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The best AP classes to take - 5 Reasons Why You Should Change Courses in High School. Avoid common mistakes and unnecessary stress
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The Best AP Classes to Take – 5 Reasons Why You Should Change Courses in High School

The Best AP Classes to Take – 5 Reasons Why You Should Change Courses in High School

Choosing the right courses or the best AP classes to take often happens after choosing the wrong courses first. Every year, we find common mistakes when it comes to course selection. Thankfully, most high schools are willing to work with you to make adjustments. Here are the most common course changes you should consider.

How many AP classes should I take? – Too Many Weighted Courses

As they say, too much of anything is a bad thing, and so is true of weighted coursework. How much is too much? First, it depends on a student’s prior performance; using that as a measure of one’s aptitude should provide a clue about readiness for weighted coursework. If, for example, a student earned a B/B in English Honors, think twice before forcing your student to take AP Lang. The same logic applies for any subject. Taking weighted courses because you heard “it makes you look good” for college is a decision that’s not only foolish, but one that is too often not based on hard data. Secondly, any AP count over 4 AP’s is usually a bad idea. No matter who you are, it saps time away from profile-building outside of class.

Which AP classes should I take? – Weighted Courses in the Wrong Areas

Students majoring in Engineering derive little to no benefit from the headache of an AP US History, especially if they don’t enjoy history to begin with. Likewise, students majoring in history derive little to no benefit from taking AP Calculus BC, especially if they don’t like math. That being said, we see students signing up for weighted courses that have nothing to do with their major – or interests – all the time! It ruins lives and GPA’s every year. So do yourself a favor and replace your weighted coursework with those that have more to do with your major, or at the very least, with your interests.

Read more here to find out the weighted courses that make sense – and which don’t – depending on the major you are indicating towards.

Missing Physics for CS/Engineering Majors in 11th

Computer Science and Engineering majors keep making this one mistake: not taking physics until their senior year. If physics is an option for the 11th grade, we strongly recommend CS/Engineering majors take it because:

  • It demonstrates aptitude towards CS/Engineering departments
  • It prepares them for the field of study that they’re trying to pursue.

Even better is taking AP Physics 1 in 11th grade, opening up the opportunity to AP Physics C in 12th. Note that taking physics any later than the 11th grade wouldn’t allow a student to report their grade until after college application deadlines, which is too late by our books.

Missing Psychology for Biology or Business Majors

Having a back-up plan is always good. Intended Biology majors sometimes find themselves stuck with a really hard AP Biology class or teacher. And a pair of B’s can really wreck the plan of majoring in Biology. Likewise, prospective Business students often find bad luck in core classes that are important for business admissions, earning a rocky road transcript record for math classes and english. Hence why we recommend taking Psychology or AP Psychology in the 11th grade.

In the event a student struggles in core classes, we can still make a case for Psychology as a major. This serves as an excellent pivot point to change majors not to Business, but also to Biology, Chemistry, and even Computer Science.

Accelerated Math with Weak Foundations

Taking an accelerated math course often doesn’t make you better at math; it makes you worse. It’s because you move so fast through the compressed curriculum that you don’t “learn” anything at all; rather, you’re just studying and taking tests before moving onto the next topic. For students who already lack strong foundations in math, this is an absolute nightmare and can do a lot more damage than one originally thought was possible. So if you’re registered for an accelerated math course, be honest with yourself: Are you 100% solid on the concepts you learned thus far? If not, either invest the time to prepare ahead of time or simply take a pass on the course.

The Best AP Classes to Take – Recap & Conclusion

It is important to take classes that correlate with your major in order to build your profile. Moreover, it is crucial to perform well in them. We highly recommend students to take the pivotal classes preparing them for their field of study by 11th grade. Thus allowing for students to report their grades for it on their college applications. The best best AP classes to take all depends on your field of study. Remember, do not tire yourself out by taking too many weighted courses or weighted courses that won’t have an impact on the major you want to study.

We hope that this provides some valuable insight on how to better your course selection while making your college application profile even stronger. We specialize in youth mentorship and college counseling. From 8th grade to 12th, we have you covered for any stage in your high school career. Schedule a free consultation with us here.

We are always posting more helpful tips and tricks to help reduce the stress of college application season. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

See you soon!

Ariana Lee

Senior Admissions Advisor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 12

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love hearing their stories. There's so much to discover about a person. It's very rewarding when my students get comfortable and know that I'm there for them.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Swim, read, write, sing, enjoy nature, and play with my two crazy boys.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Do what you love, and everything else will fall into place.

Julian Hoffman

Special Programs Manager

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 5

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: Hearing each student's unique stories, guiding them in discovering their passions, and helping find their voice!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I am a figure skater, world traveler, dessert aficionado, and devotee of the Pioneer Woman, the Barefoot Contessa, and Maneet Chauhan!

