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caroline
Student
Collierville, Tennessee
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Is this too many APs?
I'm an incoming junior trying to take my sport seriously and wanting to expand connection/experiences junior year with of course, locking in. For my schedule I originally put AP chem, AP psych and APUSH. I was considering changing my math to AP precalc considering that I have gotten high A's through highschool math courses-would it be too much to handle?
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4 answers
Kristen Starcher
I am a high school career counselor
4
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Rock Hill, South Carolina
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Kristen’s Answer
That's a difficult question to answer because you need to think how well you handle rigor, stress, balancing workloads, competitiveness of the colleges you will be applying too etc. APUSH is known for alot of work so if you are considering what APs to take and have an idea of a college major, take the APs that will apply towards that major. It is up to you, junior year typically is the most rigorous year. It also depends on the college you will be applying to-what are they looking for? You don't want to be too stressed but have a good balance so you can enjoy your sport and other things that will be beneficial for you and college admission. Colleges love to see students involved in extracurricular activities. So balance is key, but you still want to challenge yourself, but not overwhelm yourself too.
Shelby Shugarts
9
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Bixby, Oklahoma
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Shelby’s Answer
It seems you would be taking a very difficult and heavy workload, and while it is great to be taking these classes, you definitely do not want to burn yourself out. Considering the fact that you may be physically overexerted on occasion from the sport or activities you partake in, it is possible that all the extra work from these AP classes may be too much. It is incredible that you are doing well, but don't let your desire for bigger things topple what you've already worked for. Not to mention, it is important that you are taking leisure time outside of sports and classes, please note to spend time at home with people that make you happy and fulfilled. High-school has too many changes that come with it that make rigid scheduling a difficult task. I advise keeping AP Chem, AP Psych, and APUSH, but unless you are only taking four classes I advise against taking on another AP class. Congratulations on becoming a junior this year, you got this!
Ben Petersen
Senior Auditor, CPA
7
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Cincinnati, Ohio
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Ben’s Answer
I'm an incoming junior trying to take my sport seriously and wanting to expand connection/experiences junior year with of course, locking in. For my schedule I originally put AP chem, AP psych and APUSH. I was considering changing my math to AP precalc considering that I have gotten high A's through highschool math courses-would it be too much to handle?
If you are disciplined and have good time management skills, you should be able to handle 3 AP classes. When I was in high school, I took 3 AP classes both my junior and senior year while playing multiple sports (soccer and track). I had multiple friends take 4 AP classes, and they also were able to manage the workload, but that makes it a bit harder. I always found 3 AP classes to be a good balance of pushing myself without burning out, but based on the courses you listed, I imagine you could handle 4 if you have historically done well in school. I personally found AP psych to be one of the easier AP classes. It also depends on your teachers and the amount of homework they regularly give.
I would try to think big-picture before you make a decision on this though. What exactly are you gaining from taking AP precalc vs. if you don't? Are you just taking it because you can, or do you have a specific and achievable goal in mind that AP precalc will help you accomplish? For example, if taking one more AP class this year would be helpful in getting a certain amount of credits at colleges you are interested in, that would make sense. One thing I will say is that I doubt AP precalc gets you out of many college classes- taking AP Calculus AB your senior year would be more helpful in that regard.
In summary, I would just avoid overwhelming yourself unless you have specific goals you are trying to achieve and feel that you can meet them without significantly impacting your involvement in extracurriculars/your mental health.
If you are disciplined and have good time management skills, you should be able to handle 3 AP classes. When I was in high school, I took 3 AP classes both my junior and senior year while playing multiple sports (soccer and track). I had multiple friends take 4 AP classes, and they also were able to manage the workload, but that makes it a bit harder. I always found 3 AP classes to be a good balance of pushing myself without burning out, but based on the courses you listed, I imagine you could handle 4 if you have historically done well in school. I personally found AP psych to be one of the easier AP classes. It also depends on your teachers and the amount of homework they regularly give.
I would try to think big-picture before you make a decision on this though. What exactly are you gaining from taking AP precalc vs. if you don't? Are you just taking it because you can, or do you have a specific and achievable goal in mind that AP precalc will help you accomplish? For example, if taking one more AP class this year would be helpful in getting a certain amount of credits at colleges you are interested in, that would make sense. One thing I will say is that I doubt AP precalc gets you out of many college classes- taking AP Calculus AB your senior year would be more helpful in that regard.
In summary, I would just avoid overwhelming yourself unless you have specific goals you are trying to achieve and feel that you can meet them without significantly impacting your involvement in extracurriculars/your mental health.
katy denby
28
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katy’s Answer
I think this really depends on how much you can handle, if you have taken that many AP classes before in the past and done well without much for stress, I'd say go ahead and take AP precalc but I do know from personal experience that AP classes can get a lot really fast I am really only able to handle two AP classes at once but of course you may be different. I also think this depends on if this helps your future whether it's getting into college or universities or a career or if you are just doing it for fun, but that part is mainly up to you. If you have taken the other AP classes mentioned and are used to that workload 3 AP classes at once and were able to manage just fine, I don't see why not to taking AP percalc, but if you have struggled in the past I'd probably say to skip it for your own mental health to not add any more stress to yourself especially with how busy Junior year can be.