How Many AP Classes Should You Take? - Crimson Global Academy US (2024)

When applying to universities in the US, Advanced Placement courses and strong AP test scores can provide a significant advantage — especially if your sights are set on the Ivy League or similarly competitive schools. Read on to learn about the benefits of AP classes, how many to take, and how international students can access AP curricula from anywhere in the world!

What Are AP Courses?

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are entry-level college courses offered as high school classes that are standardized and administered by the CollegeBoard. There are 38 different AP exams offered globally, ranging in areas like Psychology, Art, Humanities, Science, Math, History, and Languages. AP courses are designed to prepare students for college-level work by offering a more accelerated approach to the traditional courses offered in high school.

AP classes differ from traditional classes in the sense that they are designed to prepare students for a standardized test each spring that’s developed by the CollegeBoard with the goal of demonstrating a student’s comprehension of college-level subjects. The standardization ensures that every student who passes the AP exam is actually able to keep up with college-level coursework!

How Many AP Classes Should You Take?

The recommended number of AP courses/exams to take varies based on the kind of universities you’re hoping to apply to. A 2013 study conducted by admissions officials at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill found that students should “pursue at least five college-level courses" during high school; however, it’s important to keep in mind that since the study was conducted, acceptance rates have decreased significantly and the competition is more fierce than ever.

How Many AP Classes to Take for Ivy Leagues and Other Top Schools in the US

For students aiming for the Ivy League and Top 20 schools in the United States, a good target is to take (and pass) 10-14 AP classes throughout your high school career — or 3-4 each year. Keep in mind that this course load is not realistic for every student, and if you feel that you’re not capable of taking 10-14 APs while also taking care of your mental health and balancing things like extracurriculars, consider pursuing 7-8. It is more important for you to do well in fewer AP classes than to earn mediocre grades in many.

If students do well in the course but not on the exam, not to worry! The transcript admissions officers see will still benefit from a rigorous course load. However, a strong score, or recommendation, is quite advantageous — especially for applicants to the most competitive universities — so if your test scores are strong, you will want to submit them!

“Despite widespread test-optional policies, we noticed [last year] that the vast majority of STEM applicants (70%+) still submitted test scores in just the EA/ED round. Standardized tests are still considered a valuable data point for Admissions Officers and a strong score still helps students stand out. This is especially true for regions where the vast majority of students are submitting scores — you don’t want to be the one student without one! On the flip side, if your peers are all unable to test due to cancellations, then you are also fine in not submitting a score, but this also provides an opportunity for you to stand out even further with a strong score (if you are able to safely take the test, of course),” says Senior Crimson Strategist, Brice.

Take AP Classes Online to Maximize your Potential

You may be thinking “my school doesn’t even offer 10 APs!” Especially for international students, your school may not offer any APs! Rest assured — there are easy ways to pursue AP courses outside of your traditional high school. For example, Crimson Global Academy (CGA) is the premier online high school that offers supplemental AP courses from the comfort of your own home.

At CGA, we believe in a learning approach based on competency and maturity, not age. This means students are free to unlock their full potential in studying advanced coursework. Many schools don’t allow students to start taking AP classes until sophomore or even junior year, and oftentimes, schools have prerequisites students must meet before enrolling. At CGA, this is not the case; as long as you’re excited and academically prepared to take a class, you’re welcome to enroll!

To chat with a CGA enrollment advisor about available AP courses as well as the time and financial commitment, please fill out this form! And to learn more about how Crimson can help strengthen your college application in other areas, from essay assistance to extracurricular mentoring and more, click the link below to schedule a free consultation with one of our expert Academic Advisors.

How can CGA help?

Crimson Global Academy can provide the answers to all these questions and provide the help you need. CGA is a fully registered online high school that provides International GCSE, A Level and AP classes online for students aged 12-18. Students can also participate in a variety of extra curricular activities, coding classes and internships with CGA.

How Many AP Classes Should You Take? - Crimson Global Academy US (2024)

FAQs

How many AP classes should I take overall? ›

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

Is 4 AP classes too much? ›

However, students who take 4-5 AP courses can still qualify for good schools, including many of the country's top public research institutions. Students should balance taking AP courses with maintaining a healthy schedule to avoid burnout.

How many AP classes does the average student take? ›

The Key Number

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

Is 3 AP classes too much senior year? ›

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

Is taking 7 AP classes too much? ›

To be a competitive candidate for admission, you will need to take at least 8 AP® classes, more if you can. It is a good idea to take 1 AP® course in each of the following core disciplines: English, Foreign Language, History, Math, and Science to impress the admissions officers.

Is 3 AP classes too much sophomore year? ›

I recommend taking only 2 APs sophomore year, 4-5 Junior year, and 3 to 4 Senior year. That puts you in the 9-11 range which more than enough. Also keep in mind that if you apply to Brown with 12 APs, you've wasted your time since they give you ZERO AP credit.

Is taking 3 AP classes too little? ›

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

Is 5 AP classes in a year too much? ›

You can definitely take 5 APs, but just make sure to stay on top of your work and spend a good amount of time studying to make sure you know the material.

How many AP classes is impressive? ›

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

How many AP classes did Harvard students take? ›

While Harvard does not set a hard-and-fast rule for AP coursework, the average incoming Harvard student has taken eight AP classes. Keep in mind that Harvard's admissions department weighs several factors, so don't count on AP classes alone if you want to get into Harvard.

How many APs is too much in a year? ›

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

Is it better to take AP in junior or senior year? ›

Overall, taking an AP class as a senior is not worth it unless it is a class that you have a serious interest in. If you want to do it for the GPA boost, it is more beneficial to take them junior year and ease off more as a senior to leave more time for everything else that will be going on.

Is it bad to take too many AP classes? ›

Such a course load can negatively affect students' mental health, Fulton says. It's better for students to take a handful of APs while still allowing time to be involved in extracurriculars or other community activities, which is viewed favorably by colleges, she says.

How many AP classes is reasonable? ›

This is when you should start taking your AP core classes. Take three to five if you are aiming for a highly selective school, and two to four if you are aiming elsewhere. Note that many students describe this year as significantly harder than past ones. And you'll also likely be taking your standardized tests.

Is 10 AP classes enough for Ivy League? ›

How Many AP Classes Should You Take for Ivy Leagues and Other Top US Universities? For students aiming for the Ivy League and Top 20 schools in the United States, a good target is to take (and pass) 10-14 AP classes throughout your high school career — or 3-4 each year.

How many AP classes is considered impressive? ›

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

Is 11 AP classes enough? ›

Many competitive applicants at top universities take anywhere from 7 – 12 AP classes throughout high school. In fact, some universities even require students to take multiple AP classes in order for any of them to count as college credit.

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