Posted by Halle Edwards | Mar 16, 2015 9:30:00 AM

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP)

If you’re an advanced student aiming for top colleges, or a student who wants to save on tuition by getting college credit in high school, taking Advanced Placement classes is a great option.

However, you might be wondering, “just how many AP classes should I take?” You can save a lot of money and make your transcript pretty impressive with lots of AP classes. However, if you overdo it, you could actually hurt your GPA and lose time for other important activities – like extracurriculars and ACT/SAT studying.

So what’s the magic number? We will look at different factors to help you decide the right amount for you.

Why Take AP Classes?

Before we get into the numbers, it’s important to remember your reasons for taking AP classes in the first place. This will help you consider your options and make the best choice for your long-term goals.

Taking and passing an AP class and its exam proves you are capable of an intro-level college course. Many colleges will give you credit or higher class standing for passing AP scores. (To find out any college’s particular policy, see the database at the AP website.)

AP classes are also a great way to explore classes you might want to take in college – like economics, psychology, and computer science.

Finally, taking AP classes is a great way to challenge yourself and also to show colleges you are taking on the toughest courses available to you.

But take note: the point is not to “collect them all.” There isn’t a competition to see how many AP classes you can take. Colleges will not automatically favor applicants with the most AP courses, especially if they start to drag down your GPA or if you don’t pass the exams.

In short, APs can be a huge boost to your college application, but if you take too many, they could actually hurt your chances.

How Many AP Classes Should I Take to Impress Colleges?

For less selective colleges and state schools, the number of AP classes you take is up to you and your goals – for example, which classes would you want to get over with in high school so you can focus on harder classes in college? This is because most state schools accept AP classes for credit (again, check the AP database for more info) but don’t require them for admission.

You only get credit if you pass the exams, so don’t overload yourself with AP classes and spread your studying thin. It’s better to get two 4s than four 2s! (Read all about AP scoring here.)

For more selective schools – or honors programs and scholarships at state schools – it’s important to show you are taking the most challenging courses available to you, which includes AP courses if your school has them. There is no “magic number” of AP courses for the most selective colleges, especially because course availability changes so much from high school to high school.

For example, Harvard College says on their admissions website, “Most of all, we look for students who make the most of their opportunities and the resources available to them, and who are likely to continue to do so throughout their lives … You should demonstrate your proficiency in the areas described below by taking SAT II Subject Tests, Advanced Placement tests, and International Baccalaureate tests.”

The University of Pennsylvania’s website notes, “The Admissions Selection Committee will review your curriculum within the context of what courses are available at your secondary school. Competitive applicants will have taken the most rigorous courses.”

Out on the west coast, Stanford says, “We expect you to challenge yourself throughout high school and to do very well. The most important credential that enables us to evaluate your academic record is the high school transcript. Remember, however, that our evaluation of your application goes beyond any numerical formula. There is no minimum GPA or test score; nor is there any specific number of AP or honors courses you must have on your transcript that will secure your admission to Stanford.”

Note that Stanford specifically says there is no certain number of AP courses you should take, but that the transcript is the most important part of the evaluation and that they expect you to challenge yourself.

Translation? If you are going for the most competitive colleges, you should take the toughest core courses available at your school – including AP English Literature and/or Language, Calculus or Statistics (or both!), US, World, or European History, and at least one of the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics). You should also take APs in non-core subjects that are interesting to you – like Psychology, Economics, or Computer Science.

That said, you won’t impress colleges with a laundry list of AP courses, especially if they have no relation to what you want to study, and especially if it drags down your GPA or you don’t pass the exams. The goal is to challenge and enrich your high school curriculum, not to spread yourself thin.