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@ashtheman
4 answers, 31 votes
 • 3 years ago •
Admissions Advice

Are AP/IB courses important?
Answered

So at my high school, there's no IB program but there are AP courses and parents' consent is needed. My parents' don't want me to ever take the classes. How important are AP courses?

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@liah673 years ago

my high school already assigns me to ap classes but we could request to not take it I think it's important since some of the colleges that were considered reach I applied to I got into them like tcnj I don't even have a great GPA its 3.1

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4 answers

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Accepted Answer
@CameronBameron
2,264 answers, 8,667 votes
 • 3 years ago[edited]

AP courses are very important if you want to get in to a top college. If you are an average student targeting say a state college where average students enroll, then you have nothing to worry about.

Is there a legitimate reason why your school requires parental consent to enroll in an AP class or why you have no support from your parents to take challenging coursework?

Good luck.

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[🎤 AUTHOR]@ashtheman3 years ago

I have no idea why they require parental consent, but my parents said "since we didn't do them you can't."

@CameronBameron3 years ago

Obviously they let you have internet access and use of a smart phone. That logic doesn't hold water since there are many things that didn't exist a generation ago, like apps, blogs, vlogs, and online school. By their logic, you should never be on a ZOOM call either. Good luck.

4
@junior2023
1 answer, 11 votes
 • 3 years ago

They are relatively important in context. By that I mean that colleges will look at your academic rigor and compare it to what your school offers. AP classes are often a symbol of this rigor, and if your school offers AP courses, then colleges will look for students from your school that take these courses (as they do illustrate ambition, intelligence, and academic rigor). However, as usual, this isn't the only thing taken into consideration in college admissions.

AP classes can also boost your GPA and (in some cases) take some future college classes off your schedule. Collegeboard is honestly a scam, but if you care about your GPA and how rigorous your school schedule is, AP classes are a great way to boost both of those.

I would honestly recommend trying to get your parents to understand the slight benefits of AP classes if you want to take them.

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@arose205
1 answer, 2 votes
 • 3 years ago

AP and IB courses are important because it conveys to colleges that you are a hard worker, and will likely be able to adjust to the even more difficult coursework in college.

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@shriya98239
4 answers, 3 votes
 • 3 years ago

AP courses look really great on scholarships, so I would definitely recommend taking them if you have the chance. Getting 4s or 5s on the Ap tests can really stand out and make the difference between a good application and a great application. If you are aiming for the T20 or even T50, it’s crucial to take atleast a few AP classes. If you’re aiming local, then you should be fine, but still make sure that you have strong ECs

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