AP classes, or Advanced Placement classes, are defined as college-level courses that prepare students for college while still in High School. They allow students to earn college credit that can further benefit their journey in a higher level of education. These classes are on average, more difficult, and more expansive in comparison to the courses that they replace as they go into greater detail about the topic being discussed.
Our school offers a variety of AP courses for students to take each year of their High School experience. Some include:
- AP Lang & Composition
- AP Lit & Composition
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Chem
- AP Bio
- AP HUG
- AP Euro
- AP USH
- AP Gov
These are just 10 of our school’s most commonly taken courses. However, the question is: How many of these classes should you be taking?
The optimal amount of AP classes to take is subjective to the college or university you would like to attend. No school requires you to take an AP course but it is strongly recommended for the more highly selective in the country. According to an article by College Transitions, “to be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount.” Other Ivy League schools such as Yale state that they do not consider participation in AP courses when viewing college applications.
Another thing to take into consideration is to not overwork yourself. As previously stated, an AP course is generally a lot of work in and of itself. Add to this one or two more and it can become too overwhelming for one student. This can quickly lead to a decline in mental health as it produces anxiety, further leading to an academic decline. Moreso, if a student participates in after-school clubs or a sport, the varying responsibilities can take up too much time.
In conclusion, take a step back and evaluate what you believe to be an appropriate amount of AP classes for yourself. It is important to challenge yourself but not push yourself over your limits. This creates the proper recipe for you to succeed in your academic journey and thus forward.
