How do I Pick AP Exams?

Because students often share AP courses, you’ll find it helpful to study for exams with your peers.

Advanced Placement, or AP, examinations are a big part of families’ considerations as their student or students prepare to go through high school. Choosing which AP exams to take is a crucial decision for high school students. AP exams show colleges a students’ preparedness for a particular course of study, teach a student valuable academic skills and knowledge, and often even give high-scoring students college credits that can take out certain class requirements when in college. 

At PrepPages, we want to make this information accessible without paying for a specific service. Without further ado, here’s our guide on which AP courses and exams a student should take based on your future plans.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

For students planning on entering the medical field, whether aspiring to be doctors, researchers, or in allied health, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Psychology are strong choices. These subjects introduce key concepts in anatomy, biochemistry, and behavioral science, setting a solid foundation for more advanced pre-med coursework. Additionally, if your school offers AP Seminar and AP Research, consider taking them as well — these courses will teach you the research skills essential for navigating the intensive study and scientific inquiry required in medical school.

For students drawn to biology and the life sciences, AP Biology is, of course, a cornerstone. Complement this with AP Chemistry and AP Environmental Science to grasp the chemical underpinnings of biological systems and the environmental factors that affect them. Similarly, if you’re leaning towards a chemistry major, AP Chemistry is indispensable, and pairing it with AP Physics 1 and 2 will expand your knowledge of chemical reactions, physics principles, and their applications. This background will prepare you for the physical chemistry and analytical labs that are integral to a chemistry degree.

Majors focusing on mathematics or related fields should take a progression of math-heavy AP exams such as AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Statistics. Adding AP Physics 1 and 2 can provide an applied perspective to theoretical mathematical concepts. If your goal is to study physics specifically, it’s recommended to pursue all the math and physics courses available, including AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, along with AP Chemistry to maximize your preparation for anything these intense, problem solving-oriented fields have to offer.

For students interested in computer science, start with AP Computer Science Principles to learn the fundamentals and advance to AP Computer Science A to deepen your programming skills in the Java coding language. Pair these with AP Calculus AB and BC and AP Statistics for a strong quantitative foundation. This combination is ideal for developing the analytical and coding skills needed for software development, machine learning, or data analytics. Similarly, if your intended major is in data science, follow a similar path, focusing heavily on the AP Calculuses and AP Statistics to support your understanding of data models and algorithms.

Aspiring engineers should prioritize AP Calculus AB and BC, along with the full sequence of AP Physics courses. This rigorous selection mirrors the early coursework in most engineering programs, which often emphasize calculus-based physics and advanced mathematics. Additionally, AP Chemistry is highly recommended to support those looking into chemical or materials engineering disciplines.

Social Sciences

Those aiming for careers in economics, finance, or business will benefit from AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics, which cover the basics of economic theory, markets, and the global economy. To gain a deeper understanding of government policy and its intersection with economic decisions, students should add AP US Government and Politics. This trio not only enhances your understanding of financial systems but also aligns closely with many introductory college courses in business administration and economics.

If you’re leaning toward history, AP Human Geography, AP US History, and AP World History are all excellent choices that provide an in-depth view of global, national, and local histories, human interactions, and the evolution of societies. Political science students should also take these exams, with the addition of AP US Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics to learn how to analyze political systems. Consider AP Language and Composition as well to enhance your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, a critical skill for any political or legal career.

For linguistics, AP Literature and Composition, AP Language and Composition, and a non-English language AP will expose you to a broad spectrum of linguistic structures and language theories. Meanwhile, music students should consider AP Music Theory to develop their understanding of music composition and analysis, and AP Seminar to refine research and presentation skills in musicology.

Humanities

Those passionate about English should include AP Language and Composition and AP Literature and Composition in their schedules, along with a variety of humanities-focused APs like AP US History or AP World History. An AP language course — be it Chinese, Spanish, French, German, or Italian — would also be beneficial. For a career in psychology, start with AP Psychology to grasp the foundational theories of human behavior, and include AP Biology, AP Seminar, and AP Research for their focus on scientific methodology and empirical research.

If your interests lie in art, AP Art History and any of the AP Studio Art courses, such as 2-D Design, 3-D Design, or Drawing, will help you develop both a historical and practical understanding of the visual arts, which is critical whether you want to pursue studio art, art history, or design.

For all students

While all these subject-specific recommendations can be helpful, it’s also worth noting that some exams hold broad value for all students, especially those still unsure of their major. In these cases, AP World History, AP US History, AP Language and Composition, a non-English language AP, AP Calculus AB, and any of the introductory AP Science courses (like Chemistry, Physics, or Biology) are smart choices. These exams cover essential skills like critical thinking, data analysis, and effective communication, making them useful across multiple disciplines. Moreover, scoring a 5 on these exams can often fulfill general education requirements in college, freeing up your schedule to explore more specialized or advanced classes in your later years.

Ultimately, this guide is not exhaustive nor prescriptive. Students should view these recommendations as a starting point for designing an AP plan that suits their unique academic strengths and future ambitions. While aligning AP exams with your prospective major is ideal, it’s also fine to take a mix of courses based on what genuinely interests or challenges you.

For Families

Of course, all parents and students should know that not all high schools offer AP exams or courses on demand. That means for many students, taking as many AP exams as they would like for their major is not possible, and you should refrain from pushing for those opportunities. 

Additionally, AP exam registration costs money, usually around $90 per exam. This can add up if you have a student or students taking several AP exams, so if finances are a concern for your family, it’s important to make sure students are registering only for exams that they themselves know they can perform well in. Collegeboard, the institution that administers AP exams, can also provide fee reductions for exams.

For schools that allow students to take any AP exams but do not offer all AP courses, it is possible to self-study for AP exams and score well. This is something our team at PrepPages is experienced in, and we would love to help students interested in that option.

Finally, AP exams are not the most significant part of an application. Like the SAT, ACT, and International Baccalaurate (IB) diploma exams, AP exams are standardized tests, and admissions offices approach these scores similarly to how they approach any other type of nationally or internationally standardized scores. This means that AP exam scores are not the end-all-be-all of your application, and while you should shoot for 5’s on all the exams you can take, you shouldn’t worry too much if you’ve gotten lower scores or simply haven’t had the opportunity to take the exams you wish to.

At PrepPages, our mission is to offer accessible advice about high school exams. We hope this free information about AP exams is helpful to students in or entering high school. Best of luck to everyone!

Best,

Rittik Bhattacharya

PrepPages Director of Programs