Writer: Mariem Kamal
You may be wondering if you should be taking an AP class at all. In order to learn more about the program, refer to Reach For The Star’s previous newsletters’ article
The first question you must ask yourself is why you are partaking on the Advanced Placement journey, to begin with. Are you looking to challenge yourself? Do you want to boost your GPA? Would you like to look better at colleges and universities? Once you establish your reason, it will be easier to pick the specific classes. Let’s examine these different approaches to AP.
Some students love a good challenge. They are drawn to harder and harder courses that will stimulate their brains while also expanding their knowledge. According to their respective AP Exam scores, the hardest AP classes are AP Physics, Environmental Science*, Chemistry, Government & Politics, US History, Human Geography, European History, Statistics, English Literature & Composition, and World History. Of course, the level of difficulty will depend on individual schools as well as the teachers. It is crucial that you do research on your specific school as well as take into consideration national statistics.
Not everyone wants to take the hardest AP courses for this in some instances could lead to B’s and C’s and therefore a lower GPA. While this is not at all a universally negative thing for any effort in an AP class should be rewarded, many students prioritize their A’s and GPA over a challenge. In this case, it is mostly agreed that the easier AP classes are AP Psychology, Microeconomics, and Computer Science Principles. Again, it should be noted that the level of difficulty varies from school to school, especially since oftentimes the class may be easier than the AP Exam and vice versa.
Finally, and probably the most common reason for taking AP classes is to appeal to colleges. Nearly every American university gives college credit for AP classes while also examining both the quantity and quality of AP classes their applicants took in high school. Of course, the tougher the university, the tougher the AP classes you take probably should be. Many AP experts say that the best classes for more competitive universities are AP English Literature, AP English Language, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP US History, AP Biology, and AP Physics, but these will vary from college to college and there is no singular set of classes that colleges look for, anyway. However, it would be wise to take AP courses that could possibly cover your General Education classes if you pass the respective AP Exams.
There is also the notion of taking the classes that will be the most applicable in everyday life, beyond the classroom. In this case, courses such as AP Statistics and AP Government & Politics could end up being the most useful in regards to common knowledge and use.
No matter the reason to take classes within the AP program, there are universal things to consider. First, know your strengths and weaknesses. If an AP course at your school is said to be relatively easy but the subject is not your strong suit, perhaps refrain and consider taking a class that better fits your strengths.
