How many AP classes should I take to be competitive for Ivy League admissions?
I’m a junior trying to plan my senior schedule, and I keep seeing people say you need a lot of APs for Ivy League schools. My school offers quite a few, but I also do extracurriculars and do not want to overload myself just for the sake of numbers.
I’m trying to understand how admissions usually look at AP course load in context, and what counts as a strong amount without going overboard.
I’m trying to understand how admissions usually look at AP course load in context, and what counts as a strong amount without going overboard.
1 month ago
•
0 views
Sundial Team
1 month ago
There is no fixed number of AP classes you need for Ivy League admissions. What matters most is that your course load is very challenging relative to what your high school offers, and that you handle it well.
In practice, competitive applicants usually take several AP, IB, or other advanced courses by the end of high school, but admissions officers read that in context.
For senior year, a good rule is to take a rigorous schedule across core academic subjects when possible, without damaging your grades or making your life unmanageable.
If you want a simple benchmark, aim to be among the more academically ambitious students at your school, not necessarily the student with the absolute highest AP count. If your transcript shows strong grades in a rigorous schedule and a thoughtful balance with your extracurriculars, that is usually much better than loading up on APs just for optics.
In practice, competitive applicants usually take several AP, IB, or other advanced courses by the end of high school, but admissions officers read that in context.
For senior year, a good rule is to take a rigorous schedule across core academic subjects when possible, without damaging your grades or making your life unmanageable.
If you want a simple benchmark, aim to be among the more academically ambitious students at your school, not necessarily the student with the absolute highest AP count. If your transcript shows strong grades in a rigorous schedule and a thoughtful balance with your extracurriculars, that is usually much better than loading up on APs just for optics.
Comments & Questions (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to ask a question or share your thoughts!
Start the conversation
Have a follow-up question or want to share your experience? Leave a comment below.
Related Questions
Students also ask…
What AP classes should I take for college applications?
What classes should I take in high school if I want to be premed later?
What GPA do you need to be competitive for Boston University?
Do summer classes look good on college applications?
Should I take AP Seminar and AP Research for college admissions?
Have questions about the admissions process?
Start working with a Sundial advisor today!
