP or two, if you think you can handle the work.
I hope my advice helps. Talk to you soon.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:28 am
I initially thought that it was over-kill when my wife strongly suggested that my kid take AP and Honors courses. However, now that my kid is in the college search and application process I am glad my wife was persistent about it.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Thanks for the note, John. I think it is important for others to hear about experiences like yours. To ensure higer visibility, your comment will be added to ePrep’s most recent post by Peter Van Buskirk. It is particulary relevant this time of year as students schedule classes for next year.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Next year, I am going to take possibly
three AP courses, those being English, U.S. History, and Chemistry. I really hope they help with admissions. I strongly believe I can handle these courses because I’ve been taking honors classes throughout high school; Last year (my freshman year) I had
all classes except for Algebra and Italian. This year I am taking
Honors World History and Honors Literature.. Hopefully I will do well
in the AP courses.
May 24th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Janniel,
It sounds like you are motivated, talented, and on-track for doing really well in high school. This will certainly translate into college success. Keep up the good work.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Hello.
I am a sophomore at a performing arts high school and this year I will be going into the eleventh grade. I took an AP European History class and for the first semester, received a B, and the second semester, received an A. My GPA is a 4.05. I have really high hopes for my future and I want to attend a really great university along the lines of maybe Harvard. However, I just recieved the grade to the AP test I took and was extremely disappointed to see a 2. Will this affect me at all? Do colleges care about AP grades? Help…
July 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Maddy,
Great question. AP scores are typically used by colleges to place students into the appropriate college classes. Thus, your official AP scores will only be sent to the college that you decide to attend. That being said, the common application does include fields for AP test scores. Thus, you will be prompted to self-report your scores.
I talked to Don Betterton yesterday, and he suggested that you report all of you AP scores on the common application. If you want, you can then attach a simple note that explains why your European History score is unusually low. (You were sick; your teacher apparently did not follow the AP syllabus, etc.)
Just to put you at ease, Don says that there around a hundred factors that go into each admission decision. Thus, while your low AP European History score may be noted, it alone will certainly not make or break you at a school like Harvard.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
July 15th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Thank you for the great information.
I am going to be senior next year.
My councelors encouraged me to take AP classes last year.
Recently I got my AP scores back from last June and
even though I got As and Bs in my AP classes,
I got scores that are mostly below 3 in my four AP classes.
It was hard for me to understand how I got such low grades
because I prepared for the test as hard as I could and I did ok in the classes.
Because I was worried how colleges are going to look at my grades
I searched for responses.
Some says it means my school isn’t covering what I need to know and it
means I don’t take the school work and tests seriously, which I disagree because
my school is very well known for AP programs and I worked hard to prepare for the exam.
I was wondering how much is it going to impact on my college applications, especially on common app?
Also, after reading your response to Maddy on the top, I wonder
how 2s in many AP exams will affect me from going to top colleges though they would be suspicious of my GPA.
August 16th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Hello, I was wondering exactly how AP credits work. I was on collegeboard.com, and saw something about AP credit policies…I read something about requesting that my scores be sent to the college I want to go to. I’m not sure if I have to do anything. I mean, is there anything else I should know to do after I take the AP tests. I’m planning on taking AP classes this coming school year and now I’m not sure if I’m missing something…Can someone help me?
I hope what I said makes sense. Thank you!
August 17th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Tammy,
I am currently traveling. I will send you a response tomorrow for sure. Thanks for being patient.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Tammy,
Sorry for the long delay in responding. I wanted to consult with Don Betterton before replying.
When you fill out college applications, you will be asked to provide AP scores. You should do so honestly. After you are accepted and pick a college, that college may (or may not) request your AP scores from the College Board. The registrar at the college you have chosen may then use the scores to make sure that your freshman year course schedule is appropriate.
What I’m trying to say is that there isn’t much for you to do: just take a few APs; list your scores on your applications; and let the college you attend do the rest. Good luck.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Some of the AP courses my son wants to take are not offered at his high school. If he prepares for an AP exam via self-study and takes the AP exam and does well, would colleges give any weightage for those AP courses.
August 30th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Ravi,
Colleges are likely to give greater weight to your son’s AP scores, given that he is motivated enough to prepare on his own. Good luck.
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:27 pm
My son is in his Senior Year, he is currently enrolled
in AP-Calculus, AP-Enviromental Hon-Eng, Hon-Econ,
Web Design3, Drafting3, he us taking Spainish 2 on-line,
he is on the Yearbook committee, he is on the Varsity baseball
team, has a 4.2 weighed GPA, 3.7 unweighted and is on the NHS for technology
In his 3rd week of school he missed several days due to
the flu. He feel behind in some of his classes. I petitioned
the school to remove my son from AP enviromental, which he
currently has a D in. They are refusing, I’m very concerned at
his over all GPA and since it is his senior year I would like him
to be a participate in all senior activites. Can I please have
your opinion on this additional AP class versus his overall GPA
and his extracurricular activites in getting during the college review
process.
September 22nd, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Karen,
I wouldn’t worry too much about the current D. I am sure your son will find a way to get a C or above. College’s will not dwell on one mediocre grade. They will see it for what it is — an aberration. (I got a D in American History one marking period. I missed a test when I went on a soccer trip to Germany. My teacher refused to let me make up the test.)
As far as extracurricular activities go, your son should focus on the one (or two) he enjoys most, and forget the rest. Colleges get thousands of applications from students who are modestly committed to many activities. Being indistinguishable from the masses will not help your son in the admissions process.
I hope this helps.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:42 am
I was wondering….I plan on taking 5 AP classes.. AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Calculus, AP US History, and AP statistics before I graduate plus Im planning on taking community college classes during Junior and Senior Year…Would that help me get into a good University? I want to work towards a full ride scholarship and I know I could probably pass these classes if I try. What should I do? Is it too much?
November 17th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Maddie,
Absolutely, assuming you do well in all the classes you listed. You know better than anyone what you can handle. Take as many rigorous courses as you can. Don’t be afraid to push yourself academically. Sophomore and junior year in high school should be very busy ones. Good luck.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
i am currently a junior in high school. Unfortunatly i couldnt attend first semester of this year b/c i was stuck in another country and i couldnt return until recently. I just moved to a new state a week ago and am going to enroll in a new school. I was going to take AP classes this year, can i still take the classes 2nd semester even though i didnt go to school first sem. bc of the incident?
December 1st, 2009 at 8:20 am
Jessie,
I am not sure. I think the answer depends on your new school’s policies. That being said, if you are willing to play catch-up, I don’t see why they wouldn’t let you join the AP classes that you are interested in taking.
Good luck. Please let me know what happens. I’d be interested to hear.
December 1st, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I attend Academic Magnet High School in Charleston, SC. It is the seventh best school in the nation and I’m a freshmen there. I talk to a lot of seniors and juniors and even sophomores about if I have a future in this school because of its high level education and hard courses. You can start taking AP classes sophomore year, I believe, but by senor year, I am required to be in all AP classes. This is a really scary thought considering the fact that I’m a freshmen with all honors classes and I’m already staying up until 2 in the morning. Part of it is because I’m a procrastinator, but there really is a boat load of work. Since I will end up taking AP courses, I know I have to pull my self together and work a bit harder. I am still an A/B student and I’m doing quit well compared to others. Yet the thought of AP courses kind of haunt me. So I would like to know, Karl, what is life in an AP course like? I mean, I know that it’s two times above normal high school level, but how? Like, what kind of work should I be expecting?
I guess I’m just scared because I didn’t even think I’d last this long in such a high level school! And hopefully, learning about the average hardness and work-load of an AP course will help! Thank you for your time because I know that was a really long message!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:49 am
Mayar,
I felt the same way as a freshman. I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to handle the more difficult courses later in my high school career. The thought of physics, in particular, really scared me.
As it turns out, by the time I got to junior and senior year, I was ready for the difficult classes. Looking back, it makes a lot of sense: When I was a freshman, I didn’t have the skills or the background knowledge to take AP classes. That’s, I guess, why freshman don’t take AP classes. Again, by the time I got to junior year, I had spend two years working hard, learning and developing academic skills. By junior year, I was able to get mounds of work done very efficiently (i.e., I wasn’t staying up as late as I did freshman and sophomore years).
The nice part, Mayar, is that you are not in this thing alone. You will struggle along with your classmates and friends. Try to enjoy it; it will go by fast. Trust me.
Good lick! Just joking. Good luck! Thanks for the note. Sometimes I type too fast for my own good.
December 20th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Almost all highly selective institutions will tell you that
they seek students who have chosen rigorous courses in high
school. Thus, if you can handle AP courses, you should take them.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
I am currently a sophomore in high school and my gpa has dropped
i have three A’s but i have 4 C’s one of them being an AP class
i am very disappointed in my self, but i know i can do better
next semester. Is this first semester going to cause troubles
down the road when choosing a college?
