<p>A little background: I'm currently a junior and I signed up for independent study my sophomore year because I was a truant & I F'd all my classes for my freshman year. However, ever since I got myself together I've been getting nothing but A's (& four B's!) and I'm close to catching up with my credits. </p>
<p>So, will colleges degrade me because I'm doing independent study? (I have this overachieving "friend" who says colleges won't like me because of it.) If so, how can I step it up and actually have an application worth looking at? </p>
<p>All my courses are basic/average, for example: US History, American Lit., Geometry, etc. Despite the A's in them, I know I NEED to do something more, I just have NO CLUE. I know of the whole AP & Honors thing, but the independent study program of my high school doesn't offer that. What should I do because my transcript looks weak!?</p>
<p>Call me stupid or whatever, but any help's appreciated! =D I'm in need of guidance. Thanks for reading!</p>
<p>-- a girl trying to make a better future for herself LOL, it's KC</p>
<p>Hey, don't come back to this site, because YOU WILL BE ADDICTED FOR LIFE!!!!! hahaha, but seriously, you will :]</p>
<p>So, I don't really understand what you mean by "independent study" - I mean, what are you studying in there? You can self-study AP courses, since it sounds like your school doesn't offer them [and by the way, if your school doesn't offer AP classes, then colleges won't look down on YOU for that, they only want you to take the most challenging courseload AVAILABLE].</p>
<p>Also, don't worry TOOOOO much about your bad freshman year - colleges do like to see improvement, and you DEFINITELY have that! Maybe explain on your apps what was going on when you were a freshman, why your grades were bad, etc. Independent study could look kind of lame, but only if you use it as a lame class. Meaning.. if you don't actually INDEPENDENTLY STUDY something! Lol. Make sure you find a course that you're interested in [AP if possible, because that would be great] and then learn that material throughout the year. If you decide to study an AP course, then you can take the exam at the end of the year, and if you do well, it'll prove that your independent study course wasn't a waste of time.</p>
<p>How about getting out of independent study once you catch up? Take some CC (community college)classes if you can handle it. Most of the kids I work with doing independent study are not challenging themselves like they would in AP classes, but good on you if you are keeping up! I dont know anyone personally who did the "self-study AP "thing but kids on CC seem to be fans. If you set good scores on the AP tests, that will look like a HUGE upward trend over Freshman year. Also, if you have time to do EC's, take advantage of it, or maybe get a job.</p>
<p>Do it and really woo the teacher involved in your independent study thingymabob and start getting all A's, because that will give you a killer rec letter. Teachers love to feel that they are effective and useful, and nothing makes them happier than letting them feel that THEY turned your life around and YOU became a brilliant student thanks to their goodness as a teacher.</p>
<p>INVENIAMVIAM: I think I already am addicted! I'm this girl who wanted to drop out of school not too long ago, right, and I'm learning a lot of stuff here LOL. What I mean when I say I'm doing Independent Study is I basically teach myself high school courses at home such as Geometry, US History, Physical Science, etc., & I do the required quizzes and tests... (I'm doing it to make up for loss times because of my freshman year... I go to school once a week for an hour, but I usually stay there for four because it's better than being at home). I'll definitely look into pursuing more stuff 'independently', though, thanks.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap: I don't want to get a job, yet, but I have been doing community service in various cities everyday since last month. I'll definitely ask my teacher about taking concurrent classes at my local community college! I might go back to regular schooling my senior year, but for now, I need to catch up on a year's worth of work that I missed out on.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Anymore help is appreciated! =D</p>
<p>Nick017: LOL thanks, but I think I've achieved that already because my teacher from last year kept talking about me, apparently, and so when I got a new teacher this year, she was already impressed when I was just signing up for a time slot. LOL, I'll make sure to let them know that they're helping me a lot, thanks!</p>
<p>Also many schools have different types of independent study. Like at my school independent study is for seniors who are done with the AP classes and want to pursue an interest like... Quantum Mechanics and a teacher is willing to sponsor them. So colleges, I'm guessing, wont see it the IS and associate it negativiley, they will probably find out what it is from your GC or if you want to talk about it in adiitonal information.</p>
<p>Don't try too much until you've caught up or gotten ahead in your credits. Is this your first semester of independant study? That would only be about four weeks in N. Cal. Keeping up with the classwork by lots of reading, and without positive peer pressure can be hard. If its your second or third semester, and you have more credits than you need to graduate in the time you have left ( i.e. if you are a junior and will have more than enough credits to graduate if you go back for your senior year) THEN you know you can handle the work and MORE. If you are bored or lonely at home, and rather be at school, a CC class might be a good way to accomplish this, and I think it's easier to get things done with some mature peers around, trying to do the same thing.</p>