Which AP Classes Should I Take?
1 min read•march 8, 2024
There are over 30 AP classes that are currently offered. Before you check out which to take, make sure you get familiar with all of them with our guide discussing all APs.
How many AP Classes to take in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade
The short answer → You should take whatever classes you want, when you want to.
If you have access to the class, you’re interested in it, you have time in your schedule, and you have capacity for the workload, then do it.
The #1 reason not to take a class is if you don’t want to.
It’s ok to prioritize other things like sports, clubs, jobs, or your mental health. In fact, it’s impressive if you are self-aware enough to know that it’s not the right time.
With that said, if you can commit the time, then you should take the class. Don’t be scared of it. APs are historically gate kept spaces advertised for “the smart kids”. F%*& that. Take the class. Prove them all wrong.
Follow the path the works for you.
How many AP classes should I plan to take?
The best advice here is DO NOT GO WILD. We know the pressure is high to be competitive for college applications, but you also need to protect yourself from burn out. It’s WAYY better to do really well in less classes than tank your GPA taking a bunch.
Go easy on yourself. Only take what you can feasibly handle.
There is absolutely no magic number that will guarantee you admission because there’s a lot more context about you that the college will consider. For example, maybe you spend time making an impact on your community or you get really involved in a specific club. Those are great for applications and paired with a few classes would be excellent.
Colleges want to see that you are challenging yourself where you can, so we’re going to go out on a limb here and suggest 4 as your goal number — an average of 1 AP class per year.
It’s a reasonable, achievable goal. It will show that you are actively looking for a challenge.
If you want to take more, go for it! Just do what’s right for you.
Suggested Schedule
We truly can’t say this enough — take what you want, when you want.
But to help guide you, we looked at the data below on when students usually take each class and created this handy schedule for you.
| Grade | Most Popular Options | Other Common Options |
| 9th | AP Human Geography | |
| 10th | AP World History: Modern | AP Computer Science Principles, AP European History, AP Seminar |
| 11th | AP Chemistry, AP English Language, AP Physics 1, AP US History | AP Computer Science A, AP Environmental Science, AP Music Theory |
| 12th | AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Chemistry, AP English Literature, AP US Government | AP Comparative Government, AP Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Statistics, World Language |
AP Classes by Grade
There are no official prerequisites for any class. You can theoretically take any AP any year.
But, there’s a common progression that allows for content + skill building. It also aligns with how schools typically move you through courses, so you’re with other students in your grade.
This is the summary of 2023 AP students:
- Middle school → 0.29%
- Freshmen → 9.78%
- Sophomores → 22.75%
- Juniors → 35.22%
- Seniors → 31.88%
Here’s the full breakdown of every AP subject by grade.
| Subject | Most common year | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior |
| 🚜 AP Human Geography | Freshman | 71.34% | 15.46% | 6.19% | 6.72% |
| 🇪🇺 AP European History | Sophomore | 1.67% | 65.82% | 14.04% | 18.42% |
| 🌍 AP World History: Modern | Sophomore | 10.31% | 80.09% | 7.43% | 2.13% |
| 💬 AP Seminar | Sophomore | 2.90% | 47.14% | 43.86% | 6.08% |
| ⌨️ AP Computer Science P | Sophomore, Junior, Senior | 14.98% | 29.29% | 29.57% | 25.93% |
| 🇨🇳 AP Chinese | Sophomore, Junior, Senior | 19.88% | 26.76% | 28.49% | 23.80% |
| ✍🏽 AP English Language | Junior | 0.12% | 5.12% | 86.68% | 8.02% |
| 🎡 AP Physics 1 | Junior | 1.49% | 11.62% | 59.94% | 26.84% |
