Hey!
I was wondering if it would be alright if I chose not to take AP Calculus for senior year. I'm planning to apply for a major on the pre-med track (psychology or neuroscience?) I know Calculus relates to my major, but I could also take AP Statistics or data science instead.
If it helps, I plan on taking AP Psych, AP Literature and Composition, and two college classes (Japanese language and social issues). I might take AP Physics.
Will selective colleges look down on this?
Thank you for your help :)
Hello!
To give you some context, I am in my last semester of earning my associate's degree and took multiple AP and dual-credit classes in high school.
I don't think that colleges will "look down" on this per se, but usually colleges won't care if you've already taken classes toward your degree if you're still in high school. (If anything, they'd want you to take their class instead of an AP class because it's more money for them!) This is more so something to worry about as a college student transferring to another college.
Yes, AP classes do look better on transcripts because you look responsible, a good investment for them, and considered more "elite" in the eyes of universities.
But, it's ultimately up to you if you want to take an AP class that can potentially earn you college credit (you must pass the AP test to earn college credit, as I'm sure you know already), or just wait until you're already in college (just passing the class will earn you college credit) and take the class then. However, waiting to take the class until you're already in college is going to be more expensive because of college tuition.
I took AP stats my senior year and then took stats in college, and it was actually easier than AP stats, which is also something to think about because the same thing may happen to you with an AP class.
You also have to remember that colleges won't be able to see what classes you didn't take because you didn't take them and therefore will not be on your transcript.
It is ultimately your decision, but let me know if you have any more questions by responding! I hope this helps!
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Thank you for your response! I should've mentioned that I took precalculus this year. Would it look weird that I decided not to take AP calc and instead took AP stats or regular statistics because of that prerec?