High School Senior Schedule

[Power of One]

I will be an incoming senior this September and I will be taking 7 APs. I've been vacillating on whether I should switch some APs for others, or to just drop some of them entirely. My projected schedule is:

1. AP Physics B
2. AP Psychology
3. AP Art History
4. AP English Literature
5. AP Environmental Science
6. AP Spanish Language
7. AP Calculus AB

My school is on a block schedule. So on odd days, I have periods 1, 3, 5, and 7 and on even days, I have period 2, 4, 6, and 7. I have period 7 everyday. If I drop a certain class, the order of my classes might be rearranged. I don't want that to happen because I REALLY LIKE the balance I have. I know very well that I'm biting off way more than I can possibly chew with 7 APs, but I'm really determined and giving this my last "hoorah" in the college admission game. To make this more manageable for myself, I was thinking about dropping AP Physics which I'm assuming will be the hardest class in my schedule, and instead changing it to AP Statistics. Is this a wise move?

To put this in perspective, I've taken 4 APs already. I took AP US History as a sophomore and AP European History, AP Biology, and AP Government as a junior. My goal is to one day become a pediatrician. I took AP Biology along with Chemistry Honors as a junior. I don't see myself taking AP Chemistry as much as I wish I had the guts to do so. I was so confused in Chemistry Honors and AP Chemistry would be suicide for me. Would I be at a significant disadvantage in college if I don't take it? How about in context of not taking AP Physics? Can anyone from personal experience shed some light on this?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

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[EMS5]

I never took any AP classes in high school, but still got accepted from reputable (in my opinion) universities. Performing well in the classes is more important than what the class was. For example, an A in regular or honors psychology would be looked upon as better than a C or B- in AP psych.

 

[CScull]

Changing to AP Stats will make your schedule a lot easier... Calculus is going to be killer, lots of homework.

If you're intelligent then it's not going to be the concepts that bog you down; it'll be the amount of crap you have to deal with. You'll need a lot of free time for homework and projects and such.

Think about what APs you think you'll score well on and make those definate choices, then fill in the one's you really want to do because you'll enjoy them.

For me it would be a no brainer between Physics and Stats, because there is no way I would get a higher score in Physics, and in the end it's going to be the same amount of required college credits, just in a different subject (you might get one more if Physics is considered a lab though...).

 

[skierbum]

I'm sure you could do it if you tried. Remember, it's better to get 4s or 5s in less APs than take a whole load and not be able to enoy life senior year. Taking Stats instead of Calc would be a good way to do this-I've seen the pile of hw the physics kids get.

 

[sKanKY hOe]

You want to become a pediatrician someday and you are currently in highschool.

My perspective as a current medical student
- Get good 4s and 5s on APs that are relevant to you so it'll look good on your application and so you can get a head start on choosing classes (I went to a University that gave me more priority in selecting classes if I had more credits going in)

- You DON'T have to take AP test for Chem before college, but if you want to just take the class so you have a good basic understanding of the subject before you start, that's a good idea. As a pre-med, you will have to take organic and inorganic chemistry courses anyway. AP courses don't even come close to the difficulty of college level courses (in my experience)

- Lots of applicants have good scores, what else are you doing to set yourself apart? what sorts of extracurricular activities do you do? Grades are important, but they're not the only thing. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Good luck. And also, do your best in everything, but try not to work yourself to the point where you're burnt out by the time you get into college.

 

[EyEnStein 07]

AP courses don't even come close to the difficulty of college level courses (in my experience)

Will have to disagree with this. It all depends on the school you went to (high school) and the college you go to. From my experience some APs have been harder than college classes which were a joke same level but had to retake. Also just seeing the material again makes things much easier. Calculus is calculus...chemistry is chemistry....AP's cover everything you would in one year that you would cover in 1 semester or even 2 semesters in the college equivalent course. If you go to a tough school where the AP teachers have been doing it for a while...then your good...but ofcourse if you have a newly hired bachelor/masters 23 year old teaching AP for the first time...the experience might not be that great.

But anyways...
if you are a dedicated student.....AP Art History, Psychology and Environmental science will be a joke for you. Those are the easiest AP's.

If your good in math AP CALC AB will be no problem at all.
If you are hispanic or speak spanish fluently AP Spanish will be atleast a 4 (most of my hispanic friends took it with little effort in class and got 4's)

AP physics B...yeah you might have to put some work into this but hopefully with knowing calculus a lot of the work will be easier for you.

Also English Literature is much easier than composition so if your good at reading comprehension and analysis of poems you will be fine. Remmber its going to take some ahrd work so try to see if you can cut down on EC's a bit and put more time into studying. Do take it seriously though. Be glad your not taking AP USH...that one is kind of tough.

But anyways if you must drop a class...let spanish go and one of either art history, psych or environmental.

 

[indianjatt]

You want to become a pediatrician someday and you are currently in highschool.

My perspective as a current medical student
- Get good 4s and 5s on APs that are relevant to you so it'll look good on your application and so you can get a head start on choosing classes (I went to a University that gave me more priority in selecting classes if I had more credits going in)

- You DON'T have to take AP test for Chem before college, but if you want to just take the class so you have a good basic understanding of the subject before you start, that's a good idea. As a pre-med, you will have to take organic and inorganic chemistry courses anyway. AP courses don't even come close to the difficulty of college level courses (in my experience)

- Lots of applicants have good scores, what else are you doing to set yourself apart? what sorts of extracurricular activities do you do? Grades are important, but they're not the only thing. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Good luck. And also, do your best in everything, but try not to work yourself to the point where you're burnt out by the time you get into college.

I have to disagree with the AP statement as well. Mainly the same reasons as above.

 

[187]

If it makes you feel any better, I'm also taking 7 AP classes and a varsity sport, all while studying for SATs and doing college apps on the weekends.

 

[schrizto]

I know someone who took 7 APs both junior and senior year (14 APs over two years plus the ones he took soph and frosh yr). Got all As in the classes but a few 3s on the AP tests.

 

[IIM]

I think you may come to regret that schedule unless you can absolutely handle the workload and are prepared to no-life. My older sister took 7 AP classes (a full schedule for our school) her senior year and her GPA was a 3.4. Not only did she loose her class rank of one, but she also didn't get accepted to the state university she would have otherwise made it into (note she was in three sports, three extra curricular activites, and volunteered 4 hours Saturday & Sunday and everyday in the summer at a local hospital). Just because you are taking higher classes doesn't made it will still look cool if you get a B-

 

[Shinobiz11]

Waste of time if you ask me.

 

[Mue]

1. AP Physics B
2. AP Psychology
3. AP Art History
4. AP English Literature
5. AP Environmental Science
6. AP Spanish Language
7. AP Calculus AB

Even though the time for this has already passed - I think you schedule should have probably looked something like this:

1. AP Physics B
2. -----------------
3. -----------------
4. AP English Literature
5. -----------------
6. AP Spanish Language
7. AP Calculus AB

The three that I crossed out (psychology, art history, and environmental sciences) are general considered "joke" AP classes. I have a sister who slept through AP Psych, read a review book the week before the exam, and got a 5 and I've heard the same pattern follows the other two classes.

 

[SeekerofTruth]

I want to know what happened to this guy.

 

[Badger MD]

I want to know what happened to this guy.

I kind of do too...