How Many AP Classes Should You Take in High School?

Taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses can significantly strengthen a student’s academic profile and college applications. But taking too many can lead to stress, lower grades, and burnout.

So, how do you find the right balance? The answer depends on your goals, strengths, and the competitiveness of the universities you are targeting.

This guide breaks down the ideal AP load for different pathways.

What Do Universities Want to See?

Universities look for:

• Academic rigor appropriate to the student’s school setting

• Strong performance in challenging coursework

• Course choices aligned with intended major

This means taking the right AP classes is more valuable than trying to take every AP class.

Recommended AP Load Based on Goals

University Path	Ideal AP Count	Notes
Strong transcript	2–3	Balanced workload
Selective US universities	4–6	Mix of core and major-aligned subjects
Ivy League / Top 20	6–10	Depth in major + strong performance expected
STEM majors	At least 3–4 STEM APs	AP Calculus, Physics, Chemistry
Social sciences/business	3–4 aligned APs	Economics, Statistics, Psychology

Taking 10+ APs does not guarantee admission — universities prefer students who succeed in a focused and intentional selection.

AP Course Planning by Grade Level

Grade 9–10

• Light exposure

• Honors courses or 1 intro AP (like AP Human Geography)

Grade 11

• Core AP year

• Students should take major-aligned courses like:

  • AP Calc AB/BC

  • AP Physics / AP Chemistry

  • AP Economics

Grade 12

• Continue rigor aligned with university goals

• Balance exams with college applications

  
  

How Many Is Too Many?

If AP course load leads to:

• Drop in GPA

• High stress or sleeplessness

• No time for extracurriculars

Then the student is doing too much.

Admissions officers evaluate the whole profile — test scores, projects, leadership, passion — not just AP count.

AP Courses and Intended Major Alignment

Example subject combinations:

Major	Recommended APs
Engineering / Computer Science	AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science A
Pre-Med	AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Calculus
Business / Finance	AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Economics, AP Statistics
Humanities / Law	AP English Language, AP History, AP Psychology

Taking APs related to your future course of study strengthens your narrative in applications.

Choose a course load that is:

• Ambitious

• Relevant to your future goals

• Realistically manageable

The goal is not the maximum number — it is the right number for long-term success.

At RiformaEdu, we help students select the ideal AP courses based on their academic strengths and university targets.