Colleges don't just count APs — they look at which APs you took and whether they line up with your intended major. Here's how to pick APs that actually strengthen your application.
The Core "Respected" APs (any major)
These APs signal academic rigor regardless of your intended major:
- AP English Language — Demonstrates college-level writing.
- AP Calculus AB or BC — The most universally valued math credential.
- AP US History or AP World History — Shows you can handle a heavy reading + writing load.
- AP Biology, Chemistry, or Physics 1 — Lab science rigor.
For STEM-Bound Students
Top APs for engineering, CS, pre-med, math majors: AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Computer Science A, AP Statistics.
For Humanities / Pre-Law / Political Science
AP US History, AP World History, AP European History, AP US Government, AP Comparative Government, AP English Language, AP English Literature.
For Business / Economics
AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB, AP English Language.
What Admissions Officers Actually Want
From admissions officer interviews: they want to see you took the most rigorous available curriculum at your school and earned strong grades. 5 APs with all 5s is more impressive than 10 APs with 3s. Pick APs in subjects you'll thrive in, ideally aligned with what you want to study in college.
How Many APs to Take · Easiest APs · Hardest APs
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