January 18th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Shane
The slump may cause issues at the most selective colleges in the country. That being said, all schools like to see an upward trend in grades. This means that, if you raise your grades and continue to improve throughout your high school career, you will be fine in the end. Keep working hard, Shane. It will pay huge dividends in the future. Trust me.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:23 pm
My 8th-grade daughter has been recommended for 2 AP classes next year. She struggled until 7th grade and though she’s done well during 7th and 8th she’s been A-B honor roll twice (out of 6). I’m concerned she won’t have time for extracurricular band (marching and pep) and the added homework. Will AP really get her further than Advanced level classes?
February 1st, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Donna,
While AP classes are important, it is unusual for a freshman to take any. Freshman year is the time to explore extracurricular activities, while building the academic foundation and skills necessaryt to take AP classes later in high school. Please do not let anyone pressure your rising freshman into taking AP classes in her first year of high school.
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:41 am
THANK YOU !!!
February 7th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Many AP classes are not offered until 12th grade and these
are full year classes. College applications are usually sent
during 12th grade, prior to completion of these AP classes.
I would appreciate if you could clarify the following:
1. Is there a way for an HS student take any credit for 12th
grade AP classes on college application?
2. Is there any use in taking AP classes in 12th grade for the
purpose of college application?
Thank you!
February 8th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Hi Karl,
My daughter is in 8th grade and I was wondering if she appears for SAT this year, will the scores be reported when she applies for college admission. What is your advice on this. Thanks,
February 8th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Sam,
Colleges always condsider grades from the first and second marking periods of senior year. This means that, even though AP courses are not completed until June, your midterm grades will give colleges a good sense of your academic abilities.
AP test scores are used for college placement purposes, not for admission purposes. For example, if your AP biology test score is 5, you will likely be able to place out of Biology 101, and perhaps 102, in college.
I hope this all makes sense. Send follow-up questions, if it doesn’t. In the meantime, good luck.
February 11th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Savita,
Your daughter’s 8th grade scores will not be reported to colleges, unless you want them to be. The College Board’s score choice policy allows SAT test takers to send to colleges, only scores from the dates specified by the test taker. Thus, the choice will ultimately be yours and your daughter’s.
I hope this helps.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Karl,
my son is taking all honors in 9th grade except for 2 regular
one of the subjects is french is the highest grade he’s saying he wants a balanced work load and will he work on stepping it up in 10 th .My question does this affect his college admission on the long run going to college also if he takes for example biology inthe summer can it be eleminated from his work load in the school year , also when should he prepare for the PSAT,Sat’s
lastly how many extracurricular should he be involved in average for a good school
thanks very much .I appologize for my too many questions and thankyou
February 26th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Sara,
While most colleges will discount freshman year grades, they do like students who take as many rigorous classes as possible in high school. It sounds like your son is on the right track. Taking summer classes is perfectly acceptable and is not likely to help or hurt him in the college admission process.
Your son should probably begin preparing for the PSAT during the summer before junior year. In the meantime, he should simply pay attention in class and work hard generally.
Colleges generally prefer students who demonstrate a strong commitment to one or two extracurricular activities. In other words, it’s not about the number of activities; it’s about the quality of the experience in one or two.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
March 5th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Good Morning Karl ,
I have my other son who is taking regular courses in other words college prep. My question is do you think his chances are limited going to colleges like would he have a chance ging into state colleges if this wa what he’s capable of doing or achieving even though his plans is to take calculus in the end. would there be a chance for him to get into honors if he got a better grade in 10th for example or there is no chance of him getting in with the college prep courses
. Thank you very much
March 7th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Sara,
It really depends on the school district. In my district, for example, students are tracked very early. My seventh-grade daughter, for example, who isn’t a naturally gifted math student, is already in a track that will not allow her to join honors classes as a high school student. While this is frustrating in many ways as a parent, I understand the reasoning behind tracking students.
All this being said, if your son does well in “regular” high school courses, scores well on the SAT, and gets good teacher recommendations, many state schools would be lucky to have him as a student.
I hope this helps. Sorry I couldn’t be more specific.
March 9th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Good Morning Karl,
I truly appreciate your feedback and I was hoping to hear this answer really and you just said it > it has been proven that sucsess in life is defined by more broader prespective than figures and numbers.Thank you so much.I wish your daughter all the best and will keep bringing in the questions .
April 7th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Karl,
I’m a freshman at a fairly difficult private high school. I’m currently planning out the courses that I will take for the rest of my high school career. My GPA is currently a 4.0. I decided to consult my older sister, who took four APs herself. She did well in them (3s and 4s on her AP tests), although they were difficult for her. She tells me that taking more than three at a time would be nearly impossible at my school. Two of her friends from school went to Duke and they never took more than three at a time. This limit would allow me to take a total of eight APs at my school (AP: Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Biology, French, U.S. History, English Language, and English Literature. If I were to take all of the courses that are possible without the limit, I could also take AP: Physics, Modern European History, and Government. What’s your opinion on this matter? Thanks.
April 8th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Hello Karl,
This is such a wonderful resource!I just visited the high school counsellor today. My son loves Basketball and played on the A team for MS. He is very hopeful to play for the high school, but at the same time needs to keep his optons open.In the sense, if he does not get on the high school team, he will opt for Forensics which can only be done in the first 3 weeks after school starts. He is taking all Pre-AP courses in the 9th grade.
I would like to know your opinion …if he drops out of b-ball in the 10th grade if he does not get placed in V or JV, then would doing forensics from 10th grade onwards be OK on his CV?
Please let me know.
Thanks!
Ams
April 12th, 2010 at 7:38 am
Ams,
Switching to forensics in 10th grade, if b-ball does not go well, is certainly acceptable. College admission counselors know that high school is a time for students to experiment with different extracurricular activities. That being said, I do not recommend quitting b-ball in the middle of the season. Colleges like students who are willing to stick with commitments made.
High school is a pretty exciting time for students and parents. Remember to enjoy it. My daughter is only a couple of years away from high school. Time flies!
Please do not hesitate to post follow-up questions. Good luck.
April 12th, 2010 at 8:06 am
Emma,
Colleges expect high school students to take the most rigorous courses available to them in high school. If your school has a limit, colleges will not hold that against you. What many people do not know is that college admission officers get to know certain high schools very well. They may even know, for example, that the AP History teacher, Mr. So-and-so, is a really tough grader. Thus, an uncharacteristically low grade in AP History does not require an explanation from the student. The admission officers will already know why the student’s AP History grade was low.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
April 14th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Hi karl,
I have a big problem. I go to the John D. O’Bryant school of math and Science, an exam school. I’m a sophmore and i’m now applying for AP classes. But i have a problem. In my school you are required to take half year of gym and half year of computers, since i didn’t take it freshmen or sophmore year i have to take it either 11th or 12th grade. The problem is Gym/Comp are considered electives, and so are AP courses that are not ELA or History. I have missed the date to take the pre-test for ELA and History because i just found out today. So for next year i only have an opening for AP or Gym/Comp. I could take the AP next year and take Gym/Comp 12th grade, but i would be the only senior in a freshmen class. My options are take AP 11th grade and leave electiv for 12th grade, or dont take AP at all this year and keep elective. But if i keep elective i would have to take a college course at Emanuel College, since my Gateway to LMA has partnership with them. that means that i would have to most likely take 3 AP courses 12th grade, but that will be tricky since i would have college apps. I would like to know your advice on this, because right now i have no idea as to what i should do. Thank you!
April 15th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Melissa,
I think you should take the AP junior year and push the gym/comp elective off until senior year. By the time you are a senior, you won’t care about being in a class with freshmen.
Your junior year transcript is important. It should contain APs, not gym/comp electives.
April 16th, 2010 at 7:13 am
Karl,
I am wondering about selecting AP courses–my daughter is being pushed to take an AP in each core subject area rather than choose courses she is more interested in (mostly English) and I am wondering if not having AP Calculus or AP Physics really will limit her college acceptances. I am all for AP but our school seems to be a bit heavy handed in its recommendations. What are your thoughts on the best mix of APs? She will probably be able to take 4 to 5 total (is taking English composition as a sophomore right now).
April 17th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Pat,
I want to consult Don Betterton before answering your question. I should be able to get back to you tomorrow or Monday. Thanks for being patient.
April 20th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Pat,
I just talked to Don and he confirmed what I was thinking. Your daughter should resist the schools influence and pursue her academic interests. Taking AP Calc and Physics may lower her unweighted GPA and take time away from preferred activities and interests.
In short, completing 4 or 5 APs in the subjects that interest her most will not put her at a disadvantage in the college admission process.
I hope this helps.
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:59 am
Thank you Karl, but i have another question, wouldn’t the college course be as good as an AP?
April 23rd, 2010 at 7:50 am
Melissa,
Sorry. I thought your question was whether to take the AP junior year or senior year, not whether to take an AP class or college class.
I think you are better off with the AP. Colleges understand what APs are and every student takes the same AP test at the end of the year. Thus, AP test scores allow college admission officers to make meaningful comparisons when reviewing applications. A grade from a class taken at a local college will be less meaningful to college admission officers.
