As any student would know, getting into the college or university of your dreams begins with building an impressive high school transcript. It can be a long process, and competition in more selective institutions can be tough. If you want to stand out, your application must highlight your areas of interest and ability to complete rigorous coursework. And one way to make sure the college admissions team pays closer attention to your application is through advanced placement (AP) classes. But how do you choose the best AP classes for you?

What Are AP Classes and Why Should You Take Them?

The Advanced Placement program, run by the College Board, is a list of standardized courses offered to high school students. Unlike the normal high school curriculum, AP classes give students the chance to take college-level courses in subjects they have chosen. An AP class typically corresponds to a semester of introductory college-level coursework.

After completing their AP classes, students can then take the relevant AP exams given each year in May, which allows them to earn credits and accelerated placement in college. Advanced placement classes are not mandatory, but taking them is crucial if you want to be better prepared for college and stay ahead of the pack.

Although successfully completing AP classes is not exactly a walk in the park, there are plenty of reasons why it should be one of your top priorities. You should take AP classes if you want to:

• Be consistently challenged. Regular high school classes will not always offer the stimulation you need to stay engaged and motivated, especially if you are a high-achieving student or like seeking new challenges.

• Boost your high school record. Doing well in your AP classes says plenty about your work ethic, commitment, and ability as a student—which also happens to be some of the top things that admissions counselors look for!

• Get a running start in college. Aside from being exposed to college-level coursework, AP classes also hone other crucial skills needed for academic success. These include your writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

• Earn college credit. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. While policies vary from school to school, most US colleges and universities will grant accelerated placement, credit, or both to students who score 3 or higher in the exams. This means you not only cut down your college expenses but also save yourself time and effort.

• Qualify for a scholarship. According to the College Board, up to 31 percent of colleges and universities take a student’s AP classes and scores into consideration when making decisions about scholarship grants.

What Are the Things to Consider Before Choosing the Best AP Classes?

The College Board offers a total of 38 AP courses. However, not all are created equal, and not all will be right for you. So how exactly do you make the most of your AP classes, and what are the things you should consider before making a decision?

Choosing the best AP classes to take can be tricky. To help get you started, here are some important points to consider as you narrow down your options.

1. Your school’s AP programs.

It’s likely that all 38 AP courses will not be available in your school, so start by speaking with your teachers or school counselors about what classes you can take. Likewise, consider your school’s performance or reputation for the AP classes offered. In many cases, some schools tend to perform better in certain AP subjects. This tells you about the quality of your school’s AP programs and your teachers’ capabilities. If possible, ask your school for the pass rates for the AP classes you’re interested in, and use that information to help you decide. It’s always a good idea to start with the best AP programs your school can offer.

2. Your interests and planned area of study.

It’s important to show admissions officers that you’re equipped to handle the rigors of higher education. This means showcasing the interests, activities, and coursework that help establish yourself as a well-rounded student and give a clear idea of your prospective area of study. Most of the time, your interests are what help you decide which major to pursue in college, and naturally, you’ll want your AP classes to align with both.

The AP program is great at providing a wide range of classes that fall under a variety of college majors. If you have always been interested in art or history, some of the best AP classes to take would be AP Art History, AP World History, or AP English. If you’re a math whiz and are fascinated with the STEM field, then you’ll want to gear up for some of the most challenging (and exciting) AP classes, such as AP Calculus A/B and B/C, AP Physics, and AP Chemistry.

If you’re set on attending an Ivy League school, then you probably already know that they favor students with a well-rounded background. It’s best to make sure you vary your AP courses across multiple fields, like AP US History, AP Economics, AP Biology, and AP French, to showcase your strengths and diverse skills and interests.

While AP classes have different levels of difficulty, any class will be twice as tough for any student who is not genuinely engaged and interested in the course.

3. Your strengths and weaknesses.

Some students choose the most challenging AP classes available because it’s a sure way to beef up their high school transcript. And while this is certainly a good opportunity to show the extent of your skills and coursework, you also want to make sure you don’t bite off more than what you can chew.

