I am junior in school. I self studied AP computer Science A and AP computer Science Principles and got 5 in both during my 9th grade. I did not take the AP CS classes in school. Do I need to do AP computer science in school to get it on the transcript? How will the admission officers look at it if they see my AP scores on the AP report but no AP computer science in the transcript? I want to take CS in college. Will this plan adversely affect me ? please advice.
It will not adversely affect you unless your school offers the classes and you chose not to take them. Most colleges prefer to see you taking the most challenging classes available and understand that not every school offers every AP class. If the classes aren’t available at your school, there is no way to add them to your transcript. Most colleges, however, are not impressed by a student’s ability to self study for an AP test because they want to see you developing your interests in ways other than being a test-taking drone.
While everything you say us true, it does not help the OP since the exams were already taken.
To answer the original question, no, do not take the course; you already proved you know the material. If the school offers, take advanced CS classes. Of take advanced DE CS courses if available. If this e are nit options, take the most rigorous and balanced courseload available.
School offers both AP computer science classes. But they don’t allow to take AP in freshman year. I completed both in 9th grade to get a head start in programming. It helped because I am applying those programming skills in my bioinformatics research project that I am doing at UCSB. Should I go ahead and do the AP computer science class in school (just to get it in transcript) or is there a way to explain this situation in the application so the admission officer understand the motivation?
Answer does not change. No.
There’s nothing to explain. And you attempting to explain will come across whiny which, frankly, is how you came across when you explained it here… What you do is show, not tell, You show your CS based activities on the app. If the school’s essay allows you to expand in one of your ECs, talk there. Again, if you have the ability to take advanced CS in HS, do so. But no college will disqualify you for not having AP CS on your transcript. They may disqualify you for having AP CS on your transcript after already acing the exam since that screams grade grubbing.
You shouldn’t take the class, it’ll be a waste of time since you already know the material, and it will definitely look weird to take the class after the exam.
If this UCSB bioinformatics research project was that important to you that in your Freshman year of high school, you self-studied for 2 AP Exams to prepare for it, I have no doubt you’d find a way to work it into you college application (whether it be in EC section or the Essays)
Chances are, the admissions officers will read the whole application so as long as your research project is somewhere in there, it’s all the explanation you need and no one will dock you for not taking the APs.
You’ll need to ask your guidance counselor about getting the class on your transcript, but it likely won’t happen since there’s no way to accurately put a grade on a class you didn’t take.
Thanks a lot for all the comments. Appreciate your guidance.
Don’t waste your time on that. By the time you can actually use it, it’ll be outdated.