How Many AP Classes Should You Take?
Hardworking high school students are eager to make their college applications stand out, and AP classes are one way to impress college admission boards. While it would be easy if there were a set number of AP courses needed to guarantee a spot in a top college, the truth is there is no magic number. The number of AP classes students should take depends on their colleges of choice, the availability of AP classes at their school, and their ability to handle a heavy course load.
Students taking AP classes should consider the impact advanced classes will have on other factors that influence college applications, including their GPA, extracurricular activities, and time needed to study for the SAT or ACT. A high GPA and SAT result coupled with high scores on a limited number of AP tests serves a student better than multiple AP exams with low passing scores. So how do you determine how many AP classes you should take? Read on for a helpful breakdown.
Why Take AP Classes?
Students have several reasons to take AP courses:
- High AP test scores can lead to college credit or advanced placement.
- Passing AP exams proves your ability to pass introductory college classes.
- Scores of 4 or 5 on AP exams impress college admission boards.
- AP classes offer opportunities for students to challenge themselves.
- Taking AP classes is a chance to explore a new subject area, such as a foreign language.
Do Students With More AP Classes Have an Advantage With College Admissions?
High school students’ ability to access AP classes varies depending on the courses their school offers. One school can have access to multiple AP courses, while another school only has access to, say, English and Environmental Science.
College admissions officers are well aware of this discrepancy. You won’t be penalized for not taking AP courses that were not offered at your school. Highly selective colleges do, however, expect you to take the most challenging courses available, whether they are AP classes, honors classes, or IB courses.
Is an A in an AP Exam Better Than an A in a Regular Class?
Because AP courses are much more challenging than regular high school classes, they are weighted differently when calculating your GPA. While normal classes are scored on a four-point GPA, AP courses are scored on a five-point system. This means that an A in an AP class has a value of 5.0 when used to calculate your weighted GPA, making it better than the 4.0 you’d receive for an A in a normal class.
How Many AP Courses Should I Take for State Schools?
State colleges generally award credit for AP classes but won’t deny entrance to students without AP classes on their transcripts. If your goal is acceptance into a state college, ask yourself which introductory-level college courses you want to complete as a high school student so you can start advanced classes when you begin college. By all means, take AP classes, but don’t overload yourself. Two AP courses with scores of 4 or 5 look much better on college applications than four AP classes with scores of 2 or 3.
How Many AP Classes Should You Take for Competitive Colleges?
If you’re applying to competitive colleges such as the Ivy League schools, you’ll need to demonstrate you took the most challenging courses you could in your junior and senior years, including honors classes and AP courses. Again, there’s no magic number of AP classes you should take, as AP course availability differs from one school to another.
The top 100 schools in the United States typically want to see you’ve taken AP classes in any available core courses, including English, Mathematics, Science, History, and Foreign Languages (AP Spanish is very popular with college-bound students). Taking a couple of additional courses that match your intended major is also recommended. Aim for four to eight AP exams in your junior and senior years.
For competitive Ivy League schools, admission officers also want to see AP courses for core subject areas and additional courses. If possible, aim to pass about seven to 12 AP exams if applying to these highly selective schools. College admission officers look for evidence you made the most of your educational opportunities as a high school student. If you’re applying for scholarships, remember that scholarship boards also want evidence of your willingness to take challenging courses — and your ability to pass them. With the rise of virtual learning, you may be able to take AP courses online if they are not offered at your school.
What Are the Best AP Courses to Take?
The best AP courses are those that relate to your chosen field of study, but colleges are also looking for a variety of subjects. Consider the following courses:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Economics
- English Language and Composition
- Calculus
- Statistics
- US History
- European World History
- World History
Tutoring helps students achieve the best possible scores on their AP exams. A skilled tutor teaches both course materials and how to study and prepare for tests — skills that serve students well throughout their college career. Contact Revolution Prep for more information on AP exam tutoring and how to get the most out of AP courses.
FAQs
To be a competitive candidate for admission, you will need to take at least 8 AP® classes, more if you can. It is a good idea to take 1 AP® course in each of the following core disciplines: English, Foreign Language, History, Math, and Science to impress the admissions officers.
Is 10 aps enough for Ivy League? ›
Aim for four to eight AP exams in your junior and senior years. For competitive Ivy League schools, admission officers also want to see AP courses for core subject areas and additional courses. If possible, aim to pass about seven to 12 AP exams if applying to these highly selective schools.
