Should I take 6 AP courses in the same year?

Question

Normally one is supposed to take AP english, math, science, and social studies. I, on the other hand, want to take 6 because currently i am in only 2 but I want to take the normal 4. I've always desired to get into Honors math but was always too timid and shy to actually join. Now I am ineligible to join because I had to but didn't take algebra in 8th grade to enroll in geomety ( which is the honors) the next year. So, here I am stuck without enrolling in honors math, my dream you could say. I am able to take two math courses my sophmore year if I TRULY am ready and prepared to take this challenge.So altogther I can take; pre ap english, math , science, social studies, another math course (ap) and another science course that is also ap. The question is: should I do it.I have been pondering about this for so long you wouldn't believe hoping to take Calculus my 12 grade year. I guess what I am trying to say after all of this is... should I do it. It would help to hear opinin

Answer 1

From what I know of AP classes, I'd suggest you not take so many--at least not before speaking with your parents and you HS guidance counselor. Good luck.

Answer 2

You could probably do 6, but it would pretty definitely cut into other things in your life.

What is your main motivation for trying to do so many? Is it mostly about college admittance? Or just interested in learning?

In either case, I'd suggest you could probably do something else. Maybe take a course over the summer, or maybe take a course at a local college or something either during the upcoming semester or over the summer. Or just hold off and take a few of the things you're less desperate to take when you get to college.

If you're worried about college admittance, there are other things you can do to make yourself look better to universities. Things like scoring well on tests, keeping grades up, taking a moderate number of AP classes, writing a killer statement of purpose (or whatever they call it), engaging in other activities to look balanced and well-rounded.

The AP tests are somewhat nice when you get to college since you don't have to take some of the general education things if you've passed them. On the other hand, some of these things aren't bad to take in college if you get the right professors, either.

Really, don't kill yourself unless you have a really good reason. You'll have plenty of time of insane amounts of school work once you go to college, and even more if you decide to go to grad school after that. No need to do it all in one year as far as I can tell.

Answer 3

I do not see how you or any other human being could possibly keep up with the sheer volume of work that would be required if you took 6 AP courses at once.
Is there any way you could take a course during the summer to get you up to speed in math so that you could still take Calc. in your senior year? I think that would be a bit more sane.

Answer 4

Hmmmm - it really depends on how your school teaches AP. I'm guessing that 6 isn't standard for your school, since you're asking, so - yikes. I don't know - my friend took five our junior year, but she worked HARD and spent her sixth class (an open period) in the library studying. She's a pretty quick worker, too. I don't think she got to study any one of her classes as much as she wanted to, either - she was just spread thin.
So, my advice would be: no. I'd even be leary of a fifth, but - it's up to you! If you're okay with the work, and missing out on getting any 5s.... Well, in any case, good luck!

Answer 5

I took 3 AP's my senior year. It was as much as I could handle. In college I started a destructive cycle of taking more and more ambitious course loads every semester, and getting in trouble with grades because it was more than I could handle. I'm not saying don't do it, but be careful. Decide which subjects are most important to you, and go AP with those.

Answer 6

A sentence of advice. You can never get your youth back. If this is at the expense of your livelihood you may want to reconsider.

Answer 7

if your up to the challanage of not having much free time then yeah. but i wiuld take it easy on how many ap courses you take. i know plenty of people who regret taking that many.

Answer 8

NO, you shouldnt.