| 🇺🇸 AP US History | Junior | 1.12% | 15.88% | 80.57% | 2.40% |
| 🖼️ AP Art History | Junior, Senior | 2.98% | 22.22% | 33.50% | 41.16% |
| 🧬 AP Biology | Junior, Senior | 2.84% | 16.43% | 40.90% | 39.71% |
| 🧪 AP Chemistry | Junior, Senior | 0.42% | 13.19% | 55.85% | 30.24% |
| 💻 AP Computer Science A | Junior, Senior | 2.67% | 21.34% | 38.91% | 36.76% |
| ♻️ AP Environmental Science | Junior, Senior | 4.29% | 8.06% | 41.61% | 45.91% |
| 🎶 AP Music Theory | Junior, Senior | 1.99% | 15.27% | 34.92% | 47.66% |
| 🧠 AP Psychology | Junior, Senior | 1.27% | 15.57% | 38.66% | 44.39% |
| 🔍 AP Research | Junior, Senior | 0.03% | 2.18% | 39.73% | 58.01% |
| 🇪🇸 AP Spanish Language | Junior, Senior | 7.14% | 19.23% | 36.39% | 33.38% |
| 💃🏽 AP Spanish Literature | Junior, Senior | 2.84% | 13.71% | 35.21% | 48.15% |
| 🎨 AP Art & Design: Drawing | Senior | 0.40% | 5.91% | 28.69% | 64.92% |
| 🎨 AP Art & Design: 2D | Senior | 0.88% | 6.49% | 27.92% | 64.59% |
| 🎨 AP Art & Design: 3D | Senior | 0.56% | 4.30% | 22.37% | 72.59% |
| ♾️ AP Calculus AB | Senior | 0.41% | 4.30% | 32.70% | 62.28% |
| ♾️ AP Calculus BC | Senior | 0.63% | 6.37% | 33.81% | 58.79% |
| 🗳️ AP Comparative Government | Senior | 1.02% | 8.98% | 24.83% | 65.01% |
| 📚 AP English Literature | Senior | 0.05% | 0.96% | 14.58% | 84.29% |
| 🇫🇷 AP French | Senior | 4.04% | 9.67% | 28.20% | 57.37% |
| 🇩🇪 AP German | Senior | 3.77% | 10.88% | 22.83% | 61.74% |
| 🇮🇹 AP Italian | Senior | 2.31% | 4.97% | 14.80% | 77.29% |
| 🇯🇵 AP Japanese | Senior | 11.59% | 22.43% | 25.51% | 39.98% |
| 🏛️ AP Latin | Senior | 0.35% | 7.65% | 35.76% | 56.17% |
| 💵 AP Macroeconomics | Senior | 0.74% | 5.67% | 18.60% | 74.76% |
| 🤑 AP Microeconomics | Senior | 1.43% | 11.62% | 27.35% | 59.30% |
| 💡 AP Physics C: E&M | Senior | 0.14% | 2.07% | 19.88% | 77.32% |
| ⚙️ AP Physics C: Mechanics | Senior | 0.19% | 3.24% | 26.89% | 69.16% |
| 🧲 AP Physics 2 | Senior | 0.26% | 6.03% | 30.35% | 62.91% |
| 📊 AP Statistics | Senior | 0.29% | 5.05% | 21.06% | 73.41% |
| 🧑🏽⚖️ AP US Government | Senior | 4.07% | 12.28% | 17.27% | 66.28% |
AP Courses that Pair Well Together
There is LOTS of crossover between classes. Some concepts come up over and over again. Here are some pairs that work well together, plus highlights of content that overlap:
- AP Biology with AP Environmental Science
- Biological processes and ecosystems
- Interaction of living organisms with their environment
- AP Biology with AP Psychology
- Biological bases of behavior
- Influence of genetics on behavior
- AP Art History with AP World History: Modern
- Interplay between historical events and art evolution
- Cultural and societal developments reflected in art and history
- AP US Government with AP Macroeconomics
- Impact of governmental policies on the economy
- Economic reasoning in political contexts
- AP English Language with AP US History
- Analytical reading and writing skills
- Understanding of rhetorical strategies in historical texts
- AP Human Geography with AP Environmental Science
- Human impact on the environment
- Spatial patterns and ecological processes
- AP Physics 1 with AP Precalculus
- Algebraic problem-solving in physical contexts
- Application of mathematical concepts to physics
- AP Physics 1 with AP Calculus AB
- Conceptual overlap in motion and rates of change
- Enhanced comprehension of physics through calculus principles
- AP Research with AP Statistics
- Statistical analysis in research
- Design and interpretation of data in studies
- AP Statistics with AP Precalculus
- Data analysis techniques
- Mathematical foundations for statistical reasoning
- AP Computer Science Principles with AP Computer Science A
- Core computing concepts and application
- Programming and computational thinking
- AP Computer Science Principles with AP Precalculus
- Algorithmic problem-solving
- Logical reasoning and mathematics in computing
- AP Computer Science A with AP Calculus AB
- Problem-solving in programming and calculus
- Application of mathematical concepts in computer science
Which AP Classes Should I Take?
