My school offers over 20 APs, but the typical top student at my school takes around 8-10 total. Will this affect admission chances? I go to a very difficult private school that is also very small (<100 students), so even though I did want to take 4 APs this year as opposed to 3, scheduling issues prevented that. However, some of the honors classes I have taken are more difficult than any of the AP classes I have taken/am taking thus far. If I get the schedule I want next year, I will end high school with 8-9 APs taken.
Will colleges think I’m not challenging myself enough, even though my course rigor is near/at the top of my grade? My school regularly sends kids to top schools with similar schedules. My main worry is that colleges may not think I have challenged myself enough with the academic opportunities that are theoretically available. Also, will getting 5’s on the AP exams I take make my schedule seem too easy since I will be taking fewer APs?
"Will colleges think I’m not challenging myself enough, even though my course rigor is near/at the top of my grade? "
Read this again and recognize your logic flaw in the question. Of course they won’t hold it against you. By definition, you’re at the top. Anything else is absurd
No. This question, and all the questions, are you just being paranoid. As mentioned above, the 20 AP classes probably include AP’s in several languages as well as different variations of AP Studio Art. Just because a school offers that many does not mean that anyone can take that many. Scheduling conflicts happen to everybody - colleges know that.
As long as your GC rates your schedule as “most rigorous,” I would move on to other aspects of your application that you can control. Good luck.
Other possible redundant AP courses that may be offered:
calculus AB and BC
physics 1, 2, C-Mech, C-E&M
Plus, it is unlikely that any student takes more than a few of the more elective ones like:
computer science A
computer science principles
environmental science
European history
human geography
macroeconomics
microeconomics
psychology
statistics
world history
If you are taking what the typical top student takes at your school, why do you think you might have an issue? Likely nobody has the time to take all of the APs offered as I’d guess a number of them are electives.
The person to speak to and the only opinion that really matters is that of your guidance counselor. Top tier schools want to see that the guidance counselor checks off that you have taken the most rigorous schedule available at your HS in his/her college recommendation. Talk to your guidance counselor and see if he/she will check that box off with your schedule.