I am a rising senior. My goal is to get into one of the top colleges.
Do you think it is a good idea to take four APs this year (Lit, Bio, US history, and Micro)? I have taken three last year (physics C, Lang, and Calc BC). I don’t want to overstress myself because I also need to do well on college applications.
What do you guys think? Please help!
Thank you!
Only you know what you can handle. I’d say that those are standard AP’s to take, but if you don’t have time for your apps then you should drop one - a quality essay/application is better than an added AP class.
Hello, fellow rising senior here! Im taking 4 APs too (Lit, Euro, Stats, Macro). Kinda worried as well since i only took 2 my junior year, but i think if we manage our time, we’ll do fine.
GET ALL YOUR ESSAYS DONE BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS. ALL OF THEM-- YOUR COMMON APP AND ALL YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAYS. My teachers nailed this into our brains and honestly its soo much easier to start writing rough drafts of my essays during summer because i know i dont have to stress about them yet. I have 3 drafts of the common app essays done already, and one supplemental essay. If you get everything done before school even starts, you can jump right in to getting teachers/peers to read+edit them, and you wont have to stress about writing an essay on top of all your other homework assignments. Itll take a huge load off your shoulders!
Kids who wait until the last minute to write their essays have breakdowns–ive witnessed them. Dont be that kid! Youll thank yourself later when its november and some of your friends havent even started their essays yet, and you finished all of yours in august.
Best of luck!
Are you taking a Math this year?
My D2 is taking four APs next year – English, Physics, Calc, and Music Theory. I don’t see a problem with it as long as you’re not easily stressed AND you work on your college applications this summer! You received some excellent advice above.
@bopper no because i already have enough credits not to take math and have taken both AB and BC. I wanted to instead take a language so that i have at least three years of mandarin
@microssrunner17 thank you for your advice! yeah i think I’m just going to take 4 APs next year and try to finish most of my essays during the summer.
Talk to your GC about skipping a year of Math…do you have to take 4 years of Math?
Can you do dual enrollement at your local CC and take Multivariable?
Can you take AP Stats?
@bopper i don’t need to take 4 years because i already have enough credits so I’m not taking math next year. I could take multivariable or stats but i chose to take mandarin instead to fill up my three year “recommendation” from colleges
I think you’ll be okay since in Math and Foreign Language, what matters is level reahed and Calculus fulfills that requirement (just like AP Foreign Language would fulfill that requirement even if you completed it junior year).
What else are you taking?
Are those classes known as especially difficult at your school?
What universities are you aiming for?
(What’s your current GPA, how well did you do in class and on the test for the Ap’s you took this year?)
All in all…
On the face of it, it looks doable. 
@MYOS1634 so in summary, I am taking ap bio, apush, ap micro, ap lit, mandarin (everything else aren’t academic classes like gym). Well i heard that bio and apush is a lot of work but i don’t think lit and micro are that bad. I am aiming for ivy leagues. I also got all 5s on the APs that i took this year and my GPA is 3.96 unweighted
Or sure won’t be easy but based on your previous record it should be okay. AP lit and APush require a lot of reading, AP bio is time intensive but the rest shouldbe doable.
You know yourself best. IMO, 4 APs is manageable as long as you stick to a strict schedule, plan your time well and don’t procrastinate. Don’t let your applications suffer because one of your APs is killing you- be proactive about talking to teachers and getting extra help.