This coming school year, I am going to be a junior taking 6 AP classes. As for background information, last year, my sophomore year, has to be, by far, the most stressful year of my life. I took only 2 AP classes (WHAP and APHUG), but it was pretty difficult because I’m not very good at history/social studies, and because I was in a lot of clubs and groups (student council president, girls soccer team, NHS, College Readiness Leadership Program, etc.)
This coming year I am taking 6 AP’s
• AP Calculus (I took geometry last year, I have credit for Algebra 2, and I’m going to take an exempt test to skip PreCal)
• AP Physics B
• AP Psychology
• APUSH
• AP Language
• AP Music Theory
Is this doable? This summer, I went to a community college and took speech and I’m taking sociology online right now so I’ll have two extra credits to boost my GPA. I’m also self studying AP Chemistry to take CLEP and the AP exam. My classmates said I was crazy for taking this many AP’s next year. I think it’s okay, for the most part, because I want to go into the medical field and science and math aren’t very hard for me. Yet at the same time, I really don’t want to stress out too much again this year because I still need to make time to study for the SAT and PSAT. I’m in class of 2017, so we’re the first ones taking the new SAT, yet I’m preparing for the old SAT. The last time to take the old SAT is October 2015, or January 2016, I think.
I’m doing my very best to get as much college credit out the way as I can and to do well in school. I need to focus more on my EC’s, so I can AT LEAST be looked at for my dream college.
Like asked before, is this doable? Anything is appreciated. Have a nice summer, ya’ll.
I’m kind of in the same situation as you, 5 APs, lots of clubs/tutoring/volunteering. I will also be a junior, and nonetheless, I am scared to the bone!
If i were you, I’d study my butt off all summer and as much as i could during the school year for the old SAT, take it at least twice, get the best score possible, and never take it again. I’m doing the ACT, so that doesn’t apply to me, but that is what I would do if I were you! The last old SAT is indeed in January 2016. You have exactly half a year to prep!
As for self studying chem, it depends. Chemistry is a difficult course, are you sure you can self study it and pass the AP (and CLEP)? Since you are planning to do premed, I would opt out of self studying it entirely, you will have to most likely repeat intro chem anyway (depends on the college). My friend passed the chem test with a 4 but her uni didn’t let her opt out of intro chem since she was a science major. But if you feel confident that you can efficiently self study it and pass the tests, why not. Just make sure it doesn’t interfere with regular coursework.
I’m also in the class of 2017,and in a similar boat (3 AP classes, 3 dual enrollment at local state university) and also lots of EC’s,like Varsity swimming,stuco, class office, quiz bowl,science oylimpiad,robotics,and some others. However,I had stacked all of those activities along with 3 AP’s my sophmore year easily with plenty of free time. I feel the key would be to just make a detaild schedule for yourself and then sacrifice a little in return.
@sprights If I study hard enough (which I hope I’m doing right lool), then yeah, I think I’ll do well in AP Chem. I took regular chem this year and it was hard because I didn’t focus on the class. I was so busy with WHAP and clubs and stuff, so chemistry was usually the last thing that I focused on as a class. I know for sure that I will have to do it again when I get to college (since I’ll probably major in biochemistry, biology or nursing), but I want to have at lease some background knowledge, especially since I’ll self study and not get information from teachers. I’ll do my best, honestly. Thanks!
@MizAZN I try, I swear! I tried to make the schedules this past year, and it was so hard to follow it. Right after school, I had to go to piano/violin class, then when I got home I had to eat, bathe, help my siblings with their homework, then do my own. And because I was usually always tired (I had a realllllyyyy bad sleeping schedule, I always slept at 3 the earliest), I couldn’t focus in school. Honestly, in class, I’d just pray my teacher doesn’t call on me, and then I’d self study at home. Do you have any advice on how to make my schedule more manageable? Because I know next year will be sooooo busy for me.
@iubaccounting What do you mean? Why can’t I? That’s the first AP Physics class, right? The Physics classes that my school offers are regular Physics, AP Physics B and then AP Physics C. You are not required to take regular physics as a prerequisite, so that’s why I’m studying some of it now, so once school starts, I won’t be behind. The only classes you can’t take if you haven’t taken the prerequisites are AP Chem and AP bio, bc they make you take regular chem and bio first. Is it different for your school?
