Well apparently, ppl say that AP exam scores are onli used for class placement and is completely irrelevant to the admission process
Is this true?
Cuz I’m self studying like 3 AP’s sacrificing 1 or 2 extra EC’s.<br>
Is it worth it?
And also…
For UC’s you don’t even have to send your AP exam score until you get admitted. How the **** are you supposed to tell the college that you’ve been self studying like loads of APs? I mean I dont want to waste part of my essay about how I’ve been self studying.
Do you even receive recognition for self studying?
I mean AP classes can often be much tougher than the actual exam. But taking the exam by self studying isnt that much easier either.
<p>As much as students don't like to hear it, my understanding is that colleges do not use the results of AP exams for admission purposes. If you take the exam and score high enough, many colleges will grant you credit towards your bachelors degree. But if you are only self studying for AP exams to impress the admissions folks, I believe you are wasting your time. I know that's not what you want to hear, but I believe it is true.</p>
<p>I think you will be better off pursuing the ECs you gave up and putting your energy there rather than spending so much time studying for AP exams in classes that you don't have.</p>
<p>My daughter is doing an AP Independent Study in Art History because both she and a teacher at her school are very interested in the subject and the teacher is trying to develop a curriculum for a future course. She is not doing this with the goal of getting an exemption from a college course, but because it is a great opportunity for her to learn something of interest. On her ED college application, she told about this independent study in answering a question that asked for a description of the academic experience most meaningful to her. If she does not get admitted ED and has to apply to more schools, she will put this paragraph in the additional information section of the common application.</p>
<p>AP scores most certainly do count in admissions. Many colleges (including Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Caltech) have a place for you to list them on the app. Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Dartmouth, Michele Hernandez says on page 90 of her book "A Is For Admissions":</p>
<p>"Perhaps the easiest and most effective way to override a mediocre AI (academic index) and to stand out academically is to score well on AP or IB exams. Even though these scores are not factored into the AI formula (they are not offered by all high schools and therefore cannot be required by colleges) they are in many ways more useful for the highly selective college than SAT II scores."</p>
<p>AP scores count in admissions, who ever told you they didn't? </p>
<p>In another book about getting into Harvard, a student rights that Harvard will increase your academic score if your SAT II's are fairly low but you got 5's on the ap exams.</p>
<p>So it is worth self studying rite? I mean I'm self-studying calclus BC and the two economics now... so I wonder whether if its worth it or not. Cuz although in the top schools they have spaces for you to fill out your AP scores, msot schools don't and AP scores are onli sent after you have been admitted. I hope what most of the replies are saying is true. Afterall, AP exams are somewhat equivalent to SAT II's in terms of difficulty and information covered. Its simply unacceptable that they consider SAT II's but not AP scores. So I guess AP scores does have a fairly powerful influence on the admission process. Thanks to all those replied.</p>
<p>btw, do you think its worth sending an email enquiring about this issue to the schools? and I would appreciate it if more ppl can post replies :P</p>
<p>How do you guys self-study for APs? All I'm doing right now is reading a thick textbook and taking notes. Is reading through one textbook enough? I don't have any teachers or tutors helping me either. I want to know how you guys do it.</p>
<p>well.... generally speaking (according to most ppl), AP classes are much harder than the actual exam. Because my purpose of self studying is to get a 5 and hopefully flatter the admissioners, I just bought a Barron's book and read it. If I get stuck, I borrow a textbook from the library or ask a staff in the school. However, I am very passionate about maths so I guess its just my motivation that helps me do calc BC.</p>
<p>I'm doing a directed study of Euro History, and it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'd received 5's on both US and World History, but taking a class without teacher assistance is tough (especially since I'm in five other AP classes). I actually end up usign that period to do other homework most days. Anyway I mentioned it in my short answer to UGA as a 'responsibility and intellectually stimunlating experience, etc., etc. however I haven't really sacrificed any ECs... just sleep and sanity. As long as you keep some ECs or sports you should be fine.</p>
<p>self-studying AP's to flatter the adcoms is just dumb. You should really take an interest in what you're learning more for than an exam. I also believe they have very little to do with admissions</p>
<p>hmm... I agree with celebrian that flattering the adcoms with 5's on micro/macro economics is just dumb. However, what about the more challenging subjects like calc BC and physics? I mean I personally think that they should put more emphasis or at least equal amount of emphasis on AP's than SATII's. </p>
<p>Well I know some of the top schools have spaces provided for you to list the AP scores so I guess that is a clear indication that AP scores do affect the admission process. I mean is there a B I G difference between self studying and taking classes?
That just complete bs, unless its something like chemistry where you have to do loads of lab exps</p>
<p>tlqkf2002 -- Until the time you actually take the exam, "self-study" is meaningless in the context of an AP - because no one knows how you are studying or if you are really getting much from it. I mean - I'm sure there are plenty of students who go that route who end up with poor scores on the exam, because they are studying ineffectively or just don't get the concepts that way. </p>
<p>It does mean something if you are motivated by a passion --- but then in the context of the self-learning, NOT the looming AP exam. In other words if you decide to teach yourself a subject that is not offered at your school because of your strong interest -- then you can write about your interest in the essay.</p>
<p>Also, an alternative is to work out an "independent study" course with a teacher -- the difference is that this would be something that you would get credit for at school, and there is more supervision by the teacher - so it is something that can be listed as a pending class on your application. </p>
<p>APs are a way of verifying the strength of course work - they are not an end in themselves. Of course, you can benefit by getting college credit and placing out of introductory courses when you get to college .... but this comes after you are admitted, not as a qualification for admission. </p>
<p>So if your primary reason for doing the AP is to impress the admissions committee.... quit wasting your time.</p>
<p>Yeah seriously, you should self-study for AP tests only if you are interested in learning more about the subject. Even then, you probably do not need to do it and can always take one of many classes that your college will offer on this subject.</p>
<p>it's not that I think it isn't a factor, but a minor one compared to other scores, your grades, EC's, and essays. It isn't going to give you a real edge, it just makes you seem more well-rounded. Besides, you can hide AP scores, you can't hide SAT2 scores, so you have more on the line with sat2 and sat.</p>
<p>tlqkf2000: as you can tell from the various responses, AP scores probably will be considered for admission in selective colleges but don't play any special role in admission to larger universities such as UCs.</p>
<p>Selective colleges have to find ways to differentiate among the many applicants with high GPAs, so they can be - well - selective. Therefore they will look at the number of APs the student has taken, and the grades, and try to add that as a factor in evaluating the student's academic record. But they also have to factor in how many AP courses are given at the high school so as not to be unfair to students whose schools give only a few.</p>
<p>Overall, therefore, APs are a factor in selective school admissions, but only as part of the overall academic picture.</p>
<p>Admissions offices at larger universities don't have the time for such fine-tuning of an application, so there (as with other colleges including the selective ones) the AP credits could be used to dispense with a course requrement, either completely, or moving the student up to a higher starting level.</p>
<p>Is it worth your while to study for them? Sure - either to help bolster an application for a selective college and/or to pass over a course requirement.</p>
<p>Is it worth dropping out of 1 or 2 ECs- maybe only temporarily - to study for the APs? Probably.</p>
<p>Is it worth studying for APs just to impress adcoms? Not for that reason particularly, but for the reasons I just mentioned.</p>
<p>As 'selective' colleges, I would suggest that the adcoms at the top UC's (particularly Berkeley and UCLA) do factor AP courses (not necessarily scores) into their decisions. All other things being equal, a non-hooked app with APs will get in over a non-hooded app with only CP coursework.</p>