Most Popular AP Classes in High Schools

What are the most taken AP classes in high school? Do these popular classes give an edge in college applications?

The College Board regularly releases reports on AP exam participation, and certain AP subjects consistently show high enrollments. Based on latest statistics, some of the most popular AP classes include AP English Language and Composition, AP U.S. History, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Calculus AB, and AP Psychology. These subjects touch upon fundamental areas of study that match up with many high school students' interests, and they also fulfill common general education requirements in college.

However, popularity of a class doesn't inherently give an ‘edge’ in college applications. Colleges are generally more interested in the rigor and relevance of your courses. Taking AP classes that align with your academic goals, interests, or intended field of study in college can actually be more impactful. For instance, an aspiring engineer taking AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C would be seen as demonstrating more discipline-specific rigor and commitment than if that same student took AP Art History just because it was popular.

Furthermore, achieving high grades in AP classes and good scores on the AP exams themselves demonstrates to colleges that you can handle college-level coursework, which is a more valuable takeaway than simply participating in widely taken AP classes. It’s always important to balance rigor with your own capacity to perform; overloading on AP classes can lead to undue stress, and colleges prefer to see you excel in the classes you do enroll in, rather than get lower grades in a larger number of APs. Remember, quality should come before quantity!