AP classes are making my GPA go down, but I'm afraid that if I don't take enough AP classes, the schools I want to apply to will reject me. Which is more important, my GPA or taking harder classes?
Answers
You should know your potential. Take the highest level of classes that you can possibly take without overstretching yourself. One thing that I did last year during my Junior year is that I took AP-level classes in Econ, Bio, Chem, and Physics, but took Honors-level English. This allowed me to keep mostly higher-level courses and still do well in a reading-intensive class. (English is my toughest subject)
Don't take classes that are so hard that your GPA dips beyond recognition. But, at the same time, I wouldn't try to take the easiest classes ever, because colleges will not look too highly on a ridiculously easy schedule. Mix it up!
GPA is way more important. Keep your rank up and then you may become valedictorian. Some colleges even offer free rides to valedictorians.
Although I didn't do amazingly in my rigorous classes, I think I learned more by taking more advanced classes. I think your self-edification is more important than the overall grade. I would rather come into my college interviews with a bright head on my shoulders as opposed to a HS resume that gives off a GPA that doesn't reflect my true potential.