Anonymous wrote:My junior’s counselor stressed her out this week by saying the classes she was planning on taking next year weren’t rigorous enough so now she’s trying to find a way to cram more APs in. So mad — we don’t play the AP collecting here and her the counselor had no issues with the rigor of her first three years.

That is annoying. It would seem that by senior year, the kids have largely made their beds. I would seriously advise your daughter against making senior year extra tough. It won’t be easy to stay focused in the spring.

It depends on the school. If in an MCPS public, yes, your DC will need to take lots of APS by junior year in order to be competitive for college applications. That is because the school offers so many APs starting in freshman year. My son's public school friends were all taking APs starting freshman year and by end of junior year had six or more APs completed. If in a private school that offers limited APs, then no. It really all depends on what the school offers.

Like the PP, my son who attended a Catholic HS only took 2 APs prior to senior year. He got into his first choice school, a top 20, and many others.

A lot of schools don't even offer many APs to 9th and 10th grade students. Plus, if you pile on 12APs during the first three years, your kid will look like they're slacking off if they only take one or two senior year. I think it's better to build the rigor progressively.

One of my son's friends took 7 APs junior year. He went to school, came home, slept until 9 or 10 pm, and then did homework until it was time for school again. Don't let your child do this. College students don't take 7 classes at one time.

My senior is doing fine with college admissions with two APs junior year and four APs senior year. Most schools want to see mid-year reports senior year, so the senior year classes and grades do matter. AP exam scores do not.

OP here.

Thanks, I freaked out for a minute. I agree that it's all about the next logical step.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, stop. This line of thinking is bananas. Admissions counselors know what the course load and rigor is at a specific high school. They will know for example how unique it is for a student to be in AP Calc BC in Junior year or at some schools, not unique at all.

Relax. It will be all fine. Don’t burn out and kid and make them hate high school because you insist on having them take 12 APs before Senior year.

+1 Your AP scores don't matter as they are not required as part of your application. Don't try to cram AP's into grades 9-11. Our DD is heading to an Ivy in the fall and had completed only 1 AP prior to senior year.

Is she in a private school?

A Catholic HS.

Better to take the logical level for your child’s goals and ability levels. Don’t drink the AP excess kool aid. It isn’t About the number of AP’s. If your child takes some AP’s (when he or she is ready) and show they can handle that level work, you’re good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, stop. This line of thinking is bananas. Admissions counselors know what the course load and rigor is at a specific high school. They will know for example how unique it is for a student to be in AP Calc BC in Junior year or at some schools, not unique at all.

Relax. It will be all fine. Don’t burn out and kid and make them hate high school because you insist on having them take 12 APs before Senior year.

+1 Your AP scores don't matter as they are not required as part of your application. Don't try to cram AP's into grades 9-11. Our DD is heading to an Ivy in the fall and had completed only 1 AP prior to senior year.

Is she in a private school?

My junior’s counselor stressed her out this week by saying the classes she was planning on taking next year weren’t rigorous enough so now she’s trying to find a way to cram more APs in. So mad — we don’t play the AP collecting here and her the counselor had no issues with the rigor of her first three years.

Anonymous wrote:Omg, stop. This line of thinking is bananas. Admissions counselors know what the course load and rigor is at a specific high school. They will know for example how unique it is for a student to be in AP Calc BC in Junior year or at some schools, not unique at all.

Relax. It will be all fine. Don’t burn out and kid and make them hate high school because you insist on having them take 12 APs before Senior year.

+1 Your AP scores don't matter as they are not required as part of your application. Don't try to cram AP's into grades 9-11. Our DD is heading to an Ivy in the fall and had completed only 1 AP prior to senior year.

Omg, stop. This line of thinking is bananas. Admissions counselors know what the course load and rigor is at a specific high school. They will know for example how unique it is for a student to be in AP Calc BC in Junior year or at some schools, not unique at all.

Relax. It will be all fine. Don’t burn out and kid and make them hate high school because you insist on having them take 12 APs before Senior year.

Anonymous wrote:Colleges don’t see your AP scores at all during the application process. You’re not supposed to send them until after you’ve been accepted and then they use them for course placement.

It is more important for them to see the clssses you’re taking and the grades earned in those classes.

DP. Well, while the colleges will not see AP test scores, unless self-reported, they do see the applicant took those AP classes and the school given grades s/he obtained in them.

Anonymous wrote:Colleges don’t see your AP scores at all during the application process. You’re not supposed to send them until after you’ve been accepted and then they use them for course placement.

It is more important for them to see the clssses you’re taking and the grades earned in those classes.

You can self-report on the application.

Colleges don’t see your AP scores at all during the application process. You’re not supposed to send them until after you’ve been accepted and then they use them for course placement.

It is more important for them to see the clssses you’re taking and the grades earned in those classes.

this can't possibly matter.

you take the APs when you are ready.

I hadn't thought about this but a friend mentioned it: given that admission decisions occur before the end of senior year and the date of AP exams, it's best to get most AP exams done in the first three years of high school, so that colleges can factor them into your application.

Do you agree? Even if a college can see what AP classes you are taking during your senior year, they'd rather know what score you received on your AP exams?