Maybe you can take an AP class and a college class junior year. That would be the best case senario. Good luck.
I hope this helps.
April 25th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Hi, i am a sophmore at Folsom Higschool and am wondering to take AP englsih or not. Many people i know who have taken it say its nto very hard, but i worried because i have many electives that take outside school time.Im in Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Jazz Chior and i play soccer when in season. Whats ur advice on this? i also have another question. i took AP European History this year and its work affected my grades in other classes. This year i received the worst grades i have ever gotten in my life. Because its sophmore year and colleges look at sophmore year and junior year for admission, will my admission by ok?
April 27th, 2010 at 7:53 am
Austin,
You need to strike a balance between your course load and extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities are important, … but so is getting an education in high school. Junior year is the time to really push yourself. I think you should take AP English next year. If your workload gets overwhelming, you may have to cut back on your extracurricular activities.
You can save your GPA by working hard junior year (and the rest of this year). Colleges like to see an upward trend in grades. Thus, as long as your sophomore year slump is followed by strong junior and senior years, you should be okay with regard to admission into college.
Good luck.
May 9th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Hi, I’m a freshman in a sophomore math class with will lead
me to AP Calculus by my senior year, which is good. But, I
am soo tired of being the smartest and youngest kid in class
and I want to test out of Algebra 2 and be on Pre-calculus on
my sophomore year and have AP Calculus on my junior year. I
know I’ll feel the same way next year, but I know I can test
out of it over the summer. Is that a good idea or should I
just suck it up for another year until I have all advanced
classes?
May 10th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Mariola,
If you want to get ahead, go for it. You can always take a college-level math class during your senior year in high school. (As far as next year goes, whether you’re one or two years younger than everyone in math class doesn’t really matter.) Having a college credit in your college application is not required, by the way, but it certainly looks good. Good luck.
June 10th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Good Morning Karl,
My son will be going to high school and I am frantic.His teachers say that he is a good kid but he has to put what’s in his brain on paper.My question is with work load of 5 Honorsubjects and regular on the rest is there a way to work with the couselor on keeping him on task and not procrastinating.He’s the kid that can get a D and then get an A in a Flash when he wants to unfortunately and I am very exhausted. I just do not know how to word it to the counselor at the begining they might think hes careless where in fact he has this issue that he shouldn’t shine to fit in the crowd. Please kindly advise me on how to approach this with the high school counselor.Thanks so much.
June 11th, 2010 at 7:34 am
Sara,
I’m not sure whether the guidance counselor is the answer in this tough situation. Most high school guidance counselors are responsible for dozens, if not hundreds, of students. Given this enormous workload, I don’t think you can realistically expect your son’s guidance counselor to be of any real help when it comes to your son’s day-to-day life in school.
The good news is that colleges generally discount freshman year grades. Freshman year is seen as an adjustment year, during which students deal with many new social, physical, emotional, and academic challenges. (Please don’t share this information with your son. He should begin high school thinking that freshman year grades are critical.)
Your son sounds like a good kid who will mature and figure things out quickly. As for you and your exhausted state, I completely understand. My wife and I wake up tired most mornings. That being said, we continue to try our best, making sure our children understand that, while we love and care for them, we don’t have all the answers and that they need to establish a real ownership interest in their lives, generally, and education, specifically.
Good luck. I hope this helps.
July 11th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
Hello Karl,
Thanks for all the valuable advice.My son ( 11 grade)
is doing well academically, but not involved in any
extra curricular activities. will this effect his college
admission.
Thanks
Anju
July 19th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Anju,
I think your son’s lack of extracurricular activities will negatively affect his admission chances. You may want to hear Seamus Malin’s thoughts on the topic. Seamus work in admissions at Harvard University for 30 years before retiring recently.
http://blog.eprep.com/2007/04/02/extracurricular-activies-in-high-school/
July 27th, 2010 at 12:21 am
Hello Karl,
This coming fall I’ll be a sophomore, and I’m signed up for Honors Engish and AP US History, along with regular classes. I would like to take more challenging AP or honors classes, but my school only offers addtional advanced classes in the fields of math and science, which aren’t my strongest areas. Currently, my only extracurricular activitiy is being on the Lacrosse team. I would like to get a substantial scholarship to a good college, what would you reccomend?
August 5th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Lauren,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I am on vacation in Maine.
As long as you take the most demanding classes your high school has to offer, colleges will be satisfied. In other words, colleges can’t expect you to take certain AP classes, if your high school does not offer them.
Having one extracurricular activity is not a problem, as long as it is one you really enjoy. If you wind up getting recruited for lacrosse, you will have an easier time getting admitted and earning scholarship money. If getting recruited is a possibility, do whatever you can to make it happen. It will make a huge difference.
In the meantime, keep studying diligently and taking difficult classes, even if they are not your favorites. Good luck.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:59 am
My daughter is a sophomore in high school currently enrolled 3 AP
classes, AP Music Theory, AP World History, and AP Calculus. In addition to that she has Honors Chemistry, Spanish 2, Advanced English 10, and Marching Band (percussion). The Honors Chemistry teacher offered to place her in AP Chem which usually follows Honors Chem. She is not sure if the difference in the quantity of work will be too much or if she will end up missing some important parts of the foundation. She is very strong in math and thinks her Calculus class will not be too difficult, as well as she already has a music background (she has been taking Piano lessons for 4 1/2 years and understands most of the Music Theory. She loves her English teacher and would have to change that class although it would still be Adv. Eng.10. What do you think about the work load and foundations between Honors Chem and AP Chem?
August 18th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Hi, I’m a sophomore in high school and currently enrolled in 2 AP class: World History AP, and Biology AP. i wonder if you could tell me what would the AP exams be like?
thank you
August 27th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Minh Bui,
The AP tests will be very rigorous. In other words, you will need to prepare in order to do well. In the spring before you take the AP tests, you should take a few practice tests. You can purchase practice tests from the College Board. Here is a link: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/prep.html
Good luck.
August 27th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Suzie,
Your daughter is interesting because she seems to do well in traditional liberal arts subjects and the math and sciences. My guess is that her true interest lies with the liberal arts, particularly with music.
Rather than switch the English class to pick up AP Chem, your daughter should probably keep the English class with the teacher she likes and forgo the AP Chemistry.
By the time she finishes high school, she will have taken enough APs to satisfy colleges. As far as a foundation in chemistry goes, she will get that in the honors class.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
Karl
September 17th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Hi. My daughter is currently a senior and wants to attend the 5 year combined BA/MA teaching program with a major in History. She scored an 1820 on the SAT and scored a 5 on the AP Euro exam, 5 on the AP World, 5 on the AP US, 4 on the AP English Lit and has taken 2 semesters of Italian thru Adelphi for credit. Her GPA at the end of last year is about a 93. Her extra-curriculars are limited due to the fact that she babysits her baby sister after school while her father and I work but she has volunteered at the church, she has a PT job in an office and does the kids workshop monthly at our local Home Improvement store. Are her chances good? Money is a factor and there are not many affordable schools that she can commute to from home so Hofstra, Adelphi and CW Post are probably out of the question.
September 17th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Sorry that 5 year program is at SUNY Stony Brook!
September 23rd, 2010 at 7:26 am
Elise,
I think your daughter has a great chance of admission at Stony Brook. In her application, I think she should highlight the after-school babysitting responsibility and part-time employment. Believe it or not, many college applicants have never handled real responsibility or collected a paycheck.
I am not sure how your daughter got to the 1820 on the SAT, but I think she should prepare and take it again, if each of the sub-scores is not in the 600s.
You may want to check out the following site for merit-based scholarship opportunities at Stony Brook. I think your daughter has a good chance with a few of the posted scholarships.
http://www.stonybrook.edu/finaid/programs/freshmanmeritbasedscholarships.shtml
Sorry for the delay in responding.
Karl
September 23rd, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Hi there,
I am currently in highschool and am in Grade 11 (a Junior) in Canada. I’m taking 2 APs: Chemistry and Writer’s Craft, along with Grade 11 Physics, Grade 12 Functions, and Grade 12 Accounting.
I am reconsidering taking Chemistry though. Although I could do well in the class if I truly worked hard at it – is it worth it continuing with the AP if I truly have no interest in it?
I just began the course (2 weeks ago) and because I do not enjoy it, it restricts me from putting in my 100% like I do in all of my other courses. Should I just take the Grade 12 Chemistry course instead, that is a lighter work-load, and one that I would be more willing to work for the better results along with keeping up with my other classes?
Also, I am not sure if I want to study at an American University yet, but are the number of APs you take in Canada important to your application or does it not matter?
Thank you!
September 24th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Hello there,
My son is in Junior and is currently in college preparatory school. The school does not offer a lot of AP classes and they can only take it in their senior year. I am just curious what the school will send to the colleges or universities that my son will apply to when he is just taking it during the application process. Does AP classes really help in your college application? Thanks.
