Should you take 3 AP's junior year and 4 AP's senior year or 4 AP's junior year and 3 AP's senior year? (2024)

FAQs

Should you take 3 AP's junior year and 4 AP's senior year or 4 AP's junior year and 3 AP's senior year? ›

And yes, of course most students would do better with 3 APs in junior year, and 4 in senior year. But there are some students who would be best served by a normal/honors high school curriculum in middle school, and a mostly AP curriculum throughout high school.

Junior year is the most important year academically. It's the year colleges will look at most closely on your transcripts. Therefore, you should strive to take as many AP classes as you can reasonably manage.

Junior Year

Depending on what kind of school you want to go to, you should be taking between 3 and 5 AP® classes this year. You will need to manage your time well, however, as you also need to study for the SAT® or ACT® during this time.

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.

Instead, students typically start by taking 1-3 AP classes during their sophom*ore year, beginning with some of the less demanding courses. They may then pick up the pace during their junior year, enrolling in more challenging options. These courses can enhance your transcript and boost your GPA.

For moderately selective colleges: Take AP classes for most core subjects and a few additional courses. These will amount to around 4-8 AP courses. For less selective colleges: You can take AP classes in some core subjects in addition to courses relevant to your interests and goals.

A typical recommendation for high-achieving students might be 3 to 5 AP classes during their junior year. It's important to strike a balance between challenging yourself academically and maintaining your overall well-being, so don't feel like you have to take every AP class offered by your school.

You most certainly can take 3 AP classes, but it is a purely personal decision if taking that many AP courses and the workload that goes with it is too much for you to handle at once. I will say from personal experience that of those 3, AP English Language will be the most challenging.

The number of AP classes you take should align with your personal academic strengths and interests. Taking two AP courses in your junior year could certainly be viewed as a rigorous courseload, especially if the APs are in subjects that you are passionate about and plan to dedicate considerable effort.

Originally Answered: Is it bad to not take any AP classes in junior year of high school? It's not bad but it's also not great. You have to continuously remember that on a much larger scale; you're competing with millions of other people around your age that may want to go to the same schools as you in the near future.

Which AP is easiest? ›

United States History, Biology, English Literature, Calculus BC, Physics C, and Chemistry are often named as the hardest AP classes and tests. These classes have large curriculums, tough tests, and conceptually difficult material.

A manageable workload could be anywhere from 3 to 5 AP classes, provided you've already taken several in your junior year. Remember, it's about your ability to succeed in these courses, not just about taking as many as possible.

'No magic number' for students

Students and counselors alike agree that AP courses offer many academic benefits beyond college admissions to students in terms of the skills including time management, critical thinking, and writing skills they learn in these courses that prepare them for college work.

Generally speaking, admissions officers at selective schools such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton usually have a preference for applicants who have taken anywhere from 7 to 12 AP courses — it is said that around 80% of high schools in the US offer some type of AP class, and the average number of AP class they have is ...

You should be fine with 3 AP courses. It's more important to get straight As in all of them. Six classes with 6 As is better than 8 classes with 4 As.

Taking AP classes during your senior year can be beneficial for several reasons. First, it shows colleges that you're challenging yourself academically and are willing to take on rigorous coursework. This can make your application more competitive.

A manageable workload could be anywhere from 3 to 5 AP classes, provided you've already taken several in your junior year. Remember, it's about your ability to succeed in these courses, not just about taking as many as possible.

They are only used to determine credit/placement in general education and intro level courses. Senior year AP exam scores are NOT used in any way for admissions purposes, at least at the UCs.

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