Comments on: Do High School AP Classes Help with College Admissions?

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:52:27 +0000

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?

By: Ken R

Ken R — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:55:56 +0000

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?

By: Jayati

Jayati — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:01:37 +0000

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

By: Kaushika

Kaushika — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:08:48 +0000

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?

By: Kemi

Kemi — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:49:31 +0000

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??

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:32:01 +0000

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?

By: Theresa

Theresa — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:54:46 +0000

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!

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:39:35 +0000

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?

By: Karl

Karl — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:49:35 +0000

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!

By: Margaret

Margaret — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:29:29 +0000

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?