September 26th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Lisa,
Selective colleges and universities in the United States expect students to take the most rigorous courses that their high schools have to offer. If your high school in Canada offers only a few APs, this fact will not be held against you in the admission process.
While in some ways you should take AP chemistry to further prove your academic “worthiness” to admission offers, applicants who follow their passions and interests are valued as well. In other words, if you really don’t have any interest in chemistry, you should probably skip the AP class and take the Grade 12 Chemistry course instead.
I hope this helps.
Karl
September 26th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Corazon,
Selective colleges expect students to take the most rigorous courses that their high schools have to offer. If your son’s high school offers only a few APs, this fact will not be held against him in the admission process.
Since your son will not be taking the AP tests until after admission decisions have been made, colleges will consider his first and second marking period grades.
I hope this helps.
September 27th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Hello,
My name is Yessica, I am a student at Berkeley High. I am a junior,
and I am taking two AP classes. AP American Lit, and AP Spanish. I have resived
a D and a C in AP American Lit, and don’t know what to do. A lot of my friends have decided
to drop that class, I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing, but at the same
time I would like to take the challenge of taking that class. I decided to take those
classes, because I have heard that it looks good on your college application. I would
like to know if there is any book, or something that can help me get ahead or it
can help me understand more the work.
October 2nd, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Hi,
I am so glad I stumbled across your website. I am in desperate need of some insight.
My son is a junior at a private college-prep school and is taking AP US History, AP Chemistry
regular Physics, Pre-Calc, American Lit. & Latin III. At present he is completely
overwhelmed with his workload–very distressed. After being advised by his
counselor, our son knows he has to drop one of the AP classes. He loves the AP Chem
class, but wonders what colleges will think when they see WP (withdraw pass)
on his transcript after he withdraws from AP History. Since he wants to major in the science
and technology field, he was thinking taking just regular US History.
His senior schedule will include AP Computer Science and AP Calculus.
Also, his school does not weight the grade point for the AP classes.
An “A” equals 4.0 not 5.0 as at many other high schools. Do the college
admissions offices take that into account?
Thank you for your insight.
October 3rd, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Hi Karl,
I have two sons that are aspire to have Ph.D’s in Physics and Engineering. They are both 4.0 students. One is a freshman and one is a sophomore. They each took classes at our local community college this past summer. My son that is now a freshman, was in 7th grade last year. The school believed it was a waste of time for him to take 8th grade, so he was “bumped” into high school this year. He is now taking Chemistry, Trigonometry and Calculus with his sophomore brother. Both plan to take the Calculus BC test this year even though the class is not officially designated an AP Calculus class. They are using the Princeton Review book to prepare for the BC exam. They also plan to take summer school at UC Berkeley or U.C. Davis this next summer in order to take College Chemistry and Physics for Scientists & Engineers I. They will continue to take AP classes in high school. However, both of my sons will have to take about half (or more) of their classes at our local state university or community college since they have now exceeded the classes that are available at our local high school. In California, we have concurrent enrollment, which allows the college classes to be used for high school credit. At their current rate, both of my sons will have taken Differential Equations, Physics for Scientists & Engineers III and at least two college chemistry classes among other G.E. classes. (Note: We live in a small community, which does not offer many AP classes. That is why they started taking college classes last year.)
My question is what will all of these classes look like for a school like M.I.T., Cal-Tech, Harvard or any other top tier university? Also, will these classes help them or hurt them with regards to getting in since they will be far beyond an average freshman in college? Will the classes they end up taking while they are still in high school classify them “transfer” students? Thus, hurting their chances of acceptance into their targeted schools?
Thank you for your assistance.
October 4th, 2010 at 11:43 am
My son is having a very hard time in AP Biology in his junior year.
Previously this course had prerequisites that would have possibly prepared him
for this class. Can he drop the class and what will the consequences be for doing so.
October 6th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Brad,
Your son will be better off dropping the class than continuing and getting bad grades. Seamus Malin, formerly of Harvard University, gives some good advice on AP classes in this video blog:
http://blog.eprep.com/2007/04/06/ap-classes-academic-burnout-and-the-decline-of-writing-skills/
You may want to check it out.
Good luck.
Karl
October 6th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
John,
Your sons sound like academic rock stars, or academic A’s as colleges like to call them. They will not be considered “transfer” students, no matter how many college classes they take in high school. They seem to be on track for schools like MIT, Cal Tech, and Harvard.
I would like to make two additional comments, however:
1. Earning some sort of national recognition through something like a math or science Olympiad will help them stand out even more in the college admission process.
2. I have a good friend who started at Princeton University when he was only 14 years old. Socially, he hated college. He was a lot younger than everyone else and decided to live off campus after freshman year. If fact, he wanted to get out of college so badly that he completed his last three years of college in two years, graduating at the ripe old age of 17. Looking back, he feels like he should have worked for a year or two (or three!) before starting college. Just food for thought.
Good luck.
October 6th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Melanie,
Your son should drop AP US History and take regular US History. While some high schools add the WP notation, most college admission officers will not even notice it. (And, if they do, they will not pay much attention to it. There are plenty of good reasons for a student to withdraw from an AP course.)
As far as GPA goes, virtually all colleges consider the unweighted GPA of applicants anyway. They then consider the rigor each student’s schedule, giving a “bump up” to students with the more demanding high school schedules.
The bottom line is that your son should not worry at all about dropping AP US History or the fact that his school does not weigh AP class grades.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
October 13th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Hi, I was wondering if there were any AP Courses I could do in about a semester?
I’m a senior and would like to take an AP Course before I graduate.
Thanks.
October 24th, 2010 at 7:19 am
Kelsey,
As far as I know, there are no high school AP courses that can be completed in one semester. You do not, however, have to take an AP course in order to take an AP test. In other words, you can buy an AP prep book, study on your own, and take an AP test. While this is not the recommended approach, it is absolutely possible if you’re self motivated.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Hi Karl,
My daughter does AP-European History. She does good with essays and DBQ but keep on failing at tests. She founds out that she cannot finish 70-80 questions with 3 multiple choices in 45 min. So, many questions are guest!. Her overall mark is not D. She is very upset as she studies and knows the material. I was wondering how an D in this AP class will effect her GPA, is going to be taken the real D or considered a C?
Thank you.
Anne
November 10th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Hi Anne,
The D will be considered a D for purposes of calculating your daughter’s unweighted GPA and a C for purposes of calculating your daughter’s weighted GPA. Colleges will consider her unweighted GPA first. They will then add value depending on your daughter’s overall strength of schedule.
I hope this helps. Please encourage your daughter to continue working hard and trying her best!
November 10th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Hi Karl,
Thank you for the answer. If my daughter drops the AP European History class after first semester and takes a different Honor course in the second semester (maybe not History, I think is cannot)how is going to be seen? It is Ok or bad?
Thank you.
Regards,
anne
November 10th, 2010 at 11:44 am
Hi again,
Is it a common practise to have an exam at the end of a first semester of an AP class?
Thank you.
Anne
November 11th, 2010 at 8:25 am
Anne,
Dropping an AP course after the first semester is not a good thing, but your daughter should do what is best for her, not her college applicaton. Taking an AP exam at the end of one semester is by no means a common practice because one semester of preparation is generally not enough for success on the AP exam.
I hope this helps.
December 27th, 2010 at 7:26 am
Karl,
My son is a junior this year taking 2AP courses. One in English
the other in History. He has learning disabilities. 2nd
semester he will be taking SAT Prep class at night. My question
is if I took him out of the AP classes back to honors how would
that look at colleges. Since taking these AP classes his self
esteem has gone way down and feels he is a failure. He took
the SAT in December to see how he would do before the Prep class
but did not do well at all. I am really worried about him!!
What are your thoughts.
December 28th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Mary,
I think you should switch your son to the regular classes. His self esteem is important; it will affect both his present and future learning. Don’t worry so much about what colleges think. If he gets back on track and enjoys the honors classes, things will fall into place.
Test Prep classes are typically not the best for students with learning differences, who tend to thrive with one-on-one attention. You may want to consider an ePrep course to replace or complement the upcoming prep class.
Please do not hesitate to post follow-up questions or comments.
January 27th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
I am going to be a senior next year and I was wondering how colleges view early release out of school? Will that hurt my chances of gaining acceptance into a good school? Also, Iheard that colleges down really have the time to look at every applicants list of high school classes. Most of their judgement is off of GPA, ACT scores, and involvement in extra curriculars that create a well balanced life. What do you guys think?
January 27th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
i curremtly have a 3.1 overrall gpa and this first semester of my junior year i slacked off and got a 2.8 and i got a D in my ap lit class but i plan on taking the ap exam in may if i pass it and get a 4.2 this semester how will colleges see that?
January 31st, 2011 at 11:09 am
Spencer,
I am not sure what you mean by “early release out of school.” Please clarify.
Colleges will definitely consider your grades and the course level in the following five areas:
Mathematics
English
History/Social Studies
Science
World Language
In addition, colleges will value standardized tests scores (ACT/SAT), extracurricular involvement and achievement, and teacher recommendations.
