Will not many AP's hurt my chances?

Question

My school offers 7 AP classes: Lit and Comp., Chem, Bio, Art History, U.S. History, Calc, and Stats. I will have taken only 4:Lit. and Comp., Bio, U.S. Hist., and Stats by graduation. These are the only AP's my schedule allows for because Soph. and Fresh. can't take AP at my school. I've noticed that on this site and similar ones, students accepted into the more elite colleges take 5 to 10 AP's. Will this hurt my chances or will colleges recognize my situation?

Answer 1

You'll be fine. For top colleges, just make sure someone writes in your letter of rec that you took as many APs as possible, and that your school does not allow freshman or sophomores to take AP classes. Still, you should try and take a college class or two at a local community college if it's not too late. Shows you try to be challenged.

If you're just applying to state schools (even high ranked ones), you'll be fine. APs help, but they don't help all that much.

Answer 2

You might want to consider taking classes when you do have time (summer) at a local community or state college. Usually you can take a few classes without "enrolling" and then you would have classes that DEFINITELY will get you college credit. (The AP classes only work IF you take the AP test, and IF you do well, and IF the college you attend accepts them...) Most states will also let you count those classes towards your high school graduation. Good deal!

Each college will have different criteria for admissions consideration. If you make it past that hurdle--to actually be considered rather than automatically discarded--then they will consider your whole asset list (activities, character, grades, class rank, test scores, curriculum, etc.). And they also won't really know what your HS offered for AP classes. Many schools don't have an AP Art History, so that's safe, and many won't expect TWO in math or science, so you are probably fine.

Answer 3

No, universities look at a wide range of criteria, not just a few. Excellent grades in an AP class helps, but a crappy grade or not taking the test doesn't help at all.

Remember, even if you had a fantastic GPA, there are thousands of kids who are in your spot, and universities don't want to take just the 3.9-4.0s. You need to be able to communicate what special attributes you bring to the university. How will you contribute to the growth of other students and enrich the entire academic experience? The elite colleges are looking for people who will be contributors, and not just receivers of knowledge and experience; and the best way to ensure that is through the essays and resumes. Those people with the near perfect GPAs and SATs without any experiences outside of learning are not the automatic shoe-in people think they are. Just as important are the students who bring life experience to the table.

You should remember that.

Answer 4

This is not going to hurt your chances at graduation. 4 AP's are pretty good. The colleges will recognize the situation if you convince them and as long as you take some AP classes and perform well at them the colleges will realize that you're no average student.

Colleges DO look at how many AP's you take, but remember, how many AP's you take is not as important as how well you do in the AP classes as well as on the AP Exam. Take enough AP classes that you can manage and that'll not stress you out...and that you'll do well on them.

Answer 5

Most great schools do not care whether you've taken all or no AP courses at all. As a graduate from a a top 10 undergrad and a top lawschool, I can tell you I've not come across one student in my 7 years of college / lawschool which noted that AP courses made a lick of different for entrance. Set yourself apart in ways that are meaningful beyond perfect marks, impress with your essays, and score well on the SAT.

Answer 6

I know people who got into really good colleges not taking many AP classes. If you do well in the classes, you should be fine. Colleges look at more than just how many AP courses you take! : )

Good luck and enjoy HS!!

Answer 7

Definitely take the Ap courses, they will help and you might even get some college credit.

P.S. If you don't want to read a lot don't take the history classes.

Answer 8

nah it wont. as long as you're getting a's and b's in your classes then you're good. remember a B in a regular class is way better than a D or F in AP

Answer 9

Just as long as you get really good grades and participate in other activities.

Answer 10

its your extra curriculars that help you stand out, not your classes and grades.