Limited AP Classes at School? Academic Advice You Need to Know

No two high schools are alike, and some students attend schools that have limited or no AP (Advanced Placement) classes available. Does this put students at a disadvantage in the college admissions process? Learn more about how students are evaluated, how colleges feel about APs, and what students with limited options can do to stand out in the admissions process.

Key Takeaways:

Colleges evaluate students within the context of their environment: limitations and opportunities. There is no national standard of "how many APs should a student have" that admissions readers root their decisions in.
Students who have true intellectual curiosity don't let APs hold them back from exploring their academic interests. Think outside the box and identify ways you can demonstrate academic rigor beyond the four walls of your classroom.

How Colleges Evaluate Students With Limited AP Classes at School

Students can rest easier knowing that colleges will not penalize a student for not taking APs that were never provided to them in the first place. Many colleges implement what we refer to as holistic admissions, the practice of evaluating students based on a wide range of factors. In other words, there is no one specific application component that will make or break a student's chances of acceptance.

Knowing this, students will be even more pleased to know that college admissions officers are either already familiar or trained to understand regional differences. This means college admissions officers understand:

What extracurricular opportunities are and are not available to students
The curricula and courses made available (or not) to students
How grading scales or class rank policies vary from school to school
Whether a school has limits on APs or honors courses

When students apply to college from specific schools, admissions readers are provided with a document called a school profile, which outlines the opportunities and limitations of that school to ensure readers are fairly assessing students in light of their environment.

FAQ: Why do some high schools limit APs?

It's not uncommon these days for some high schools to limit APs in the name of lessening the stress and student competition. Some schools also do these as a prevention tools, to ensure that students aren't overextending themselves academically.

Do Fewer AP Classes Hurt Your Chances of College Acceptance?

No, having fewer AP classes on your academic transcript will not hurt your chances of college acceptance, as long as your school limited access to them. However, this answer does come with a caveat: if APs are made available to you and you consistently choose not to take them, colleges may question if you challenged yourself appropriately.

For example:

If your school only offers two AP courses, and you took both, you've likely demonstrated the appropriate amount of rigor.
If your school offers ten APs and you only took two, this may signal a lack of academic motivation to colleges.

FAQ: How many AP classes should I take for college?

There is no set number of AP classes that colleges expect from students. The key takeaway is that students should challenge themselves in a healthy way. Take as many APs as you can manage without sacrificing your well-being, balance, or overall academic performance.

What You Can Do If Your School Limits APs

Take Advantage of the Courses You Have Access To

If APs aren't an option, enroll in honors, dual-enrollment, or international baccalaureate (IB) courses. Availability for these courses also differs from school to school, but if you are in a position where you can take one or more of these classes, it will indicate initiative and academic rigor to colleges.

Use the "Additional Information" Section of the Application

Most college application platforms (especially the Common App) include a section where students can add more information to their transcript. This would be the perfect place to explain your school’s academic offerings. Do not complain or blame your school. Just a simple declarative sentence or two will suffice.

Here's a real example from a student and how they addressed their AP limitations:

“I had hoped to take AP XX and XX in addition to the three AP classes I have taken; however, my high school has a policy that students are limited to one AP class in 11th grade and two AP classes in the 12th grade.”

Demonstrate Intellectual Curiosity Beyond Your Structured Academics

Students who have real intellectual curiosity don’t let a course schedule alone determine what they learn. Kids who get into the most selective colleges find a way to learn what interests them, regardless of whether they have an available AP class attached to it. If you’re at a school that limits your APs, look for other ways to learn what interests you.

Ways students can demonstrate intellectual curiosity when their school limits AP classes:

Take summer courses at a community college
Explore online courses through Coursera or Edx
Do an independent study with your teacher
Find extracurricular pursuits that incorporate your academic interests

Why Context Matters Most

Colleges don't compare students against a universal standard. Instead, they assess you within the context of your environment. Admissions officers want to know two main things:

What opportunities were made available to you?
How did you take advantage of them?

You can answer those very questions even with limited AP classes. What matters more is that you demonstrate a healthy hustle, perform well within the classes you had access to, and show initiative in meaningful ways. And if you're still worried about how colleges may view your transcript, it's important to add additional information to your application and address any potential gaps or outliers in your academics.

If you're still concerned about how your academic performance will be evaluated by colleges or are interested in exploring opportunities outside your school, schedule a free consultation with Collegewise today to learn more about our accelerator programs, research opportunities, and more.

About Us: With more than twenty years of experience, Collegewise counselors and tutors are at the forefront of the ever-evolving admissions landscape. Our work has always centered on you: the student. And just like we’ve always done, we look for ways for you to be your best self - whether it’s in the classroom, in your applications or in the right-fit college environment. Our range of tools include counseling, test prep, academic tutoring, and essay management, all with the support of our proprietary platform, leading to a 4x higher than average admissions rates.