<p>My school offers 5 total AP courses (obviously not a lot) , and I plan to take all of them. How ever, I am aware that colleges will accept someone with a ton of A.P. classes over me. The virtual school for my state offers 3 more that I can take, which I will. My school also only offers 3 years of 1 foreign language (spanish) and I know that, once again, that wont look great. You see, the school I go to very much stresses its students going to a state school (South Carolina), which I absolutely couldn't stand. We've considered moving now, but thats just not financially feasible. How can I make my high school record look like it doesn't suck, when I'm doing the best I can at my school, which, by the way, is quite poor.</p>
<p>“How can I make my high school record look like it doesn’t suck, when I’m doing the best I can at my school, which, by the way, is quite poor.”</p>
<p>Do you mean your school is poor or that your best work is poor? Focus first on taking the most challenging academics offered at your school, and getting the best grades in those classes that you possibly can. A large number of AP classes won’t help you one bit, if you are not getting good grades in those classes (and also in your non-AP classes). Colleges understand that some high schools simply offer more opportunities than other high schools. Colleges will focus first and foremost on how you took advantage of the academic opportunities that were offered to you.</p>
<p>my grades are generally quite good, and I meant my school is poor. haha</p>
<p>You can take advantage of the virtual classes or self-study APs on your own (Psych, Environmental, and Human Geo are generally considered the easiest to self-study). But more important is taking advantage of every advanced class your school offers and making an impression on your teachers and guidance counselor. You’ll also need top SATs and SAT IIs, and it’s important to study for those before studying for extra AP exams.</p>
<p>Colleges won’t expect you to magically take courses that aren’t offered. If you take full advantage of what your high school offers and do your best on your standardized tests and application essays, then you shouldn’t worry about them comparing you with people from other schools.
Generally speaking, schools say that they do not compare peope across schools in terms of classes. They compare you with your school, and if you’ve challenged yourself at your school whereas someone who goes to a school with many more APs and has only taken a couple, you will look better to them. (If that makes sense)
Basically, just take full advantage of everything you humanly can at your own school and don’t worry about being compared to people at other schools because you’ll really only be compared to your school’s population.
Again, I hope that made sense, and I’m sorry it was a bit long.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your advice. Sorry, but I’m pretty ignorant about taking AP classes online/ self-study AP-ing lol. How do you reccomend I go about doing these? Where/ what websites can I take AP classes? I would specifically like to take American Gov./Politics and Comp. Gov. as these would best fit in with my interests.</p>
<p>I think it depends what year you are in school. Start by taking advantage of the advanced courses that your school offers in your freshman and sophomore year. Try to take at least one or two AP courses those years. After you have had the experience of taking an AP social studies exam you will feel more confident to self-study exams. Many students, including my daughter, have self-studied for AP exams. Often you just need a couple good prep books, time and good writing skills to be successful. My daughter studied her way to a 4 on govt and art history exams when she was a sophomore. She did a summer psychology course at Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development before her freshman year and studied her way to a 5 on that exam the following May. If you are determined, you can do it.</p>
<p>The earliest ap class I can take is a social studies one in 10th grade. Perhaps I could study for AP us gov while im taking ap us history my junior year. Out of curiosity, what books would be good to have if i am to study for that exam. And do you think colleges will care whether I self-studied or not?</p>