Advanced Placement Classes – Are They Worth It?

By Amy Barr, The Lukeion Project

I teach AP Latin. I teach 15 to 20 students for each two-semester course. Most of them will also complete the AP Latin exam, set locally each May. In a normal year, 75% of my students do very well (score of 4 or 5). 15% will earn a low pass and will still likely earn college credit for that score. One, or very rarely two of my students will earn less than a score of 3 on the exam.
Every year these academically ambitious students ask each other the same question: How many AP classes are you taking now and how many do you plan to take before you graduate? Invariably, a couple of them will put the rest into existential crisis mode by claiming they plan to take at least 4 or 5--every year for three or four years of high school. 
How many exams should students take? How will they ever get into college with “only” one or two AP classes?! Are there drawbacks to too many? ..To too few? ..To none? Let’s list the pros and cons of taking AP classes before we get to that answer.

Cons of Taking AP classes

Risk of doing poorly

Taking an AP course is just preparation for completing the AP exam scheduled each May. The biggest risk in taking an AP class is that one does poorly and inadvertently proves one is not prepared for college-level work. This will be a hit to the GPA and plus your college admissions officer will be unimpressed with your academic readiness. A related problem would be failing to follow through after an AP course to take the AP exam. Colleges/universities place little extra value on AP classes without a subsequent success on the exam, even accounting for weighted grades. An AP class is a college-level course. Failing to take the exam, failing the exam, or failing the course proves you aren’t ready for college. When in doubt, leave it out. Do not provide proof to the admissions board that you aren’t yet ready for college. Avoid rushing into a class that seems over your head.

Risk you won't get college credit

I witness social pressure on students to take as many AP classes as possible though the motives are often financial rather than academic. This is understandable. A passing score on an AP exam can be more reliable than scholarship hopes. AP scores can convert into college credits while saving a load of money. A good score in AP Latin, for example, is the equivalent of first-year (grammar) and second-year (translation) Latin at the college level.
Colleges are not obligated to take your passing AP scores and convert them to credits on your transcript. Your college program may not offer the equivalent course for which you completed an AP exam so even a perfect AP score in macroeconomics will be received with zero fanfare by a program in, say, engineering or sports science.
Some colleges only wave prerequisite courses based on AP success with no net gain in credits earned. Others will only award credits to students who earn the highest possible AP score (5).
These facts aren’t unreasonable considering universities would prefer student dollars be spent with them while using their faculty and their own degree standards.

Risk that you'll feel out of sync

Perhaps all goes well, and a student earns the maximum number of AP credits possible for their desired institution (which will be limited - check with the college). There remains one last issue which is true for all students who test out or take dual credit: Such students may stay permanently out-of-sync with their college peers.
To facilitate student retention, many schools schedule a week of freshman events designed to build student confidence and, most importantly, forge essential social connections. Those who “test out” of their freshman (or even sophomore year) through AP, CLEP or dual enrollment will often attend freshman orientation but this won't solve the issue. Alas, such students may never attend a single class with these peers. It can be a lonely business to start college with a slew of 300-level classes filled with very busy advanced college students who have little time to forge new friendships with first-year students.

Risk of burn out

AP students who over-do can skid to an exhausted halt at high school graduation. Some will have been working toward college at such a fevered pitch that they’ve neglected important relationships and failed to master essential life skills better taught by a part-time job and volunteer work. Now they are close to burn out when they’ve only just begun.

Pros of taking AP classes

Wow! The cons seem bleak! Advanced Placement classes have plenty of benefits, too.

Proof of abilities

They can set college applicants apart and demonstrate their ability to perform well in college-level coursework, even better than jumping into early classes at the local community college. Success on one or more AP exam proves that a student can manage time and can handle the tough stuff.

Opportunity for challenge

Advanced placement classes can offer much needed academic challenge in a sea of otherwise dull course offerings for students who need more challenge. Eager to sharpen your teeth on more interesting material? You are well suited to sprinkle a few AP classes throughout your high school career regardless of the added benefits of credits and honors. Gifted kids are often craving the challenge. AP classes are ready to go.

Finish the basics faster

Advanced placement classes can offer students the chance to test out of basic subjects that will apply to their program. Lukeion students who finish AP Latin, for example, will be perfectly comfortable in a 300-level Latin class even while they finish other program requirements like Greek, or as they add a nice double major.

How many AP classes are a good idea?

Balance is the key to everything. If you have your eyes set on the most competitive academic program, the admissions committee would prefer to see applicants with a variety of experiences rather than too strong a focus on purely academic metrics. AP classes should be just one of many features on the larger map of things that makes a student desirable for college admittance. The best songs have many notes.
Students: instead of frantically taking 4 AP classes every semester, try taking 1 or, at the most, 2. Focus your energy. Do beautiful work in a reduced AP class load. Excellence in fewer AP courses will pay higher dividends and may help you secure excellent references from your AP teacher. Leave time for activities that demonstrate leadership, creativity, openness to new experiences, and initiative. This should include travel abroad, volunteer hours, a part-time job, participation in community theater or symphony, sports, or any dozen other ways that will make life worth living NOW while they make you a more interesting candidate in the future.
If you crave challenges, take as many as you please. The courses themselves will your reward.
The sweet spot for a typical student who just wants to prove she has a solid academic preparation is lower than most expect. Four or five AP classes/exams (TOTAL) will be enough, even for students set on top schools. One or two will do if you aren’t shooting for an Ivy League. Want to skip the AP rat race entirely? Many non-AP students shine on the merits of a high school education made richer by elements of travel, work, volunteerism, and pre-college experiences in intended majors or minors. Colleges are increasingly preferring this type of student over one-note applications with AP-packed transcripts.
AP classes are not a golden ticket. They are not even a prerequisite for college entry any more than they are a guarantee of college success. They are, however, a good metric of college readiness. So, do them if you like, and do them well…just don’t overdo them.