I hope this helps.
January 31st, 2011 at 11:28 am
Hi Colt,
Colleges understand that teenagers are teenagers. In other words, colleges understand that you will have ups and downs during your high school years.
If you bounce back as planned, you should be fine. Good luck.
February 1st, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Karl he was meaning early graduation (Spencer was). This means graduating in the 11th grade.
February 22nd, 2011 at 11:33 pm
My son is junior and taking 4 ap’s and 3 regulars.First semester
he got B in Ap Chem and Ap calculus.All A’s in freshmen year, 1
B in first semester sophomore 2B’s in second semester. He wants
to drop ap chem in this second semester because he got
2D’s in quizzes and 1 D in test. He is afraid of getting his first
C in his life.
Since he took ap chem in first semester, even if he doesn’t
get W mark in his transcript, isn’t it bad for college admission?
Is getting first C in juninor year better than dropping ap class after
after 1st semester? He already took honor chem in sophomore
year and got A. Because of B’s in science and Math, he realized that
he wants to study history or business instead of engineer.
Since this was first test, i felt he should take a chance but
he wants to drop before deadline for W mark.
We worry that after all those hard working years, his transcripts
would look bad because of bad decision about Ap chem.
February 25th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Hi, i’m currently a sophmore and as a freshman I took all college prep classes and had all A’s and A+. As a sophmore I am now enrolled in all honors courses and my grades for the first semester are still A’s and A+. I am a very motivated student and though my classes are tough I always put in the time to study and do well in all my classes. I am still doin well academically this semester and I know I will receive nothing lower than an A. Next year I am planning on taking AP English 11 and AP US history 2 and Ap biology But I’m not sure how big of a jump that is. I know I can handle rigorous courses but having never been in an Ap class, I’m not sure what to except and what it would mean if I don’t do well and overall it’s impact on my transcript. Also I will continue to take more Ap courses as a senior but how do colleges look at ones senior year grade since college apps are sone with before the end of classes. I am not very familiar with the college process so I may be wrong. What do you recommend I do regarding my conflict with ap courses and also what advice can you give me regarding extracurricular?
February 26th, 2011 at 8:16 am
Jin,
If your son is truly struggling with AP Chem, he should probably drop the class. High school is a time when students should begin sorting out the things that interest them most. If your son’s interests are changing, that’s fine. If he takes the courses he wants, he will have his best chance of success. Dropping an AP class is not that big a deal.
I hope this helps. Please do not hesitate to post follow-up questions or comments.
February 26th, 2011 at 8:24 am
Nessa,
I understand your apprehension, but I am sure you will do well in AP classes next year. I remember feeling the same way before I took AP Physics in high school. Things turned out well for me and they will for you too.
When making a decision on your application, each college will consider your first semester senior year grades.
As far as extracurricular activities go, participate in the activities that interest you most. Don’t worry about what you think colleges want. In the end, colleges value students who pursue their interests passionately.
Good luck. Sounds like you are on the road to success.
February 26th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Thank, Karl
I was reading all this blog and in prior comments, I found this.
“Dropping an AP course after the first semester is not a good thing,
but”. Do you think college will see dropping ap chem after first semester
as switching the direction of what they want to do in college rather than
lack of endurance and possibility of not succeding in their college?
Would you tell me more pros and cons?
Jin
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Karl,
I’m a sophmore in highschool, and have dreamed of going to a high-ranking college in microbiology or research in biology. I was immature my freshman year and did not make the best grades in some classes. This had a negative effect on my class rank. My weighted GPA is 4.16, but my rank is 295 out of 800 (just barely top third). I’ve played piano for 16 years, made the Texas All-State Choir, and have been involved in theatre at my school. I plan on taking AP bio next year, and AP Chemistry my senior year. If I continue working as hard as I’ve worked this year and bring my grades up to the top 25%, do I still have a chance in getting accpeted into dream schools like Brown, or somewhere? I know my focuses should have been acedemics if I wish to be in a good biology department in college, but do colleges look more for acidemicaly brilliant students, or do they look for well-rounded students? Thank you!
March 4th, 2011 at 8:17 am
Jordy,
In my conversations with Seamus Malin, a former admission officer at Harvard University, I learned two things that I want to share with you: (1) many selective colleges discount freshman year grades because they know that freshman year is an adjustment year, during which students need to explore their interests, and (2) selective colleges look to admit “well-lopsided” students (i.e., students who are well rounded academically, but excel in an extracurricular pursuit to the degree that they are in a sense lopsided).
I hope this helps.
April 2nd, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Karl,
I’m currently in high school as a freshman and I have a problem.
I don’t know what classes to take to approach AP’s in my Soph.,
Junior, and Senior years. I am thinking of taking 5-7 APs in my
HS career. I am taking English 9, Modrn W. History,
Chinese 2, P.E. 9 + Health, Biology, and Geometry currently.
What suggestions do you have for me.
Also, I was thinking what are extracurricular activities? Does doing volunteer work count?
Thanks!
April 6th, 2011 at 7:50 am
Jeffy,
You should definitely discuss your courses with a guidance counselor. I hesitate to give advice becuase high schools vary in courses offered, prerequisites, etc.
That being said, there is nothing about your current schedule that indicates that you are behind.
Volunteer work definitely counts. My only advice regarding volunteer work is that you pick something you like among the many opportunities available.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
May 4th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
I have a question for the guest experts. I am actually a teacher who is struggling to guide my high school choir students through the process of registering for classes. The guidance department at my school pushes a VERY strong AP agenda (I talked to a young lady today who has to leave the orchestra in her senior year because they are telling her to take 4-5 AP classes!) They instist that this is what colleges want to see, but I firmly believe that it is just limiting kids options at our small high school. When I was applying to schools admissions put more stock in your GPA, activities(like music groups)and extra curriclars as well as community service and test scores (SAT. ACT, etc.)Can you give me some advice? These kids and parents really think that if they devote a period to choir, orchestra or band every year for four years that they will fail at life! Kids have actually told me that guidance told them that it looks bad at take to many music credits in your senior year! Help!
-R
May 4th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Hi Russell,
I will contact Don or Fred tomorrow and post a reply as soon as I can.
May 5th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Russell,
I just got off the phone with Don. He thinks 5 APs in one year is overkill. While colleges do value students who have challenged themselves academically, 3 or 4 APs in a given year is sufficient.
Don expressed the importance of balance. A student who is taking 3 or 4 APs would be well served in the admisson process by participation in something like choir, orchestra, or band … especially if the student displayed a special talent or held a position of leadership.
Don also expressed his concern that not enough high school guidance counselors take advantage of what’s called the “white space” on the high school’s transcript report. The white space affords the counselor the opportunity to add commentary about the student or the student’s circumstances. For example, “John’s grades were lower than normal during the spring of his sophomore year because he broke both an arm and a leg in a car accident and missed several weeks of school.” Don suggested that there’s nothing wrong with a counselor adding something like: “Sarah is a very talented student who chose not to take a fifth AP course her senior year because she is committed to, and plays a first chair role in, the school’s orchestra.
Good luck. I hope this helps.
May 9th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
I’d like to point out that lots of schools are getting rid of the stupid “9ths and 10th graders can’t handle AP” joke. I’m a freshman this year and I’m taking AP World history, there are about 90 of us and we’re all doing (relatively) fine (your first AP is always the toughest) next year I’m taking AP Human Geo and AP Psych. They’re really not that bad but don’t go overboard with extremely difficult ones.
May 20th, 2011 at 1:06 am
Hi I have a question. I have currently heard in my school that it is recommended for you to take three Ap classes by your junior year if you wnat to go to a good college but i feel that it’s too much for me because this year i was in Ap euro for one quarter but then got out because I was too stressed out. Next year i signed up for Ap Us, Ap English, Ap Spanish, pre calculus, dance and physics hp but i also take piano lessons and am involved in different clubs in my school so i am not sure if this is too much for me to handle. My parents think it’s too much and so i am not sure what to do because i was also debating between ap chem and ap physics. Do you have any suggestions in what i should do? I would really appreciate it thank you!
May 23rd, 2011 at 7:01 am
Hi Christine,
Three APs, along with precalc, dance, and physics, in one year sounds like a lot. Remember that colleges expect students to take the most rigorous classes they can handle. Thus, you may want to swap an AP or two for one or two less demanding classes. In other words, it’s okay to do what’s best for you. Create a schedule that will allow you to thrive instead of one that will cause you to stress out.
I hope this helps.
June 19th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
My daughter is entering her sophomore year and is trying to make a decision about whether or not she should take two AP classes next year, AP US and AP Chemistry. It’s the Chemistry we have more question about as she would not have had a high school introductory class yet. Do you recommend students take AP Chem without having an Honors Chem class first? Her weighted GPA is a 94.5 and she took Honors Physics as a 9th grader and received an unweighted 90 in the class.
