The Power of Taking One AP Course (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK if I only take one AP class? ›

The AP – Admissions Connection

Please know that taking 1 AP course will not make or break you getting accepted to a college.

College counselors recommend that students strive to take 5-8 AP classes throughout their high school career, especially if they are interested in attending a highly-selective institution such as an Ivy League college. That said, you shouldn't feel pressured to take more AP classes than you can comfortably manage.

If you get a one, nothing bad is going to happen to you. It's true that you likely will not receive college credit for that class, but it won't impact your final grade for the course.

Students looking to earn admission to highly selective colleges should take multiple AP classes to bolster their applications and demonstrate they can handle challenging coursework. Some college admissions experts recommend taking as many as 7-12 AP courses before applying to the most elite universities.

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.

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.

While honors courses usually add 0.5 points to your GPA, AP classes often add 1 point. In other words, a 3.5 GPA would be boosted to a 4.0 in an honors class and a 4.5 in an AP class. This boost can prove particularly useful if you want to challenge yourself with more difficult training without punishing your GPA.

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.

To clarify, it's quite rare and quite difficult to get a score of 0 on an AP exam. Typically, scores range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest possible score that indicates the student likely wasn't prepared for the level of the content on the exam.

It's natural to feel some pressure, but remember that your overall performance in the course matters more than the exam score itself. Now, to address your concerns: Failing an AP exam isn't ideal, but it's not necessarily a deal-breaker for college admissions.

Is a 2 on AP failing? ›

AP® Score of 2

If you were to get a 2, then the College Board has determined that you are “possibly qualified” to pass a college level class of the same subject level. This score is usually not accepted by colleges unless there are extenuating circ*mstances.

Colleges like them both. Both honors and AP courses are rigorous courses that most high schools weight more heavily on your transcript. AP courses, however, culminate in the AP Exam. Good AP scores show colleges you are ready to succeed at college-level work and can even earn you college credits.

AP classes are designed to be much more challenging than grade-level classes, and a "B" in an AP class is typically equivalent to an "A" in a grade-level class.

If you're serious about school and learning a lot before university, then I think taking 4 AP classes is fine. I took 4 APs during my junior year (Gov+Politics, Biology, Calc AB, Lang+Comp), and the workload was quite manageable.

While honors courses usually add 0.5 points to your GPA, AP classes often add 1 point. In other words, a 3.5 GPA would be boosted to a 4.0 in an honors class and a 4.5 in an AP class. This boost can prove particularly useful if you want to challenge yourself with more difficult training without punishing your GPA.

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 ...

No, AP exam scores are separate from your GPA and final grades. Teachers might offer incentives to get students to take the exam but deciding not to take it won't affect your final grades.

I can understand why you might be concerned, but the good news is that not taking AP classes doesn't necessarily mean you won't get into a good college. Admissions officers look at the whole picture, meaning your GPA, extracurriculars, and other factors play important roles in determining your acceptance.