Is 3 AP classes at once too much? ›
You most certainly can take 3 AP classes, but it is a purely personal decision if taking that many AP courses and the workload that goes with it is too much for you to handle at once. I will say from personal experience that of those 3, AP English Language will be the most challenging.
What is a good number of AP classes to take? ›
College counselors recommend that students strive to take 5-8 AP classes throughout their high school career, especially if they are interested in attending a highly-selective institution such as an Ivy League college.
Is 7 AP classes enough for Harvard? ›
If you're looking for a specific number of APs that you should take, it will depend on your school's offerings, but a safe number for admission at Ivy League schools is usually between 7 and 12 AP classes throughout high school.
Is 7 AP classes enough for Ivy League? ›
To get into Ivy League Colleges
You must enroll in at least 8 AP courses, and more if possible, to get into Ivy League Colleges. To convince the admissions officials, taking one AP course in each core subject, such as English, Foreign Language, History, Maths, and Science, is an excellent idea.
Is 4 APs too much junior year? ›
An Ivy League hopeful might take 3 to 5 AP classes, while if you're aiming for less-selective schools, 2 to 4 would be enough. Senior Year: Take more APs in core subjects and additional subjects, again being careful not to overburden your schedule and to leave time for college applications.
Does Harvard accept 4 on AP? ›
Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes. Harvard has general academic requirements that all students must take.
Which AP is easiest? ›
Easiest AP exams by pass rate
| AP Subject | Pass Rate (Exam Score of 3+) | Median Score |
|---|
| Ap Physics C Mechanics | 73.4% | 3.41 |
| AP Psychology | 58.3% | 2.71 |
| AP Research | 82.7% | 3.3 |
| AP Seminar | 82.6% | 3.19 |
34 more rowsJan 13, 2023
Senior year
That being said, your college applications will likely be done by the second semester, so you will gain more free time. Students aiming for highly selective schools may take up to six AP classes this year. But again, don't overburden yourself.
Applicants aiming for highly selective colleges usually take 5-6 AP classes this year, but keep your limits and schedule in mind. At this point, adding one more AP class might not have a huge impact on your college chances, but it could reduce the time spent on applications to a great extent.
Is 17 AP classes too much? ›
To be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount, assuming the student can handle that level of rigor. There are no colleges out there that require you to take 14, 17, or some other obscene number of Advanced Placement offerings.
How many APs do Ivy Leagues want? ›
How Many AP Classes Should You Take for Ivy Leagues and Other Top US Universities? For students aiming for the Ivy League and Top 20 schools in the United States, a good target is to take (and pass) 10-14 AP classes throughout your high school career — or 3-4 each year.
Should I take more AP classes junior or senior year? ›
Most people take APUSH their junior year. Also, it is recommended to take more AP's your junior year than senior year since you can have a "last minute" gpa boost and colleges tend to look at your sophom*ore and junior year grades more. Senior year grades are just to see if you are still keeping up that rigor.
What is the hardest AP class? ›
United States History, Biology, English Literature, Calculus BC, Physics C, and Chemistry are often named as the hardest AP classes and tests. These classes have large curriculums, tough tests, and conceptually difficult material.
Is 7 AP classes enough for college? ›
Students looking to earn admission to highly selective colleges should take multiple AP classes to bolster their applications and demonstrate they can handle challenging coursework. Some college admissions experts recommend taking as many as 7-12 AP courses before applying to the most elite universities.
How many AP classes is too much? ›
Take as many AP classes as your school allows and excel or demonstrate a unique talent. Help them understand that they do not need to give up a unique talent for the sake of taking an extra AP class online because the difference between eight and nine AP classes is not great.
Should I take 7 APs in one year? ›
Taking and doing well on more than 5 AP course exams doesn't significantly improve a student's chances of getting good first-year college grades and four-year degree completion, the nonprofit found. In fact, just doing well on their first or second exam indicates future college success.
Can you take 7 AP classes in one year? ›
Taking 7 AP classes in 1 year sounds ridiculous, but it was doable for me. If you are a rising high school student and feel that your current classes are easy, then I would recommend to just take the hardest classes your school has to offer. In my case, it was these 7 APs, which I was able to decently handle.
