Imagine waking up early to study for an AP exam, staying up late to finish assignments and watching grades take precedence over things you once loved. For many students at Sage Creek High School enrolled in multiple AP classes, these sacrifices are all too common as they try to gain an edge in college admission. On the other hand, students find AP classes as a great way to challenge themselves and find it easier to manage than others. This raises an important question: do the benefits of AP courses outweigh the challenges?

Supporters say AP classes prepare students for college, offering the chance to earn college credit, save money and experience challenging coursework.

Sage Creek AP biology teacher Allison Magee said, “To succeed in APs, you must be hard-working, smart, determined and genuinely interested in the subject.” Magee believes that when students have a passion for the material, AP courses become rewarding, allowing students to manage the workload better.

Yet the high expectations and workload associated with AP classes can become overwhelming. Freddy Delgado, a counselor at Sage Creek, said students frequently question whether continuing with AP courses is the right choice.

“What’s better,” Delgado said, “continuing with an AP course, possibly struggling hard mentally and in your grades, or dropping it and getting a burden off your shoulders? Your grades overall will probably improve if you find a manageable course load.”

Concerns about college admissions often drive students to overload their schedules with APs, even if it means sacrificing their mental health. Delgado shared that colleges consider multiple factors—not just AP classes—when reviewing applications.

Delgado said, “I had a student last year with a 4.4 GPA who took seven to eight AP courses, but his dream school, UC San Diego, didn’t accept him. Meanwhile, another student had a 3.9 GPA and took only one AP course and got in. Major matters, though.”

According to Delgado, college admissions decisions vary widely based on factors like intended major, overall academic performance and extracurricular involvement. These examples show that, while AP classes are beneficial, they are not a guarantee of college acceptance.

Sophomore Lily Long, who took AP biology as a freshman, said that finding balance is key.

“As long as you find the material interesting, that’s the motivation to do well,” Long said, “But taking five AP classes at once is too much. A good balance for me is two APs, two honors and one elective.”

Long’s strategy suggests that a balanced course load keeps students motivated and engaged without sacrificing their well-being or grades.

Delgado added that taking fewer AP classes can still demonstrate readiness for college if balanced well with other challenging courses.

“Say you drop your AP class and end with a C, but you switch to another challenging class to provide more balance — that tells a story to colleges,” Delgado said.

Choosing to opt out of an AP course, Delgado suggested, can demonstrate maturity, self-awareness and a commitment to sustainable learning — a balance that can ultimately appeal to college admissions teams.

In the end, AP classes offer a path to college-level learning and preparation but are not the only route to academic success. For many students at Sage Creek, assessing whether AP courses align with their personal goals and well-being is an important step in their high school journey. As more students seek balance in academics, teachers and counselors can play an essential role in helping students navigate these choices.