June 20th, 2011 at 9:49 am
Ann Marie,
Tough question. AP Chem without an introductory course will be very challenging. Your daughter should think seriously about how much time and effort she is willing to commit to just one class.
Is there any way your daughter can still register for a summer intro to chemistry class? If this is an option, I recommend she does it.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Best of luck!
July 1st, 2011 at 1:56 am
Hi Karl,
I go to a private school and I have all As in my high school carreer. But in the summer Ap Bio class I took. I did poorly amd got a C+. How badly does this effect my gpa, and my overall acceptance to a good UC? Also, should I drop out of this course? Is getting a bad grade in an Ap class worse than havin no AP clasd at all?
July 9th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Hello Karl, I am trying to get some good advice that I can give m
my daughter who will be a sophomore next year.Last year she
took all honors classes and did quite well although her gpa
did drop 4.0 to 3.0. My question is next year she wants to take
all AP classes and is even scheduled to take Grometry and
Algebra II in the same semester. I have also checked into some
colleges and they do not accept AP classes for college credit.
I am just concerned she is trying to be an over achiever as she
wants to obtain her BSN in 3yrs so she can get into Premed.
With an over achiever how can you talk them out of doing
something they have their mind set on ? She also practices after
school 4 days a week until 10pm plus we travel to her
competitions. That is something she did last year and did her
school work in the car and stayed up until midnight to complete.
What do you think would be a good course of action for her that
will help slow her down some with the double course work. I am
just not sure on her taking geometry and algebra II at the same
time just to complete her required course work so she can move
onto taking double sciences.
July 9th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Sorry typo her gpa went from 4.0 to a 3.6.
July 15th, 2011 at 11:02 am
Hello Carl,
My daughter will be a Junior next school year. She took an AP-Euro, got a B at the end of the year and a 3 in the AP-Exam. She wants to be a digital art designer after college. She will take AP-English and all honor courses. I am against her taking AP-classes, because it brought her GPA down and will not help her in her field of study. What do you think? I am wrong? A grade of 3 in AP exam is like a C+ which a college like SCAD will not accept??
July 17th, 2011 at 8:26 am
Aman,
Don’t worry about the summer class. It is an outlier and easily explained: too much material was crammed into a short about of time, in the summer, with a mediocre teacher.
Colleges will judge you primarily on your main academic-year transcript.
Are you planning to take the AP Bio test? Scoring well on the AP test would essentially erase the C+. If you do not plan to take the AP Bio test, don’t worry. It will all work out in the end anyway.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
July 18th, 2011 at 8:26 am
Joanne,
Wow. Your daughter sounds like a very hard worker. Whether she is taking on too much is difficult to say.
Please let her know that I just talked to former admission officers at Princeton and Harvard and both told me that a student should take the most rigorous course load that he/she can handle. The “that he/she can handle” part means that students should use high school to learn both inside and outside the classroom. I’m afraid that, if your daughter takes on too much too early, she won’t have a healthy balance.
Please remind her that getting into colleges in not all about AP classes and high grades. Harvard, for example, rejects over 3000 high school valedictorians every year. (Grades and standardized test scores are only part of the equation.) Top-tier schools prefer students who are academically accomplished and interesting, for one reason or another.
You may want to remind your daughter that she can always take summer classes to advance herself academically. In other words, she can take Geometry this year and Algebra II next summer.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
July 25th, 2011 at 7:51 am
John,
Your reasoning is sound. Given that your daughter wants to pursue a career in digital art design, it is likely that her college acceptance will be based on her portfolio first and her grades second. For her, high grades are more important than an incredibly rigorous academic schedule. In other words, you are right: your daughter should avoid APs, if they are likely to bring down her GPA.
I hope this helps.
August 2nd, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Hello Karl,
my son took freshman not too seriously and ended up with a 3.0 GPA he is currently taking 4 honor classes his teacher after getting a c in honors geometry put in college prep Algebra2 do you think an override would look bad to colleges and if we are planning to apply to state colleges would that be a problem also he might take bio sat and a few AP’s would that help him getting in
or do state univesrsitys dont look at them .currently he is working part time at a bike
shop and plays squash played a couple semensters soccer and was a member in one club what are the number of activities needed for him to be involved in .please note that he’s the guy who can get an A if he wants to example he can get c on every quarter and when he feels he’s drowning he gets an A . I am very worried .Thanks for all your great input
August 9th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
hi! starting tomorrow i will be a freshman and im taking what they call “pre-ap bio”. i was wondering what if this is the same as an honors class or if its something different because i don’t think i’ve heard anyone from the high school ever use the term “honors class” before. and also, if i’m taking pre-ap bio as a freshman, and get a good enough grade for both semesters, will i be able to take ap bio next year as a sophomore?
August 25th, 2011 at 5:03 am
Hello!I’am currently a senior and I am taking only one AP class which is AP Calculus and a honor’s Economic and honors Government, I am worried that I am not going to be accepted to some of the colleges I plan to apply to this year because I have only taken to this day only two AP classes which are AP spanish Language,AP Us History and Honors World History/Geography but have gotten A’s on all the classes except for a B I got on one semester for AP Spanish Lang, and also got 5′s on both AP exams. Will colleges see me as a good student for their college, talking mostly of private school. My SAT and ACT arn’t that well, but I have been an officer for Astronomy Club for three years of my high school years and currently the club president.
August 31st, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Hello, I am a senior this year. I just started school three days ago and I have a concern about my schedule. I’m taking AP English Lit, AP Government & AP Calculus. Today we started our first lesson for AP Calculus and I was pretty much clueless. I don’t know whether I should continue being in the class which can maybe result in a “D” (which I have never had) or drop it? My teacher has a regular calculus class fourth period but it interferes with my ASB class. What should I do?
September 2nd, 2011 at 10:51 am
My daughter is a 7th grader. She is taking HS Algebra I this year and is in gifted education. We live in a small town with a small HS. We are considering taking her to a nearby HS that can offer her more challenges. Our hometown offers a few AP courses but the selection is limited and often depends on the number of kids that want to take them. The nearby HS offers extensive IB classes. If a child took all AP classes and had a 3.9 GPA at the small school OR took IB classes with a 3.9 GPA at the larger school – which would colleges like best? This is a big decision for us. The small school has about 400 students total and the large school has about 3000. Big adjustments.
Thanks for any advise you can offer.
September 2nd, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Hello, Karl.
Im a junior this year and I’m very worried that I won’t be accepted into a high-ranked university. Freshman year I did not take any AP classes, and had a GPA of 3.5 in the first semester, and a GPA of 3.9 second semester. My sophomore year, I took AP Spanish and was not able to take the AP test because of financial problems. My GPA for that year was 3.6 and 3.5. I’m extremely worried because I feel as if I have slacked off those two years, and did not challenge myself with more difficult courses. This year,my junior year, I am currently taking AP Biology, AP U.S. History, and AP English. Sophomore year i participated in multiple clubs, including CSF(California Scholarship Federation). Will my slacking off affect my future in applying in a top-ranked college?
September 4th, 2011 at 8:55 am
Lisa,
Before digging into an applicant’s high school transcript, college admission officers consider both unweighted and weighted GPA. Thus, in some ways, it doesn’t really matter which math class your son takes, it’s the math grade that is important. In other words, don’t worry too much about the override.
There is no magic number of activities that colleges require. The fact that your son has an after-school job is awesome. Job experience is valued highly in the admission process.
APs are important in that they boost the student’s weighted GPA. That being said, your son should take as many APs as he can handle.
I hope this helps.
Karl
September 4th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Tania,
I am not sure whether your “pre-AP” bio class will qualify as an honors class. You should definitely consult one of the school’s college counselors.
You can take the AP Bio exam regardless of whether you have taken an AP Bio class, although taking the class typically helps (for obvious reasons). Assuming that “pre-AP” bio will not prepare you adequately for the AP Bio test, I suggest you either take an AP bio class sophomore year, or complete some kind of self-study program. In either case, you can certainly take the AP Bio exam at the end of sophomore year.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
Karl
September 12th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Dear Karl,
I know that you get college credit if you get a 3+ on the ap
exam but i was wondering if colleges look more into the students
that take the ap class rather than regular courses. Will colleges
give you an upper advantage because you took an ap class? Or do
colleges not care if you take an ap class or not.
September 13th, 2011 at 2:34 am
My son is 11 grade this year. He has 4.0 Weighted
GPA last year. He is taking 4 AP , 1 English Honor (
weighted too) this year and tennis team. He made a mistake and
have his friend borrow his summer home works ( 400 points )for
English Honor class. His friend copied his home work . Now
he had F on his GPA. Hope he could catch up the GPA later. I
have been told that this instructor normally give low grade.
I am so worry. If he got C at the end of 11th grade. Will it
be a big problem to apply UC?He wants to go to UC San Diego.Thank you.
September 14th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Corey,
Colleges definitely consider the level of difficulty of high school classes. In other words, students who do well in AP classes are stronger candidates for college admission.