1 min read•march 8, 2024
There are over 30 AP classes that are currently offered. Before you check out which to take, make sure you get familiar with all of them with our guide discussing all APs.
How many AP Classes to take in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade
The short answer → You should take whatever classes you want, when you want to.
If you have access to the class, you’re interested in it, you have time in your schedule, and you have capacity for the workload, then do it.
The #1 reason not to take a class is if you don’t want to.
It’s ok to prioritize other things like sports, clubs, jobs, or your mental health. In fact, it’s impressive if you are self-aware enough to know that it’s not the right time.
With that said, if you can commit the time, then you should take the class. Don’t be scared of it. APs are historically gate kept spaces advertised for “the smart kids”. F%*& that. Take the class. Prove them all wrong.
Follow the path the works for you.
How many AP classes should I plan to take?
The best advice here is DO NOT GO WILD. We know the pressure is high to be competitive for college applications, but you also need to protect yourself from burn out. It’s WAYY better to do really well in less classes than tank your GPA taking a bunch.
Go easy on yourself. Only take what you can feasibly handle.
There is absolutely no magic number that will guarantee you admission because there’s a lot more context about you that the college will consider. For example, maybe you spend time making an impact on your community or you get really involved in a specific club. Those are great for applications and paired with a few classes would be excellent.
Colleges want to see that you are challenging yourself where you can, so we’re going to go out on a limb here and suggest 4 as your goal number — an average of 1 AP class per year.
It’s a reasonable, achievable goal. It will show that you are actively looking for a challenge.
If you want to take more, go for it! Just do what’s right for you.
Suggested Schedule
We truly can’t say this enough — take what you want, when you want.
But to help guide you, we looked at the data below on when students usually take each class and created this handy schedule for you.
| Grade | Most Popular Options | Other Common Options |
| 9th | AP Human Geography | |
| 10th | AP World History: Modern | AP Computer Science Principles, AP European History, AP Seminar |
| 11th | AP Chemistry, AP English Language, AP Physics 1, AP US History | AP Computer Science A, AP Environmental Science, AP Music Theory |
| 12th | AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Chemistry, AP English Literature, AP US Government | AP Comparative Government, AP Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Statistics, World Language |
AP Classes by Grade
There are no official prerequisites for any class. You can theoretically take any AP any year.
But, there’s a common progression that allows for content + skill building. It also aligns with how schools typically move you through courses, so you’re with other students in your grade.
This is the summary of 2023 AP students:
- Middle school → 0.29%
- Freshmen → 9.78%
- Sophomores → 22.75%
- Juniors → 35.22%
- Seniors → 31.88%
Here’s the full breakdown of every AP subject by grade.
| Subject | Most common year | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior |
| 🚜 AP Human Geography | Freshman | 71.34% | 15.46% | 6.19% | 6.72% |
| 🇪🇺 AP European History | Sophomore | 1.67% | 65.82% | 14.04% | 18.42% |
| 🌍 AP World History: Modern | Sophomore | 10.31% | 80.09% | 7.43% | 2.13% |
| 💬 AP Seminar | Sophomore | 2.90% | 47.14% | 43.86% | 6.08% |
| ⌨️ AP Computer Science P | Sophomore, Junior, Senior | 14.98% | 29.29% | 29.57% | 25.93% |
| 🇨🇳 AP Chinese | Sophomore, Junior, Senior | 19.88% | 26.76% | 28.49% | 23.80% |
| ✍🏽 AP English Language | Junior | 0.12% | 5.12% | 86.68% | 8.02% |
| 🎡 AP Physics 1 | Junior | 1.49% | 11.62% | 59.94% | 26.84% |
| 🇺🇸 AP US History | Junior | 1.12% | 15.88% | 80.57% | 2.40% |