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Work hard now -- procrastinate later!

Sarah Gooch

Essay Editor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: I have five years' experience in coaching student writing, but this is my first year with ReadyEdgeGo.

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love helping students find depth and meaning in their own stories—but I also just love it when they make me laugh!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In theory, I enjoy painting and writing poetry, but these days I actually spend most of my free time socializing or watching movies with my husband.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Don't just focus on achieving top grades and credentials because they look good on applications, or your education will be meaningless. The numbers and awards have their place, but stay connected to your sense of curiosity, discovery, excitement, and wonder so that the content you're learning is constantly transforming you—it's something you care about, something you remember after the final exam. Work on the aspects of yourself no one can measure, like integrity, wisdom, kindness, and compassion, so that you're not only developing your academic and career potential but also investing in the type of adult you're going to be, the person you'll have to live with after you clock out every day for the rest of your life.

Doing the hard inner work of building your character and learning deeply instead of just earning grades will set you up for a satisfying, well-rounded life. Strange as it sounds, it will also put you ahead in your academic and career goals, because colleges and hiring managers aren't looking for an empty set of data on a spreadsheet; they want a fully fleshed-out person marked by passion, creativity, and a story no one else has lived.

So go on studying hard for tests, but also spend some time asking yourself what matters in life and who your role models are. Read up on topics that amaze you, and build something incredible just for fun. Cultivate that spark of joy you feel when you're immersed in a subject that fascinates you. If you can hit that balancing act of doing your homework and meeting deadlines but also investing in the kind of person you want to be, then trust that all the rest will follow: schools will recognize you as a dynamic, all-star person, and you will also build a life of happiness, close relationships, and peace.

Bernie Nguyen

Admissions Advisor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 5 years high school mentoring experience. I was heavily involved in it all throughout college and after graduating.

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love hearing about their passions and what they genuinely love to do. It also makes me extremely happy to.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I recently picked up the electric guitar! I also have multiple aquariums, and founded a company that built body armor.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Don't go down a path just because you think that's "what you're supposed to do." Life is more diverse and unexpected than any of us could ever know.

Joanna Yang Yowler

Senior Essay Editor & Program Specialist

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 15

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love hearing students' stories and seeing their faces light up when they talk about their passions and dreams.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Cook, write, draw, save Azeroth .

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Pursue dreams that matter to you and don't be afraid of forging your own path to where you want to go.

Graham Traylor

Senior Applications Advisor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 7 years

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: One of my favorite experiences working with students is opening student's eyes to possibilities they didn't know would be an option for them.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time I like to stay active playing sports / running, but most of the time I am hanging out with my wife and daughter (usually with college sports on in the background).

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: It's possible there could be several colleges that are a good fit for you. Don't lock in on just one preferred option, and work toward finding places you can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

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Tylar Pendgraft

Director of Programs

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 12

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love how open students are to learning and trying new things. As mentors, we get to see so much growth simply because our students are so open to new experiences and are looking forward to applying their learning and other skills.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time I like to read and write. I also spend a lot of time just watching--my dogs, birds, trees. I also enjoy baking and cooking (even though I'm terrible at baking).

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: It's never too early or late to start practicing self-care. Build moments of joy and celebration into your week. Give yourself a treat for working hard. It's important to have things to look forward to. If you can get into the habit now, you'll have a much more balanced college experience.

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Anika Sharma

Essay Editor

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 2

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: As a major advisor for students interested in the humanities, I’ve found it immensely rewarding to offer an outlet for students to explore ideas that they often don’t get to delve into at school. Watching a student light up when they realize that there is in fact a community around their specific interests is easily the best part of the job.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time, I love to be outdoors - I've been hiking around the Bay Area and recently started biking again. I also volunteer at community gardens and trail restoration projects in San Francisco. When I'm not outside, you can find me reading visionary fiction, practicing yoga and qigong, or cooking.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: My advice for high school students is to focus on the present! Use this time to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Solid values and a sense of self will allow you to make challenging decisions for the future and create the life you want.

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Tushar Singla

Chief Technology Officer

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 4

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: Watching them accomplish great things.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Watch Formula 1, play ice hockey, and watch TV.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Spend time exploring different things -- you have a long time to become an expert.

readyedgego

Dan Zhou

Chief Executive Officer

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 16

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: Inspiring a student towards self discovery, and wanting to learn about everything there is in the world. Reaching this moment can take time, but it's what makes it worth it every time.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Outdoors hiking, photography, gardening, and reading.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Do the thing that moves you, or be moved by forces not your own. The choice is yours.

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