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7 or 8? how does one manage to make time for the workload?

By Paul_Dirac (Paul_Dirac) on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 10:51 pm: Edit

And what about IBs + APs? My school only offers IB courses with only one AP course of which I am not taking: AP Statistics, which really is useless when it's covered in IB Mathematics HL.

I can only take 6 2-year IB courses and perhaps one or two more 1-year IB courses. While there is no doubt that IB is a great program, its lack of flexibility doesn't allow me to take a litany of advanced courses, which I see many at collegeconfidential taking (PLus, I'm going for highly selective universities too).

Also, as for you folks taking 8 or 9 APs. Are these APs mostly during senior year or have you also taken them during junior year? (I'm considering using additional APs primarily for admissions, not for placement, for numerous colleges are not very generous with AP credit. My top choice, Caltech, doesn't even consider APs for placement, though it does use APs in its admissions criteria). IB exams are almost all taken during senior year, so I'm considering taking a few APs so that I won't look weak compared to others.

By Mattman (Mattman) on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 10:54 pm: Edit

I'd say about 4 or more is considered a pretty good amount. In my opinion, over seven is just overkill and done to showoff.

By Willywonka (Willywonka) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 12:13 am: Edit

"Also, as for you folks taking 8 or 9 APs. Are these APs mostly during senior year or have you also taken them during junior year?"

Well, I have no knowledge of block scheduling, but I believe it allows you to take more courses than a normal day. Regardless, for my "normal day" it would be impossible to take 9 AP courses in just senior year, so it is also shared by my junior year. Actually, my first AP class (Government) was in 10th, then in 11th I took 3 more AP classes (Chemistry, American History and Language & Composition). Next year, I'm scheduled to take five more (Biology, Calc AB, Literature, Spanish and European History). The work load wasn't terrible this year with just three classes, but it was of course more than I've ever done before. I had homework every night, which was new to me. I'm worried about five AP courses at the same time, but people have done more in the past so I'll just cope.

"I'd say about 4 or more is considered a pretty good amount. In my opinion, over seven is just overkill and done to showoff."

I really don't think so. Most "top students," if you will, that I've known have had a genuine interest in learning. It's more fulfilling to take the hardest classes possible in all cases. It never even crossed my mind to not take an AP class when offered, and I can assure I was not posturing or preparing myself for college at the time.

With that said, though, students should know their boundaries and not overdo it.

By Socalnick (Socalnick) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 02:13 am: Edit

Id say alot is above 8. Although it also really depends what your takeing. Takeing BC as one of the tests is alot different then takeing AB + BC. Id recomend going quality over quanity.

By Caliplaya03 (Caliplaya03) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 02:21 am: Edit

Ya i agree that it all depends on what you can handle. But i also think that 11 or some double digit number is just doing a lil too much.

By Lifeisgood (Lifeisgood) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 06:12 am: Edit

You guys are lucky that you can just take whatever classes you'd like and however many APs you want... My school's guidance counsellor won't let us take toooo many APs (she has to sign off on the schedule). Junior year, I tried to take 4-5 and had to fight her over it... In the end, I changed my schedule around for her, and she still signed only on condition that she could write that she objected!

By Sraid7777 (Sraid7777) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 01:34 pm: Edit

cna anyone explain what "IB" is??

By Altsuperhero (Altsuperhero) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 03:48 pm: Edit

IB - International Baccalaureate
www.IBO.org

wait, sraid, you were just joking right?
yeah - nothing like imitating noob's and pulling and 'what's __fill-in-the-blank___'

there is no such thing as 'a lot'
some schools offer AP's especially early (9th grade)
if someone takes double-digit AP courses over the course of four years, that may be only 3 to 4 a year (yes, I'm aware there are very few freshman who take 3-4 APs)

not all AP courses are time-killers, and not all students 'apply' themselves to the courses ... (looks at self)