As a general rule, the best AP classes are the ones you know you can do well in. So it’s important to take an honest look at your skills, strengths, and weaknesses. After all, taking the most number of AP classes will not automatically boost your application, especially if they end up dragging down your GPA or if you fail the AP exams.

You’ll want to make sure you have the necessary preparation and skillset that will allow you to succeed in your AP classes. Aside from considering your interests, you should also play to your strengths. That way, you save yourself from taking on too much at once and causing your grades to suffer.

That said, there are steps you can take to make sure you are ready for the challenges ahead—such as working with a private AP tutor. A private AP tutor can give you the support and attention that teachers can’t always provide in a school setting.

When taking AP classes, it’s assumed that you’ve already acquired the skills and have mastered the concepts required to pass the course. However, this isn’t always the case for all students. By working with a private tutor, you can go back to previous lessons and strengthen your understanding of fundamental concepts and address areas that need reinforcement. Private AP tutoring also allows you to keep up with the demanding curriculum without worrying about falling behind your peers.

4. Your prospective college’s AP credit policies.

Before deciding on the best AP classes to take, you should consider the AP policies of your prospective college/s. Most colleges will give you credit for scoring at least 3 in the AP exams, but this doesn’t apply to all. If earning college credits is your primary reason for taking AP classes, it’s important to know what those entails before making a decision. The College Board’s AP Credit Policy Search lists down the score requirement for each college or university, which you can also filter by AP course.

5. Your overall workload.

It’s common to assume that the more AP classes and exams you’ve taken and passed, the better it is for your application. This is not entirely wrong, but it can also quickly lead to disaster if you’re overworking yourself. Your junior and senior years are particularly grueling, and that’s not even counting the workload that comes with taking AP classes. The last thing you want during the most crucial years of your high school journey is to spread yourself too thin.

But how many is too many? And is there a magic number of AP classes you need to take? Not exactly. Most colleges and universities don’t explicitly require a specific number of AP classes, but they’re one of the important indicators of an applicant’s college readiness. According to some experts, high-competition colleges will want to see at least eight to 12 AP classes in your transcript, while less-selective institutions will consider five.

Although it’s recommended that you take as many AP courses as you can handle, you also have to make sure the added demands do not negatively impact your GPA. It's crucial to set realistic expectations and goals when choosing the best AP classes. Consider your class demands, activities, extra-curriculars, and other obligations. If you already have too much on your plate, chances are, taking too many AP classes could only lead to stress, pressure, and feeling burned out.

This is another area wherein a private AP tutor can be of great help. Aside from making sure you’re keeping pace with your academic obligations, a private AP tutor can also teach effective study skills and strategies that will help you maximize the time and effort you spend in learning.

When Should You Take AP Classes?

Students typically take the bulk of their AP classes during the 11th and 12th grades, although some may choose to start as early as 9th or 10th grade. Depending on your school’s policies and available programs, you may opt to take less-demanding AP classes as early as you can if you want to start building up your high school resume. Some AP classes also have pre-requisites, so they may not be available to you until you’ve completed the required high school subjects.

It's also important to note that waiting to take your AP classes until you’re in your 11th or 12th grade doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. AP classes are demanding and require students to have a strong mastery of foundational skills and concepts—especially in math and science—which you can hone during your first two years of high school.

How Can You Get Support for Your AP Classes?

Stemly Tutoring offers private, individualized, one-on-one online AP tutoring to high school students who are taking or preparing to take AP courses in math and science. Our highly experienced, friendly, and expertly trained tutors provide comprehensive support for the most challenging and demanding AP classes. Stemly’s AP tutoring services include AP Calculus AB tutoring, AP Calculus BC tutoring, AP Physics 1 tutoring, AP Physics 2 tutoring, AP Physics C tutoring, AP Chemistry tutoring, and AP Biology tutoring.

Reach out to Stemly Tutoring today to find out more about how we can help!