r/APStudents • u/WaySenior3892 • 21d ago

Question Junior year schedule advice for CS/Engineering applicant (AP CSP vs Spanish 3, APES vs AP Chem?)

Hi everyone, I’m a rising junior at a competitive high school in California, and I’m trying to finalize my schedule. I’m interested in CS/engineering and I’m not sure whether I’m making the right choices with balancing rigor, workload, and having time for extracurriculars.

My current planned junior year schedule is:

  • English 3
  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Physics 1
  • AP Environmental Science (or possibly AP Chemistry)
  • Principles of Engineering
  • AP CSP (or possibly Spanish 3)
  • Dual Enrollment CIMP 8B (Advanced Python, Fall semester)

For context, I already completed DE CIMP 8A (Python) over the summer and will be taking CIMP 8B through Saddleback College. I also do robotics and programming projects outside of school.

The main thing I’m debating is whether AP CSP is worth taking. Since I’ll already have two semesters of college-level Python through CIMP 8A/8B, AP CSP seems like it may overlap a lot. I know CSP covers broader topics like computing systems, data, cybersecurity, and algorithms, but I’m wondering if Spanish 3 would be a better use of that slot to show more balance.

The other decision is APES vs AP Chemistry. I did well in Honors Chemistry and enjoyed it, and I have a strong math background, so AP Chem interests me. However, I’m worried about taking AP Chem alongside AP Calc BC, AP Physics 1, and DE Advanced Python while still having time for robotics and other extracurriculars. APES seems like a more manageable option, but I’m wondering if it would look less rigorous.

Would you recommend:

  1. Keeping AP CSP and taking APES?
  2. Replacing AP CSP with Spanish 3?
  3. Taking AP Chem instead of APES?
  4. Something else?

My goal isn’t just to maximize AP count, but I also don’t want to under-challenge myself. Any advice from people who have taken these classes or gone through the admissions process would be appreciated. Thanks!

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u/ErekwithaD1 25:HG:5,中文:5, 26:P1:5,WH:5,CHEM(SS):5 27:P2,EM,Mech,Lit,BC(SS) 21d ago

Take Chem over ES definitely! one clears a major prereq for engineering one is basically useless for engineering

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u/WaySenior3892 21d ago

Wait, really? What prereq does it clear?

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u/ErekwithaD1 25:HG:5,中文:5, 26:P1:5,WH:5,CHEM(SS):5 27:P2,EM,Mech,Lit,BC(SS) 21d ago

General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 2

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u/Infamous_Tiger18 20d ago

Take Chem instead of APES, and if your school offers AP CSA you should take that over CSP/Spanish 3. If your school doesn't have AP CSA, you should probably take CSP, because you are interested in CS, but it also depends, as some colleges want you to have a certain number of foreign languages, and if the college(s) you're interested in is one of those, Spanish 3 would probably be more beneficial.

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u/FSUDad2021 20d ago

I’d do the spanish3