<p>Hello :D I am planning on self-studying around 3 AP classes next year, my freshman year. I want to get 5's on all of them, but I guess maybe one 4 would be exceptional. Here are the ones I'm going to self-study: AP Music Theory (not available at my school), AP Psychology, and AP Human Geography/Environmental Science (I'll probably do whichever is easier, or maybe Env. Science since I can take Human Geography my sophomore year).</p>
<p>I ordered Barron's AP Music Theory and Barron's Psychology. Are these enough to get 5's on the tests? I'm not taking the exam until May of 2015, so I have a long time to study. I've heard of people starting to study in around March, just two months before the exam, and still getting 5's! xD I'm not sure of Barron's would be as good as actual textbooks, since they are just review books, after all. With the Music Theory I could also just ask my piano teacher to teach me more music theory, as she already makes me do music theory homework every week.</p>
<p>I know it might seem a little crazy for me to be thinking about AP already, but my philosophy is that if I can manage to do a few my freshman year when I have easy classes, it will be easier for me to balance out my APs through my high school career. For example, I could take Psychology as a junior/senior, but since it's such an easy AP from what I've heard, why not get it out of the way so I can do a different AP then, like Biology? It would also save a lot of money for college. Human Geography is actually available for freshman at the school I'm going to go to, but I was convinced not to take it from some friends :P I sort of regret it now, but I know I can still manage to self-study it or take it sophomore year.</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks :D I know I've gone a little off topic, but the main thing I want to know is if these Barron's books are all I need to get 5's on these exams.</p>
<p>Hi to you too 
I’m also going to be a freshman this fall. Woo class of 2018! I personally don’t have any experience about which book is better, but I’m planning to self-study those same courses as well. The general consensus is that Psych and HumanGeo are the easiest APs, and high schoolers I know self-studied with Barron’s and did just fine. However, Music Theory is considered a lot more difficult, especially the aural section. If you don’t have perfect pitch or relatively good pitch, it will be a very difficult exam, regardless of whether you take the class or just self-study it. Barron’s is a good review book for Music Theory from what I’ve heard, but I’m not sure if it’s enough for the self-studier. Hope I helped!</p>
<p>The Barron’s Music Theory sounds good; I’ll be getting mine soon too! I have a musical background too and perfect pitch, so hopefully I’ll find the content in the book review-like too </p>
<p>Based on my research for AP Psych books, Barron’s seems to be the only one you really need. Maybe you could just borrow a Princeton Review from the library or go to your local bookstore and look at it? Some people also say that “Psychology” by David Myers is a good book; however, it costs a lot of money (used hardcover on amazon starts at $85!) and goes too much into detail.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how your school signs up for AP exams, but at my future high school (this fall I’ll be a student there) we have an online registration where you can register to take the exam regardless of whether or not you took the course. I think your best bet would just be to ask your counselor. However, you’re still in 8th grade, right? Since you’re not taking the exams until 2015, you could just ask your high school counselor when you get into high school about AP exams. I’m not sure if middle school counselors can give you that information.</p>
<p>Good luck with your self-studying too! I also hope we can keep talking with one another… well, not technically talking :D</p>
<p>I’m going to be a freshman next fall, too 
I’m not sure how my high school does it, honestly xD But I will probably just ask my counselor like you said :)</p>
<p>My current school doesn’t even have counselors! xD I go to a small-ish Christian school. I’ll be going to a public high school though. Everyone at my school has to take almost the exact same classes. We all have to take art and music. The only classes you can pick are choir, band, or Spanish. But if you’re in choir and band, you go to band practice. If you don’t take Spanish, then you get 3 extra study halls per week xD</p>
<p>I’m not sure if I’ll be able to handle 3 or 4 AP exams my freshman year though. Sure, I have about 14 months until the exams, but I want to make sure I do well on the exams Quality over quantity xD I’d rather take two APs and get 4’s and 5’s, than four APs and two 2’s, one 3, and a 5. I think my state pays for the AP exams! I read (on Wikipedia, LOL) that the state of Indiana does that I’m not sure how it works, though 
I guess I’ll just have to wait until I register for the exams xD</p>
<p>So far, the only AP exams I’m preparing for are AP Music Theory and AP Psychology. Maybe AP Human Geography and AP Environmental Science, but I’m not too sure :/</p>
<p>Oh, there’s a message option on here! xD We just go on each other’s profiles :)</p>
<p>Here is my advice-- self studying APs is def. doable… But ask yourself why you are selfstudying. Is it to skip college course or get college admission? If you think APs can help with admission you are somewhat misled; they may only marginally buff your app. So back to the question-- PR works well for APES. PR for HUG too. Not sure about the others. Psych is basically a vocab test and HUG is common sense. APES is slightly misleading-- stats show that only 10% get 5s!!! So if you do take APES, realize that it is not a joke. Also, bio and chem background is helpful for apes so i would recommend that you take it after you take ap bio…</p>
<p>@EpicBosser thanks for your reply Since I posted this I’ve changed my mind a little though :P</p>
<p>I want to self study AP’s because of a few reasons. I am genuinely interested in some of them (Music Theory and Psychology). Music is a huge part of my life, and psychology is just so interesting :3 The second reason is that it would get me quite a few college credits (and that would save me a LOT of money). I know that most prestigious schools don’t accept many AP credits, but if I go to my state school, there are a LOT of AP credits they accept. They even accept 3’s for most! xD And the third reason is because it would show to myself what I am capable of.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice If I self-study those exams I’ll definitely look into those books I’ll also try to take AP Bio before Environmental Science, or at least at the same time.</p>