Yes, you could take that. You can also go right to AP Physics C as ambers58 said, but I wouldn’t recommend it given your current schedule. You could always take it next year if you want.
If I were you, I’d pass on self studying AP Chem. You have a hard schedule as is…taking AP Physics 1 and AP Chem is really difficult. I’m doing AP Physics and Honors Chem so I can get the regular class in before I take the AP, but to be honest, if I wasn’t set on premed in college, I wouldn’t be doing it. If you already have two science classes, you’re more than good!
@ambers58@iubaccounting In my school, you have to take prerequisites for classes. So even though I’ll take AP Calculus, I haven’t completed the prerequisite for AP Physics C. I havent taken any physics class.
@sprights Okay. I’ll try though. In my school, a student has a month to drop an AP class that might seem difficult for them. Then again, if they’re failing, yet they’re there because they want to be with friends, then the teacher will drop the class for them, for the sake of their GPA hahaha. If it does get difficult, definitely, I’ll drop the class. This year, I stuck it out when it was difficult and got all A’s, but it was unbelievably stressful and time consuming.
Lol thats not too bad… how are your classes going so far? And self-studying for AP chem?? wow that’s impressive! For the most part it seems doable I’m taking AP Stats, AP Lang, AP Chem, Honors Organic Chemistry, Honors Varsity Choir and Dual Credit US History. Your schedule seems pretty interesting
@Cece0499 Hey! They’re going okay right now. Kinda discouraging when senior friends of mine constantly repeat “trust me, it’s gonna get worse.” hahaha. AP Physics isn’t too hard, APUSH is surprisingly a breeze right now, being that I usually REALLY suck at history lol. My teacher is apparently really good. APLang started off a bit rough; we’re already writing essays over long, unnecessarily big-worded passages haha. AP Calc is going fine. I’m taking dual credit/AP for AP Lang and AP Music theory. So either way, whether I take the AP exam or not, I get college credit. However, I know some colleges that I’m looking at don’t accept dual credit, so I’m taking the AP exam for them too. I’m still working on managing my time along with other activities that I may participate in, but so far, everything is going well.
That’s good and samee with the seniors–they love to scare us I remember asking them about pre-calc last year and they scared me out of my wits, telling me that only a few people made A’s! I was able to make an A, and the class wasn’t so bad lol. Have you started reviewing/studying for the upcoming PSAT? cringes
@Cece0499 I know right! hahaha. Either they want to scare us, or the class is just easier for us lol. And yeah I have. We took a practice one is school, and I didn’t score as high as I expected. But that’s okay, I’m already studying non stop for this month and the next lol. Practice makes better hahaha. How about you?
I’m self-studying haha and my school didn’t even do that for us lol wow…that’s disappointing. Anyway practice definitely does! I’m working towards National Merit and CR is killing me…I missed 5 out of 44 on the practice test for reading and thats not even including writing…yikes
@Cece0499 My school is pretty small, so our counselors and teachers work pretty hard to make us do well, which can be stressful when you don’t do as well. Which also makes students more competitive against each other haha. It’s like the second week of school for us and there are already rumors spreading about me. “OMG did you hear? that girl is taking 6 APs.” “that’s a lot ermegerhh” Then I’d have to justify myself hahaha. Yeah, the only source of muscle and exercise I get during school is carrying all my textbooks and binders around. And same! National Merit is my maaiiiin goal. I don’t qualify for most scholarships because of my parents income. I am considered a minority and all, but my parent’s income cuts it off lol. So I need as many scholarships as I can get. And 5 our of 44? That’s not bad lool. I missed like half, when I thought I did better. I wish the SAT was just straightforward instead of tricky.
yesss same! my parents have always stressed how important this test is we should make a small study group here or anything like that if you have time…we can go over wrong answers and strategies that work/don’t work (:
I remember asking them about pre-calc last year and they scared me out of my wits, telling me that only a few people made A’s! I was able to make an A, and the class wasn’t so bad lol. Have you started reviewing/studying for the upcoming PSAT? cringes