By Alisone05 (Alisone05) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 04:07 pm: Edit

at my school, no freshman, and only a few sophomores take ap. we also have block scheduling, so you can only take four AP classes a year, because theyre all offered second semester, meaning that very few people take more than seven ap's. i'm taking seven, and a few kids in my class will end up w/ nine, which is the max i've ever heard of at my school. to do that you have to be in AP all day every day most of the year. blahhh

By Chocoman (Chocoman) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 04:11 pm: Edit

Next year I have seven ap's technically. 4 offered at my school, and 3 at a college, where the college grades transfer over to my high school transcript as AP classes.


First semester I have AP Bio, AP Calc AB, AP English, AP US History and Intro to Psychology.

Second semester I have Bio, Calc, English, History, and then Principles of Sociology and Russian.

Also, I get out of school the days I don't have class (monday, wednesday and friday) at 12 noon. I plan to do my homework in the library everyday while waiting for afterschool committments to start (cross country, debate team, etc). days where I don't have stuff will be great.

By Paulhomework (Paulhomework) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 05:45 pm: Edit

hey Paul Pirac:

I'm in IB too and I recommend you take the respective APs after you take the IB class. For example, say you take IB SL Economics, then you will be prepared to take the AP Micro and Macro too. Or, if you take IB English, then take the AP Lang plus Comp.

IB Economics --> AP Micro & AP Macro
IB Math HL --> AB Calculus
IB Comp Sci HL --> AP Comp Sci A
IB English --> AP English
IB Sciences --> AP sciences

the only problem is that you won't do as well as regular AP students.

By Sraid7777 (Sraid7777) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 09:35 pm: Edit

wait, sraid, you were just joking right?

no I'm serious. I have never heard of the term off CC, and I don't think our school has an "IB" program. Thanks for the answer.

By Paul_Dirac (Paul_Dirac) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 12:46 am: Edit

Ah, the problem is, that I'd like to take some AP tests in 11th grade, when only the 1st half of the IB classes are only over (since I'm really considering using AP more for admissions than for placement; many colleges aren't very generous with AP credit, including my top choice Caltech). Which brings up a major problem. I'll also have to face schedule conflicts between IB and AP exams if I take both during the 12th grade.

Hmm..

By Jandaportrait (Jandaportrait) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 03:38 pm: Edit

10th: AP Stat, AP World Hist
11th: AP Eng Lang, AP US Hist
12th: AP Art Studio, AP BC Calc, AP Chem, AP Gov, AP Eng Lit
_______________________
9 AP Classes aren't a lot at my school, some people took what i took plus did the AP Phys and AP Bio exams

By Va10s (Va10s) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 04:31 pm: Edit

10th: AP Euro AP Human
11th: APUSH, AP Chem, AP Psychology. AP Eng Lang, AP Stats
12th: AP French, AP Eng Lit, AP Gov, AP Physics, AP Environmental, AP AB Calc

13-- I consider it to be a lot but it completely depends on how much work you're willing to do, how many courses you are willing to take, and how many your high school offers

By Justice (Justice) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 05:47 pm: Edit

bc calc, physics c, lang, lit, us history, world history, us gov, comparative gov, psych, and human geo. So that's 10 that I've taken. I will be a senior.

It's not that hard to do it if you already have the skills that are asked of AP students. Some people think it's a ton of work, but I know that I didn't study for any of the English/science/math APs and just read a couple books to understand trends for the history and gov ones. I mean, if you like to read, then AP Lang and Lit are absolute jokes. I did a fair amount of reading last summer for the self-study APs.
Since most schools don't allow students to take so many APs, and mine didn't offer AP classes for a lot of subjects, most students at my school take them anyways. You don't need the class to get a 5.
Self-study is not a decision that you make in March--if you get a jump on it in late August--even just two weeks, it will not be difficult to nail 7-8 APs.
For the original question, anything beyond 4 APs is a lot.