I want to take a lot of AP classes senior year, but I am afraid that the tough course load may cause my grades to drop. I’ve heard stories of people who blew off senior year and got their acceptances to certain colleges withdrawn. Is this common? What defines blowing off? I’m taking three APs and two honors classes junior year. These are the classes I want to take, if that helps.
AP Calc BC
AP English 4
AP Environmental science
AP Macroeconomics/Microeconomics
AP Psychology
It depends on the college as far as what they want to see. If you are looking at state schools they just want to see that you haven’t taken all easy courses. That’s a rigorous schedule, but I would want to be sure that you don’t end up with bad grades. Some colleges ask for senior midterm grades as a check that you aren’t “blowing off” senior year. It looks to me like you are probably a really good student and I wouldn’t worry about it. You should also check to see if the schools that you will be applying to accept those AP credits and what score you would need on the AP test. My two daughters went to different schools. One had all of her AP credits accepted and the other had none of them accepted (her school only accepted a score of 5). My youngest took AP Calc BC and didn’t end up taking the test, but having AP Calc AB and BC really helped her in her freshman year taking Calc in college. While other kids were struggling she breezed through with an easy A. Good luck!
How would most colleges take it if I got straight Bs?
You MAY be rescinded if your grades fall by one full point (ie., goes from B+ to C+, etc) between first and second semester or if you apply EA and they get your midyear grades and they’re down by one full grade compared to what you provided for grade 11.
However you WILL be rescinded if you get D’s or one F.
Straight B’s are fine.
@MYOS1634 straight B’s are fine for a top school even if you have gotten all A’s your entire high school life?
If you apply with yout 9-11th grades and they only look at graduation, (ie., UCs, Penn State), yes.
For other top schools (including tippy top /HYPSM), you have to keep the grades during the Fall, and make sure you keep B’s in the Spring, but yes straight B’s in the Spring of senior year are okay. Don’t go all overboard though because each year students stop working, skip class, don’t turn in homework, and an F is lethal (and a D often is, too).
^ I agree. You should be fine as long as you’re serious and actually somewhat try.