Some schools such as UNC-Chapel Hill have stated publicly that they will not grant favor in the admissions process to students who took more than five AP courses.
This proclamation came a year after over 60 percent of UNC applicants hit double-digits in the number of AP courses taken, leading to concern about high school burnout. The verdict on this frequently posed question is, in most cases, a B in an AP course. Many intelligent people who have a knack for math and science are not as comfortable with or motivated by reading the plays of Samuel Beckett. Everyone else can afford to pick and choose their battles in areas of strength and interest.
If you have your heart set on an uber-elite institution, then you need to take as many APs as the other top students in your class. Try an AP class as a sophomore if available or as a junior and go from there. It's actually not uncommon for students to not take an AP class but study on their own and just take the AP exam. This often happens if a school doesn't offer a more niche AP, like Art History or Latin, or if a certain AP class doesn't fit into your schedule.
Here's the thing: self-studying only works if you are very disciplined. Most students who take AP exams have taken a class for the whole year, and all of the assignments and tests that come with it, to prepare. Replicating that on your own can be tough, especially if you have a full class schedule and other commitments. Be prepared to plan ahead to fit a self-studied AP exam into your schedule.
That said, if there is a topic you are really interested in but can't take, and you are committed to self-studying, that kind of initiative and self-discipline is very impressive, especially to colleges—if you pass the exam. I would wait to self-study until you have already taken at least one AP exam through a class. That way you will have an idea of how much you need to learn and what it takes to study for an AP exam. Also talk to your guidance counselor and ask if they know of any students at the school who have successfully self-studied for an AP exam.
At the very least you should have a prep book for the exam you're taking, but if possible, try to find the following:. You can't self-study for an AP exam in just a few months. Create monthly content goals. You can do this based on units or sections in your prep book. Remember to schedule time for practice exams in the spring! Build your self-study into your schedule like it's a class or extracurricular activity. By doing a steady amount of work each week, you will have time to learn enough content to do well on the exam and won't face a time-crunch in the spring.
For more tips, check out our guides on how to self-study and the best APs to self-study. Also, make sure studying for this AP exam doesn't replace time you would use to study for the ACT or SAT—those tests ultimately carry much more weight in college admissions.
The first step to studying is deciding which one to take! Find out how with our exclusive guide. Use our guide so you can fit in study time alongside your AP courses and other commitments! One of the single most important parts of your college application is what classes you choose to take in high school in conjunction with how well you do in those classes.
Our team of PrepScholar admissions experts have compiled their knowledge into this single guide to planning out your high school course schedule. Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.
Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers. How to Get a Perfect , by a Perfect Scorer.
Score on SAT Math. Score on SAT Reading. Score on SAT Writing. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? And that curriculum should generally include AP courses. But how many APs do you actually need to take? For the most part, the more selective the school you hope to attend, the more APs you should take — within reason. For Ivies and other top 30 schools , aim for or more, if feasible. For the top schools, will usually suffice. For full details, please click here.
There are 38 AP subject exams. Want to take an exam for a course not offered at your high school? Talk to your guidance counselor about your registration and study options. Not sure which AP subjects are right for you? Learn how to choose AP courses.
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