I hope this helps.
September 14th, 2011 at 9:15 am
Ann,
Good question. I will have to check with one of ePrep’s guest admission experts before responding. I should have an answer for you by tomorrow.
September 14th, 2011 at 9:22 am
Robert,
While lots of APs are great, colleges merely expect students to take the most rigorous courses they can handle. College admission officers understand that there is more to college, and more to life, than academics.
I think your extracurricular interest in Astronomy makes you a good applicant.
It sounds like your real challenge is going to be increasing your SAT or ACT test scores. If you prepare well, I’m sure you can do better. You may want to consider an ePrep study program.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
September 14th, 2011 at 9:26 am
Venessa,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I’m sure you made a thoughtful decision. Here are my thoughts:
If you stuck with the AP class, keep working hard. Calculus is not that difficult, if you pay attention and ask questions whenever you get lost.
If you switched to the Honors class, that’s okay too. Colleges merely expect students to take the most rigorous classes that they can handle.
Good luck.
September 14th, 2011 at 9:29 am
Rachel,
Although IB classes are more rigorous than AP classes, colleges do not weight them differently. Thus, when it comes to AP vs IB and college admissions, it doesn’t really matter which school your daughter attends.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
September 14th, 2011 at 9:34 am
Kathy,
Top-rated colleges like to see an upward trend in grades. Thus, if your GPA steadily improves this year and next, you should be fine.
Along with a solid, upward-trending GPA, the top colleges like students with (a) high standardized test scores and (b) exceptional extracurricular talent and achievement.
If you are not currently pursuing any extrcurricular goals, you should quickly consider what interests you most outside the classrom and get going.
Good luck. I hope this helps.
September 22nd, 2011 at 11:26 am
Hello,
My daughter is a junior who is taking 5 AP classes plus Physics
and Pre-Calc Honors this year. She has decided that she also
wants to self-study AP Biology and take the AP test. What
benefit, if any, is there in the admissions process to
self-studying an AP class and taking the test for a student
who will already have taken 9-10 APs by the time she submits
applications to colleges next December/January? If she is not
looking for the college credit but only at admissions, is it
worth the effort?
September 27th, 2011 at 7:17 am
Kim,
If your daughter is not looking for college credit but only at admissions, studying for and taking AP Biology is not worth the effort. In the end, it really won’t make a difference if she has 9-10 or 10-11 APs on her high school transcript.
College admission officers will certainly peg your daughter as an extremely motivated student who has taken the most rigorour schedule available at her high school. If her grades are good, she should be a viable candidate at any school. Congratulations. You must be very proud.
October 9th, 2011 at 10:11 am
Hi,
My daughter is taking AP economics/British Lit/Westen Civ, because when choosing courses, she chose according to her ability level. However, she most likely will not take the exams, as she is applying to colleges as a vocal/viola performance major. These classes may not even be required. Is it still worth taking them, for the admissions process? And how does this get recorded on the transcript, as she is a senior and will not have completed the classes by the admissions deadline?
Thank you! Valerie
October 21st, 2011 at 8:49 pm
I am enrolled in AP world History this year as a sophomore. I have achieved all a’s and b’s in the previous year with honors courses and one AP, and even got got an B and A in AP Human Geography freshman year and a 3 on the National.The AP world History course is very challenging, the first quarter just ended and i had a 79.36. I struggled. and only got a C. Should I switch out of this course, and switch to honors??
October 22nd, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Nicole,
It’s up to you. My gut tells me that you should redouble your efforts in the AP class and increase your grade. After all, it’s only the first quarter. There’s plenty of time to improve.
However, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the class, or with your course load generally, you may want to switch to honors.
Colleges expect students to take the most rigorous high school schedule that they can handle. It’s up to you to decide whether the AP class, along with all of your other classes, is too much for you to handle at this point.
I hope this helps!
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I’m a sophomore at a college prep high school, however, there are no honors classes, I heard it was because colleges do not count honors during your first two years of high school. Is this true? This year I am in English (Brit. Lit.), Chemistry, Algebra 2/Trig., AP Euro., Journalism, Health, and Spanish 2, are these good classes? I really wanna move forward with foreign languages, what kinds of colleges like that? Also, I am worried about my extracurricular activities, I have never been in a sport, I have forgotten how to play piano, and I haven’t done much with volunteering. Is it too late to get a good start? I heard colleges strongly prefer students that started such activities earlier, help?
October 25th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
I switched out of an AP history course this year into a regular class. The teacher doesn’t teach us anything (although I still have a high A) and everyone who took the AP that I know has pretty high grades (not counting the 1.1 reciprocal). I feel like I made a huge mistake because it’ll affect my ranking. Would this look bad to a college?
October 31st, 2011 at 8:50 am
Ali,
Colleges consider course level (honors, AP, IB, and college-
level) regardless of when you take the class in high school.
In other words, taking honors classes during freshmen and
sophomore years in high school definitely helps.
Please keep in mind that most selective colleges recommend/
require the following:
- 4 years of English
- 4 years of Math
- 2 years of world language
- 2 years of history/social studies
- 3 years of science (with 2 years of lab)
Colleges known for their liberal arts programs will value your
second language skills the most.
While it is great to participate in extracurricular activities
starting freshman year, it’s really never too late to get started.
Just pick an activity that interests you and get started as soon as
possible. Good luck!
October 31st, 2011 at 8:55 am
Sam,
In the end, you need to do what’s best for you. If switching
out of AP history seemed like the right thing to do, don’t
second guess yourself now. Use the time you freed up by
switching to study more for you other classes. Your cumulative
GPA will, ultimately, be more important than your grade in
any one class.
Please stay positive and make the most of the situation.
Good luck.
December 2nd, 2011 at 8:13 pm
Hi, what if you are in high school and don’t know what you wanna be in your career. Should you just take ap courses anyway disregarding if they’re going to be in your major????
December 5th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Mary,
You should absolutely take all kinds of different classes in
high school, AP and otherwise. High school is a time to
experiment and figure out what subjects interest you most.
In other words, it will difficult to pick a college major, if
you haven’t taken a good mix of classes in high school.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:06 am
Hi, I’m currently a sophomore in tough high school. I have all As this first semester, except one C and one D – neither of which
I can bring up. The D is in Algebra2/Trig, a class I’m finding very difficult. I’m not too worried about the C, but what do you suggest I do about this D?
I know that it arose from my lack of focus in the class and too much procrastination.
A D will give me high school credit, but colleges won’t accept it. Alg2/Trig was supposed to take me to Precalc H next year,
and AP Calc senior year – but I’ve found I’m struggling with math quite a bit. I was thinking of changing
my path and taking Math Analysis next year (an easier option – meant for those who took algebra 2 in soph year)
and then AP Stats senior year. Even so, I do have to make up this D, right?
Should I take an online course/ sign up for summer school? I am aiming for a B in the class this second semester.
December 11th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Hello Karl, I’m currently a high school junior I was wondering what colleges prefer,
Do they prefer students who take two AP classes and get 4s or just one and earn a 5; when looking at a college application of course
December 11th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
Karl, I am a junior at a high school in NJ. I want to go to Lehigh so badly, but my grades always worry me! I have taken only AP and honors classes since Freshman year, and I plan to graduate having taken 10 AP tests. I am heavily involved in extra and co cirriculars, and I have great relationships with a few of my teachers who in the end will be writing letters of recommendations. However, I worry that my 91 average will hurt me, even though it is in mostly AP classes. How much weight – per say – is placed on weighted GPA when colleges are looking at my application? Should I take 6 AP classes senior year – I can handle them, but will it really help that much with the application process? Thanks so much!
December 13th, 2011 at 9:18 am
Tanisha,
Colleges expect high school students to take the most rigorous
courses they can handle. If taking Math Analysis next year and
AP Stat the year after is right for you, that’s fine.
If you can raise your final grade in Algebra2/Trig to a C or B,
I don’t think you’ll have to complete an online or classroom
course over the summer. One bad grade will not keep you out of
college.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
December 13th, 2011 at 9:28 am
Jesus,
I know exactly how my friend Seamus Malin, former admission staffer
at Harvard, would answer your question. He would say, “selective
colleges would prefer the student who takes two APs and gets 5 on
both AP tests.”
If you don’t think this is possible for you, I suggest you take
two APs and get 4 on both tests.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
December 13th, 2011 at 9:33 am
Mike,
You have clearly taken rigorous courses and your 91 average is fine.
If you have strong teacher recommendations and solid extracurricular
participation/achievement, it may come down to your standardized
test scores. Have you take the SAT or ACT yet? If so, what are
your scores?
December 13th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Karl,
I have just received my SAT scores a few weeks ago. They are the first I’ve taken so far, but my scores were 650 C, 740 M, 700 W. I do plan on taking it about 3 times. Also, if I score badly on my AP tests (my school requires you to take the test) will it hurt me?
December 15th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Hello. We are moving from NC to SC and I was told that the AP classes at the new school are finished in one semester. The AP classes I take in NC are year long and you take test at the end of the year. Does SC do this differntly?
