Too challenging of an AP schedule?

Muufeen
Tue, 26 Apr 2016 02:26:28 +0000

AP Physics 1 only consists of mechanics, so I think that’s why? Sometimes, regular physics is AP Physics 1 and 2 but at a less rigorous level, while AP Physics 1 only focuses on mech., but I’ll have to look into that. Also, it’s designed for people with no physics knowledge (unlike the previous AP Physics B), which can also cause the ridiculously bad exam pass rates.

For English, AP Language is often the 11th grade course because:

1. It develops critical thinking and rhetorical analysis which can help in AP Lit

2. More 11th graders take it than 12th graders statistically.
If you look at the schedules for 11th graders in other posts, you should find that more juniors take AP Lang than AP Lit, so try using that to convince your counselors. Lang is more of a general English class around rhetoric and expository writing (persuasive, rhetorical analysis, synthesis are the essays), so they can help whenever you have to write in college apps. Meanwhile, Lit is all about reading and literary analysis, which is generally harder and more demanding, though difficulty is subjective.

Function Analysis and Trig is pretty important, as it is a Precalculus class and is necessary to advance onto Calc and higher maths. Perhaps you could put Stats in senior year? Generally, colleges want to see students take math up to Precalc and Calc, and it is not recommended to take a break between calc prep courses (Algebra 1–>Geometry–>Algebra 2 --> Precalc/Function Analysis and Trig–>Calc) because they are so interconnected, especially Algebra and Function Analysis. I would take FAT junior year and fit Stats and Calc in senior year. If not, look at community college courses, as Statistics is a common class offered in cc’s.

Also, you actually don’t have to take all of the exams, unless there’s a school policy which I highly doubt. AP exams are optional, but they are highly beneficial if you pass the exam. I would take all of the AP exams, as Physics should be fine if you study and Lit/Lang/APUSH are pretty standard junior APs.