How many AP classes?

I'm planning my schedule for next year, and I was wondering: How many AP classes do most students take during high school? Is there a particular number that colleges like to see, or does it vary depending on the school?

The number of AP classes that students typically take during high school varies depending on factors like their academic interests, the availability of AP courses at their school, and their overall course load. There's no magic number of AP classes that colleges prefer to see, but they do pay attention to the rigor of your coursework in relation to what's available at your school. So, it's important to take challenging classes that align with your interests and strengths while also maintaining a balanced schedule.

Most successful applicants to top colleges have taken around 7-12 AP classes throughout their high school career. It's not necessary to take an AP class in every subject, but demonstrating depth in a specific area can be beneficial, particularly when the subject aligns with your prospective major or future career plans.

Keep in mind that colleges would rather see you excel in a reasonable number of AP courses than underperform while attempting to juggle too many. So, it's essential to strike the right balance between course rigor and maintaining a manageable workload.

Ultimately, focus on taking AP classes that genuinely interest you and where you think you can succeed. Colleges are more interested in seeing that you've taken advantage of the challenging courses available at your school and have performed well in them, rather than achieving a specific number of AP classes.