Can anyone answer this?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi!</p>

<p>This year, I self-taught myself the entire AP Calculus AB and Physics B curriculum in 4 days and decided to take the exams. You see, I'm not enrolled in the AP program, but rather in the IB Program. As a result, I didn't really need to take the AP exams too seriously. What I'm wondering is, if I got a 4 on my APs, would it hurt my application to put this score on? Because I heard that if I do badly in AP, there's no need for me to put my exam score on my app. So essentially, do 4's hurt or help my application? I plan on getting a 5 in Calc BC next year (because I'm actually going to be taught the stuff) but all I can put on my application is (I will take AP in May), the problem is if they see 4's on my app, might they extraploate another 4 on my BC exam? I want them to know that I am a "5" student if I actually took the AP's seriously and that I could get a 4 from simply fooling around and self-teaching myself everything in a matter of days. So... to put on my app, or not to put on my app, that's the question. </p>

<p>I really appreciate your help! Thanks in advance!! :)</p>

2

<p>hey, you need to relax a bit man...haha, 4's are good scores too. AP scores aren't considered that much in admissions (I knew the person from yale admission that covered southern california) they're generally just for getting credit. schools will look for a more thorough student, so your gpa, SAT score, application essay, and interview are areas that i'd suggest you focus more on. self-teaching yourself subjects in general is a testament to your dedication and eagerness to learn (or maybe juss to get into a good college, haha, dunno) but don't worry too much about them viewing you as a "4" student rather than a "5". I can guarantee that it won't be the "make or break" point for you gettin in. gluck on applying and getting that 5! btw...which schools are you looking to get into? i can give some more advice if i know which ones =)</p>

3

<p>sure! thanks a bunch! I really appreciate you doing this for me:</p>

<p>I'm a student from Canada taking IB, currently in Grade 11. I hope to apply to an Ivy League school, but I don't really know what my chances are, I hope you guys can give me a an idea...</p>

<p>A's throughout all of my Grade 9 courses</p>

<p>A - 86-100
B - 73-85</p>

<p>Grade 10 Final Scores</p>

<p>Planning 10 - 98
International Studies IB - 97
Mathematics 11 Honours - 92
English IB - 88
Science - 97
IB French SL 11 - 91
Social Studies IB - 93
PE 10 - 86 (I had pneumonia for three months, missed an entire term, got 77% due to absences for that term, averaged with my 92 and 93 from first two terms to 86)
Accounting 11 -96</p>

<p>Grade 11 after two terms</p>

<p>IB French 12 SL - 95
Civics 11 - 94
IB English 11 HL - 92
IB Math 11 HL - 92
IB Chem 11 HL - 95
IB Physics 11 HL - 95
IB Bio 11 HL - 93
IB History 11 HL - 94
IB TOk - 87</p>

<p>Predicted IB Score - 43/45</p>

<p>EC's</p>

<p>I have a lot... I guess, not as many as some of the people I see on the forum, but my EC's are pretty intense... like I see some people with a lot of music stuff... I'm taking Royal Conservatory of Music ARCT and that takes a lot of time out so I don't really know... </p>

<p>Captain of Ultimate Frisbee Team
Head of World Vision
Member of Model UN
Member of Provincial Table Tennis Team
Community Volunteering (a lot... like a LOT)
And some other random activities</p>

<p>I won gold at the national science fair last year, competing at national science fair again this year (it's relatively difficult to actually get INTO this science fair, at least from my region), and probably will go to Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) next May... and like, a couple awards for some random mathematics competitions</p>

<p>There's like this section for some national awards or something on the Common Application... like Cum Laude... do they take into consideration that me being in Canada, I've never even HEARD of things like Cum Laude's Society, or things like National Merit don't even exist? Like the awards I've even heard of in Canada are like... science fair... geography competition, music, and athletics, oh and some math competitions like the AMC! </p>

<p>SAT</p>

<p>2240 - 700 Cr, 740 Wr, 800 Math</p>

<p>and uhhhh I'm taking SAT IIs later... and I'm going to take the SAT I again.. and I'm going to get 2350+, I hope. Oh yeah, and 2400 on three SAT IIS i hope... Math IIC Bio M Phys Chem... whichever... </p>

<p>Anyways, I guess it's not helpful that I take IB... in regards to that (forgive my ignorance) IB isn't too common in the United States? Like, I hear AP is all the rage, so I took two AP exams, Physics B and Calc AB... I totally did it out of a random whim... 58/108 on Calc and have yet to take the Phys... I would hope that my score be higher except... I self-taught myself like the entire Calculus AB curriculum within a week or something... (except differentiation, I knew how to do some of that) and the same goes for Physics... </p>

<p>If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! Thank you so much :D</p>

4

<p>umm....with a resume like that...you got a pretty dang good chance at ivy . i'd say you should apply early to yale or harvard, it'd give you a one up chance and show that you are sincerelye interested in going to their schools. but other than that, you're pretty much set...good job on all that...for your questions, we do have things like amc and science fairs here, so juss put watever you can. also, despite what you think, ib is still pretty prevalent. the rule of thumb is, if your school has ib, and you want to go to an ivy, you better be in it, or have a good reason not to be (i was in ib myself). but yeah, gluck on intel, my friend was semifinalist. oh, and if you're not 18 by septemberish, you shoudl try out for davidson fellows competition too...</p>

5

<p>I believe the best time to take an AP test at the end of the year when you are taking that material. Sounds a little obvious, but for that reason, my son took his BC Calc at the end of 10th grade, because that's when he was taking BC Calc.
Both kinds of tests, AP and IB are used for placement. Most schools only give credit for HL tests. Whether placement is given for 5,6,7 or just 6,7 depends on the school.
Will your BC calc test place you out of any different classes than your HL Math?
From your transcript, school will know that you are taking rigorous courses. Unless there is something you can get from the AP exam that you can't get from IB, I'm not sure there's any huge benefit.</p>