So sophomore year I took a academic course (don’t really know what I was thinking) instead of AP Bio, which slowed down my course scheulding. I had to take ap bio junior year and lost a spot for ap lit senior year. I’m majoring in computer engineering so it doesn’t affect me a whole lot, but wish I took it just for the challenge and the interesting stories. Do you guys think I missed out in terms of the course’s content itself, and maybe also cooked myself in terms of college admissions. In tottal I’ve taken 17 ap’s (if we are speerating the 2 econ adn gov classes) .
You should have plenty of opportunities to take a lit elective in college and, in fact, you may be required to, depending on whether your college has a core curriculum that includes lit.
One class won’t affect your admissions either way, especially when you’ve taken 17 APs. You’ve shown adequate rigor.
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Don’t live in the past. You will have plenty of time to take various classes of interest in college.
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That is a HUGE number of APs. Life is not a contest to see who can take the most AP classes. University admissions similarly is not a contest about who took the most AP classes.
I do not recall AP literature ever coming up in the context of how best to solve a computer engineering problem (math on the other hand…).
Personally I am glad that I never took AP Literature. I would suggest that you similarly do not worry about it.
“Well, I’ve had my share of good intentions
And I’ve made my share of mistakes . . .
Now I look at myself to find
I learn the hard way ev’ry time”
Well, there is nothing you can do about it now so no point in regretting it. Especially since you have taken so many AP courses. My kid regrets not taking a couple AP classes b/c she listened to those who said they were awful and hard and she is kicking herself for listening. I told her she is wasting her time regretting it. Nothing she can do about it. She has gotten into every school with $$. Do not worry about it.
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Honestly, the AP format and the study of literature are not a natural fit. My S24’s private HS English department did not offer any APs, and that is not an uncommon decision among selective college prep day and boarding schools. In fact the only APs the school offered were CS, the Calcs, and modern languages–nothing in natural sciences, history, Latin, or so on.
So personally, no, I don’t think you missed out in terms of substantive education, although you could make a point of taking some sort of literature class in college, perhaps one with a focus on small group discussions and essays if possible.
As for college applications, we don’t know your overall transcript and the “story” it tells in context, but as others are saying it doesn’t make sense to second-guess things now. And if your concern is that selective colleges may be looking for specific APs from all their succesful applicants, not at all. Indeed, the fact so many private schools have abandoned many APs (or never offered them) underscores that point.
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Look ahead, not behind .
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There is a time limit on the number of courses that you can take in high school. There are far too many AP and honors classes offered by most schools than is possible for a student to take. That means that, not matter what choices you make, there will always be classes that you will not be able to take.
My kid regretted not taking more classes that were not directly connected to college admissions, but instead were just interesting. So she took classes like that in college.
As others have written - no matter which college you attend, you will be able to take a Lit course.
As for admissions - it will not affect your admissions at all, unless you are thinking of applying as an English Literature major to a college which admits directly to major.
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No, you have not missed out. You are fine with respect to college admissions.
Be sure to apply to a few state flagship university honors colleges as your AP credits may earn you sophomore standing in your first semester.
What senior English options do you have? At my daughter’s HS, the students say that some of the non-AP English electives are more interesting.
17 AP classes? I am guessing you already know that is WAY above even most top students and that you’ll be fine. More than fine. Most highly competitive students have 9-13 AP courses. Some may actually wonder why you took so many, and what you sacrificed to do so.
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