APs Senior Year, teahers, and study hall

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
1

<p>I go to a huge public school that offers a lot a AP classes-- at least around 20 I would say. However, of those, few are actually 'taught' well. I'm a junior in AP Chem, AP Lit, and APWorld and well, during classtime in these classes the teachers mostly fool around and make jokes with the class. Fun, but not very productive. The work we do do is usually busy work and the homework we get is usually minimal. And it shows-- About 85% of the class get ones and twos and last year in APUSH, only two people got above a three. I feel like I'm self-studying everything and just wasting time in class! </p>

<p>Okay, so here's the question. We have a 7 period day (minus lunch and band), so next year I could take 7 APs if I really wanted to. However, few of the AP teachers will actually TEACH during classtime and I don't want to bite off more that I can chew. Will colleges (I'm thinking stanford, princeton, yale, uofc, columbia) look down upon me if I keep one period open for a study hall and take a normal economics class (as opposed to ap even though it is offered)? I will still be in five APs (Calc, Spanish, Psych, ComSci, and Lit). Would this courseload be considered 'most rigorous?' Does it matter too much that I am not taking a science? (I will have done ap chem, ap physics, and reg bio)</p>

<p>I love to learn, and I want to show this! But the reason I don't want to fill up my schedule is because I learn less in the actual class!! Advice please!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>my school is similar and I'm taking the easier route (though all the ap's I'm taking many kids shied away from because they thought they would be too hard, or in one case, the teacher left the school) and I don't think I have most rigorous curriculum.</p>

<p>Evidence: I was accepted at Illinois along with another kid at my school. I have a higher GPA and better EC's, but the other kid got a really big scholarship and I didn't. He took more AP's, so I suspect it was because of most rigorous curriculum.</p>

3

<p>Mmm… any other opinions?</p>

4

<p>Hmm… tough situation…
Get good AP scores this year and take the “spares” next year. Next year, tell the colleges you’re self-studying certain AP’s, and point to the good scores you got this year as evidence that you’ll do as well on those AP’s.</p>