<p>I'm currently a junior taking AP Chem, AP Stats and AP Psych in school. I was silly enough to not take AP Bio this year, so in January I decided I'd self-study AP Bio... Yeah right. The title says it all. I have horrible time management and am sometimes pretty lazy, so I've only gotten through one chapter (chemistry) in CliffNotes for AP Bio.</p>
<p>So, with only ~2 months left (I'm aiming for 5s), here are my options:
1) Take AP Bio (if it's possible to memorize everything before the test, without sacrificing all sleep and eating)
2) Take AP Human Geo (or AP Enviro? or something that's easier) + tutor little kids after school
3) Give up on APs because they're not worth it. (just kidding)</p>
<p>I'm planning on majoring in science.. and I know I probably won't get credit for AP Human Geo. It'd just be to get the CollegeBoard AP award thing (does it even count for anything though?)</p>
<p>I don't want to take AP Bio next year because I'm going to be taking Physics already.
Please help my muddled brain D:</p>
<p>Well, if you say that you aren’t the best at time management, then you shouldn’t try to self-study, especially Bio. Do you have any prior knowledge? If you don’t then I would suggest skipping it this time, especially since it is so late. You still can, but know what you’d be up against.</p>
<p>You can still self-study HG and ES though. Even if you might not get credit, it would look good on college apps, and you will learn some pretty awesome stuff (provided you are interested in the subject). That should be the main reason you decide to self study anyway - to learn about a subject you are interested in. The credit is just an added bonus. </p>
<p>So my suggestion: if you want to challenge yourself, self study HG and ES.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The award is unimportant in the scheme of things. I’m sure many students have completed enough APs to receive the award, but don’t put it on their applications because they realize that it doesn’t really matter.</p></li>
<li><p>I’d like to point out that APHG gets a reputation for being incredibly easy, due to people tying it up to being a “common sense” test. This is not so. If you start studying now I’m sure you could get a 5, but just recognize that there is a lot of vocab you’ll have to get down for it. (In this respect, it’s similar to the Bio test.)</p></li>
<li><p>If you’re wanting to become a scientist, do Bio or at least Enviro, please. If you were an admissions officer looking at someone’s application, and they noted in their essays that they wanted to become a scientist, what would you be more impressed by:
a. Them self-studying a science AP and demonstrating their pursuit of knowledge in the field, or
b. Them self-studying an AP renowned for being easy?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>One suggests that you’re interest is genuine and you’ll be an eager learner at the college, while the other suggests that you’re padding your application. The matter may be true, given “It’d just be to get the CollegeBoard AP award thing,” but you don’t want the people in admissions to know that.</p>
<p>@ Isurus: I took H. Biology in freshman year. I recognize some of the terms in the CliffNotes book, but I’m not sure if I’d be able to define them in a free-response after so many years…</p>
<p>@ experientiadocet:
I guess that’s true… Like how so many Asian kids have gotten the CM Level 10 award for piano that it doesn’t even matter (where I live).</p>
<p>2 & 3. Yes, I guess that makes sense. I do find biology interesting, it’s just that I’m doubting my ability to study everything in time. It all comes down to motivation and willpower… I think I"ll probably study bio then! Thanks for your help!</p>