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:24 am
Mike,
Great job on your first SAT!
While AP scores were designed to help colleges place freshmen
in the appropriate college courses, AP scores are considered
in the admission process. In other words, earning an A in an
AP course and scoring 5 on the AP test is better than earning
an A in the course and scoring a 3 on the test.
Don’t be intimidated by the AP tests, however. If you do well in
your class, you are likely to do well on the AP test. Every AP class
is taught in accordance with a syllabus that is approved by
the College Board. Thus, it is designed with the AP test in
mind.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:30 am
Lisa,
Most AP classes are full-year classes that are taught in
accordance with a syllabus created by the College Board.
It is highly unlikely that full-year AP courses are taught
in one semester anywhere, let alone South Carolina.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if they really do things
differently in SC.
Good luck!
December 22nd, 2011 at 6:41 pm
Karl,
Thanks so much for all the input so far; I really appreciate it. My next question is about extra cirriculars. I do a few, most of which I am very dedicated in and they all have a common theme of community service (key club, peer leaders, peer mediators. CCD teacher, nonprofit for cancer research, etc.) however, apart from the nonprofit work, I do not have leadership positions! Is this something I should work on, or would long evolvement be sufficient? I’m sorry this question isn’t relevant to AP, but it’s something I worry about.
Thanks again,
Mike
December 29th, 2011 at 11:25 am
My daughter is a freshman at our local regional high school, it is located on the edge of our state university. She is doing very well in her freshman classes, all are at the higher level. She will have opportunities later on to take college courses through the Early College Experience program offered at her school. There are not many AP classes offered. However, there is one pre-AP history class offered second semester of this year, which will lead into a year-long AP history course sophomore year. She has opted not to take this, she is much stronger in math and science and has little interest in history. This is one reason she does not want to take the class, her other reasons are that she needs to add another elective to her schedule for that second semester, and she most likely will be playing varsity tennis in the spring, both of which will take up a lot of her time. She does not want to take the course and do poorly in it. There will be AP and ECE courses offered later on in math and science that she is more interested in. Do you think we are making a mistake by not pushing her to take the preAP/AP history course? She knows it is not a subject she would like to pursue in the future. Thanks in advance for your advice!
December 31st, 2011 at 6:14 pm
I am a junior in high school and am currently taking AP Language and Composition. However, a lot of personal issues within my family as well as having to work more then intended at my job have begun to put a strain on me. I am seriously considering switching out of APLC due to the extra stress and work that it requires. How would this effect my chances of getting into a selective college? Will they even be able to see that I switched out or will they simply see that I completed my English requirement for this year? I have also been accepted for full time Post Secondary Enrollment Opinion for my senior year. Would this outweigh the negative that switching from APLC could possibly inflict?
December 31st, 2011 at 8:29 pm
I’m currently a sophomore in high school. Freshmen year I took two honors classes and made straight A’s. I ended up with a 4.129 GPA for freshman year. I ended my first semester of my sophomore year with 5 honors classes. I ended up with a 4.357 GPA. For my Junior year I’m thinking about taking 3 AP courses-AP U.S. history, AP Stats, and AP Bio. I play Varsity softball and will end up with 4 years of a Varsity sport. I am also involved in Key Club(it’s a service club) If I have a descent SAt score, do you think I can get into a college such as Notre Dame? Also, my school only offers 12 AP course and when I’m finished with high school I will hopefully have completed 7 of those 12-3 junior year and 4 senior year. I will be involved in honor socities Junior and Senior year. Basically I’m asking will all of this get me into a good college?
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:49 am
Mike,
I suggest you establish yourself as a leader in the activity that seems to match your interests and passion — volunteerism. You can do this by founding an organization that meets a particular need within your community. (Starting an organization is viewed by colleges as the highest form of leadership.)
I hope this helps!
January 7th, 2012 at 11:39 am
My son is a sophmore. He is taking AP Chemistry (his first AP – said to be the toughest in the school) and has been struggling this second semester. He is on the school basketball team and his grades dropped at the same point that the sport started. He is committed to doing better and is adamant about not dropping. As of his last exam he currently has a 69 in the course. He had an 80 in his first semester which was the average for the class. Other students in the class are dropping down to the honors class before the end of the second semester. He enjoys this class and the teacher tremenously and I don’t want to break his spirit. He is interested in engineering. What do you suggest?
January 17th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
I am currently a freshman in high school and I have some issues regarding what to take in my years of high school. I really want to take some AP courses and my grades show that I can do it. The thing is I am good at history but do not necessarily want to pursue it. My peers around me seem to all want to take AP US history in junior year AND in our school, this class requires a prerequisite of Modern European History (I am the only in my grade not taking this). I do not want to fill up my time with history, instead I want to take another AP option in sophomore year, which is AP computer science. Is this a good choice? What I really want to become is a doctor, so I want to take more science courses. Will not taking AP US history deter me from getting that college of my dreams (Harvard or John Hopkins), or is APUSH just “a tiny speck in the dust”? I am asking this solely base on APUSH because I do not want to regret my decision not taking it. Will it effect my transcript? My parents have told me I do not have to force myself to take a course since my extracurricular are pretty well rounded, but I really want to get into you know….
Thanks soo much!
January 17th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
My daughter is in the 9th grade at a private high school
and is currently planning courses for 10th grade.
She’s in honors classes now and doing fine except for one class.
My question is, she can take honors or regular courses and still
take the IB courses her junior and senior year. She dances over 19
hours a week and wants me to let her take “normal” classes next
year. Should I?
January 26th, 2012 at 6:49 pm
I am currently a high school junior. I take many honors and AP classes. At the end of sophomore year, I had a 4.56 weighted GPA and an 3.88 unweighted GPA. Unfortunately, I got a C this semester in AP Chemistry. I also take AP Calc AB, AP English Language, AP World and two other honors classes. I have mostly A’s and a few B’s on my transcript. I play field hockey and am in NHS and Key Club. Will this C hurt my chances of getting into a top college /Ivy League School??
February 1st, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Hi, im trying to figure out what else i need to be doing as a highschooler for college admissions. I have all pre AP classes, Im a freshman, im in marching band, but thats pretty much it. I’m also persueing spanish, and also I make A’s. Im also in a math class ahead of my year.Umm, should i try debate, or what else? I have no idea what i want to be when i grow up. Ill be taking as many ap classes as i can, but im still freaking out, how do i distinguish myself?
February 7th, 2012 at 1:01 am
Hi
My daughter is a Freshman at a public High School in
SF Bay Area. Her first semester at High School was a bit tough
since she took up crew 5 days a week but she is doing really
well in her second semester. Her school does not offer APs
until Junior Year. She is mainly interested in a career in
Legal, Social Sciences or Marketing, Communication, Journalis
m career. Pre-med is a second choice.
This is what her courses look like as assigned by her counselor.
Please advise if it looks challenging enough. She has
assigned 2 APs in her Junior Year. Should we bring up AP Psycholo
logy to Junior Year and drop Journalism to Senior to
balance it out.
My daughter is very passionate about crew and does it 5 days a
week. She has developed some great friendship since she joined crew and
and treats it like a outlet.
She has been raising money for a major cancer research
institution by organizing her own annual fundraiser in
summer and participating in the organization’s own annual
fundraiser. Its the third year now.
The association with this organization is of course linked
to a personal incident.
She wants to apply to a good liberal arts school in the East
Coast? I would like her to continue to get good grades and
show an upward trend. What do you think about the choice of
subjects below that her counselor has assigned to her
11th Grade
AG/Calc HP
AP English Comp HP
AP US History HP
As Phys HP
Journalism 2 P
Spanish 3 HP
12th Grade
AP American Govt HP
AP Biology HP
AP Calculus BC HP
AP English Lit HP
AP Mic Eco HP
AP Psychology HP
AP Spanish HP
February 16th, 2012 at 9:55 am
I’m trying to figure out what makes sense for my son as he moves on to 11th grade. He is in the honors program in our public HS. HS does not offer AP classes, have early enrollment program at state university. In 11th grade he will be taking pre-calc, Hons College writing(3cr),Hons American Hist(3cr)and Hons chemistry(8crs) and spanish 3. He plays baseball for school and basketball for town and also plays piano at church.
He is contemplating whether he should take physics instead of Hons chemistry. His avg grade in chemistry is 99% and all others 95%.
He wants to attend selective colleges, does he have a chance with no AP but around 14 college credits? What should his SAT scores be to be considered in those schools?
February 22nd, 2012 at 7:52 pm
I’m a sophmore and im currently figuring out my junior schedule. my plan is to choose:
spanish 3
ap economics
ap language and comp
ap chemistry
physics
pre-calc
but, i was debating on choosing ap stats or ap american gov instead of ap chemistry but
my chemistry teacher right now said that the combination of physics and ap chem is good..i am planning
to choose a career in law, maybe business undergrad. which class should i choose in your opinion?