Creating My AP Schedule

I am currently putting together my junior year schedule, and I wanted to get some advice on selecting the right AP classes. Could you guys share with me your experiences deciding on APs? I'm trying to avoid undue stress, but I also want colleges to see I'm challenging myself.

Certainly, it's great to see you taking initiative in building a schedule that challenges you but also respects your well-being!

One of the key aspects to remember is that you should select AP courses in subjects that genuinely interest you rather than those you believe will look impressive on a college application. Authentic interest can motivate you to do well in the class and on the AP test, plus it can showcase depth or a "spike" in your academic interests to colleges.

The next thing to consider is your existing workload and extracurricular commitments. It's important to strike a balance — taking on too many challenging courses might cause you to spread your efforts thin and might impact your overall grades or your ability to contribute to extracurricular activities.

Keep in mind that balance is key. If you love and excel in, say, humanities subjects, but science is a struggle for you, maybe opt for one AP science class instead of two and balance that out by taking an AP in an area you excel in. This strategy still shows ambition and work ethic, but sets you up better to achieve high grades in all your courses.

Remember, while AP scores aren't a major factor in admissions, the AP courses you take and the grades you receive in them are important because they help to demonstrate your academic rigor.

Lastly, take advantage of resources available to you. Talk to your teachers or academic counselor—they know your academic strengths, your school's AP program, and can give you sound advice based on this.

I hope this gives you a useful starting point, and best of luck in your junior year! It's a big one, but with good planning and wise decisions, you got this!