Popular AP Courses by Grade

Selecting an AP Course That’s Right for You

AP® isn't just for juniors and seniors. In fact, some of the most popular courses are often taken by 9th and 10th graders. Below you'll find a list of the most popular courses for each grade level.

There are many factors to consider when deciding which AP courses you should take. The types of courses, when to take them, and the amount of college-level work a student may be ready for varies.

While the AP Program doesn’t require high school students to be at a specific grade level for a specific AP course, some courses are recommended before others.

Visit the course pages below to review any recommended prerequisites, which are other courses you should consider taking before registering for a specific AP course. Your school may also have its own requirements, so check with your school counselor to confirm the AP courses that are right for you.

9th & 10th Grades

• AP Human Geography
• AP World History: Modern
• AP European History
• AP Seminar
• AP Computer Science Principles
• AP World Languages and Cultures courses

11th Grade

• AP English Language and Composition
• AP U.S. History
• AP Psychology
• AP Biology or AP Physics 1
• AP Seminar or AP Research
• AP Computer Science Principles
• AP World Languages and Cultures courses
• AP Art and Design Program

12th Grade

• AP English Literature and Composition
• AP U.S. Government and Politics
• AP Calculus AB or AP Statistics
• AP Psychology
• AP Research
• AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A
• AP World Languages and Cultures courses
• AP Art and Design Program

Next Steps

• Schedule time with your school counselor to find out which AP courses are available at your school and discuss how to select the courses that are best for you.
• Review the course and exam descriptions of the AP courses available to you.
• If you’ve taken the SAT®, PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, or PSAT™ 8/9, your score report includes information about which AP courses you may be successful in. Learn more about AP Potential™ and how to view your personalized course recommendations.
• Read about the power of taking one AP course.