| 🖼️ AP Art History | Junior, Senior | 2.98% | 22.22% | 33.50% | 41.16% |
| 🧬 AP Biology | Junior, Senior | 2.84% | 16.43% | 40.90% | 39.71% |
| 🧪 AP Chemistry | Junior, Senior | 0.42% | 13.19% | 55.85% | 30.24% |
| 💻 AP Computer Science A | Junior, Senior | 2.67% | 21.34% | 38.91% | 36.76% |
| ♻️ AP Environmental Science | Junior, Senior | 4.29% | 8.06% | 41.61% | 45.91% |
| 🎶 AP Music Theory | Junior, Senior | 1.99% | 15.27% | 34.92% | 47.66% |
| 🧠 AP Psychology | Junior, Senior | 1.27% | 15.57% | 38.66% | 44.39% |
| 🔍 AP Research | Junior, Senior | 0.03% | 2.18% | 39.73% | 58.01% |
| 🇪🇸 AP Spanish Language | Junior, Senior | 7.14% | 19.23% | 36.39% | 33.38% |
| 💃🏽 AP Spanish Literature | Junior, Senior | 2.84% | 13.71% | 35.21% | 48.15% |
| 🎨 AP Art & Design: Drawing | Senior | 0.40% | 5.91% | 28.69% | 64.92% |
| 🎨 AP Art & Design: 2D | Senior | 0.88% | 6.49% | 27.92% | 64.59% |
| 🎨 AP Art & Design: 3D | Senior | 0.56% | 4.30% | 22.37% | 72.59% |
| ♾️ AP Calculus AB | Senior | 0.41% | 4.30% | 32.70% | 62.28% |
| ♾️ AP Calculus BC | Senior | 0.63% | 6.37% | 33.81% | 58.79% |
| 🗳️ AP Comparative Government | Senior | 1.02% | 8.98% | 24.83% | 65.01% |
| 📚 AP English Literature | Senior | 0.05% | 0.96% | 14.58% | 84.29% |
| 🇫🇷 AP French | Senior | 4.04% | 9.67% | 28.20% | 57.37% |
| 🇩🇪 AP German | Senior | 3.77% | 10.88% | 22.83% | 61.74% |
| 🇮🇹 AP Italian | Senior | 2.31% | 4.97% | 14.80% | 77.29% |
| 🇯🇵 AP Japanese | Senior | 11.59% | 22.43% | 25.51% | 39.98% |
| 🏛️ AP Latin | Senior | 0.35% | 7.65% | 35.76% | 56.17% |
| 💵 AP Macroeconomics | Senior | 0.74% | 5.67% | 18.60% | 74.76% |
| 🤑 AP Microeconomics | Senior | 1.43% | 11.62% | 27.35% | 59.30% |
| 💡 AP Physics C: E&M | Senior | 0.14% | 2.07% | 19.88% | 77.32% |
| ⚙️ AP Physics C: Mechanics | Senior | 0.19% | 3.24% | 26.89% | 69.16% |
| 🧲 AP Physics 2 | Senior | 0.26% | 6.03% | 30.35% | 62.91% |
| 📊 AP Statistics | Senior | 0.29% | 5.05% | 21.06% | 73.41% |
| 🧑🏽⚖️ AP US Government | Senior | 4.07% | 12.28% | 17.27% | 66.28% |
AP Courses that Pair Well Together
There is LOTS of crossover between classes. Some concepts come up over and over again. Here are some pairs that work well together, plus highlights of content that overlap:
- AP Biology with AP Environmental Science
- Biological processes and ecosystems
- Interaction of living organisms with their environment
- AP Biology with AP Psychology
- Biological bases of behavior
- Influence of genetics on behavior
- AP Art History with AP World History: Modern
- Interplay between historical events and art evolution
- Cultural and societal developments reflected in art and history
- AP US Government with AP Macroeconomics
- Impact of governmental policies on the economy
- Economic reasoning in political contexts
- AP English Language with AP US History
- Analytical reading and writing skills
- Understanding of rhetorical strategies in historical texts
- AP Human Geography with AP Environmental Science
- Human impact on the environment
- Spatial patterns and ecological processes
- AP Physics 1 with AP Precalculus
- Algebraic problem-solving in physical contexts
- Application of mathematical concepts to physics
- AP Physics 1 with AP Calculus AB
- Conceptual overlap in motion and rates of change
- Enhanced comprehension of physics through calculus principles
- AP Research with AP Statistics
- Statistical analysis in research
- Design and interpretation of data in studies
- AP Statistics with AP Precalculus
- Data analysis techniques
- Mathematical foundations for statistical reasoning
- AP Computer Science Principles with AP Computer Science A
- Core computing concepts and application
- Programming and computational thinking
- AP Computer Science Principles with AP Precalculus
- Algorithmic problem-solving
- Logical reasoning and mathematics in computing
- AP Computer Science A with AP Calculus AB
- Problem-solving in programming and calculus
- Application of mathematical concepts in computer science
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