<p>Not exactly your normal question, but here goes:
I want to go to Caltech. My number two priority is sleep. Followed by food. Then worshippping the FSM.</p>
<p>Anyways.</p>
<p>In reading around, 5 AP's seems to be a bottom line for Caltech to open your ap. Even on I-got-accepted-to-Caltech posts, any more than 10-12 is extremely unusual. I plan [and am way to stubborn to change my mind] to take 17, as well as multivariable calculus (honors, but really post ap-the test isn't offered, so it's not technically ap). Five will be AP sciences and Two AP maths (plus multivariable). I will take every science and math at my school, other than an on level astronomy class that would ruin my shot at valedictorian (though class rank of ~4/670 is more likely). Frankly, my EC's suck and are likely to improve only a little. </p>
<p>And now the question:</p>
<p>Is 17+1 AP's the kind of thing likely to help my chances a ton at caltech? is it enough to make me "stick out"? That seems to be the hardest thing to do.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>omfg</p>
<p>okay, a user on here, named al0, you can search him, took 20+, and received a 5 in all of them but like three, where I believe he got two 4's and one 3.</p>
<p>He also had a perfect sat score, and rank 1, and straight 800s.</p>
<p>Got rejected from harvard, is now attending yale.</p>
<p>...I don't know about caltech, but don't kill yourself during high school, I don't even think you need that many APs. If it helps your rank, then by all means, but since you won't change your mind anyway . . . then yeah, it definently makes you stand out.</p>
<p>Does your offer multivar. calc? OMG.
I'd try to take as many APs as possible, the more harder course is -- the more fun it is, even if it is biology (which I hate otherways).. yes, even biology!</p>
<p>Hmm. Taking lots of APs for the sake of taking lots of APs (rather than, for instance, because you are curious about the subjects) seems a bit silly in and of itself, and taking lots of APs to get into college is even sillier. There's no reason not to take the classes if you really want to, but it sounds like this would be your primary focus, at the expense of time to explore things that really interest you in more depth. </p>
<p>It sounds a bit as if you're in danger of confusing "science class" with "science," as well as of letting future college aspirations control your life. Unless a state university offers admission/scholarships based solely on your class rank, don't skip a class you're interested in because it would ruin your shot at valedictorian!</p>
<p>To answer your direct question, yes, taking 17+ APs is unusual for any college applicant pool, even at Caltech, and in that sense you will stick out. However, you would stick out more/in a better way if you took all the effort you are currently expending worrying about your grades and poured it into something you love. This has the added advantage that you may get a slightly better idea of what you want to do with your life, instead of just what you want to want to do.</p>
<p>Of course, you say you're too stubborn to change your mind, so I'm probably wasting my time. But as a future if not current Caltech student, I'm at least marginally qualified to tell you to stop worrying. Go to high school now, apply to college later.</p>