<p>What is the basic rule with these? Are they better than a regular class to adcomms? How many is too many in a single year? What if your school doesn't offer AP or "difficult" classes? Can you take say, two or three Directed Studies, but still appear motivated, or do adcomms think these are padding your schedule? My school doesn't have Physics or World History because the principal said there was too small of enrollment for them; therefore I have them for Directed Studies. I'm also faced with a pathetic Env. Geo. class that insults my intelligence: it's taught so that the bottom of the barrel students can understand it; that leads to complete lack of interest and motivation from me, as well as disruptive class time from students who are just there for the attendance. What is the rule of thumb to go by when you've used up every difficult class your school offers, and all that is left between you and a gym class is a Directed Study?</p>
<p>I've heard two admission reps answer this question. </p>
<p>They were not excited about seeing a lot of them, unless your school only offers the basics. But both (from top LACs) indicated that if the rest of your schedule shows you are taking the toughest (or close to the toughest) schedule offered by your school, some independent/directed studies are okay. Both preferred that the curricular requirements for application were met without counting those studies. </p>
<p>If you do have one or two on your transcript, be prepared to clearly state in an interview or an essay exactly what you did. If appropriate, you could get a teacher rec from one of the faculty supervisors of your independent/directed study, particularly if he or she also had you in a regular class and can talk about how great a job you did in the independent mode.</p>
<p>For the situation in which you described, I'd say go for some independent studies to achieve the level of challenge that you seek. Selective colleges will want to see you challenge yourself. If you've exceeded the most challenging curriculum offered at your school, they'd love to see you seek out more challenge, not take some easy course of study to fill your schedule. </p>
<p>Our school does not have anything titled "Directed Studies" but my kids have done several independent studies in their high school years for various reasons. In fact, I think this looked GOOD on their record because they not only took the most challenging curriculum offered but sought out further challenges, as well as acceleration or going beyond and/or exploring their interests. They crave challenge. They work well in independent studies, all of which were supervised. They did not make these curricular choices to "look good for college" but solely to meet their learning needs and desires and desire for challenge that was appropriate for them. </p>
<p>I won't bother to give the examples of all their indep. studies and the rationale for each one or situation. I will say that obviously it was not only OK for them to do this as viewed by adcoms but apparently was looked at favorably as they did have successful admissions outcomes at selective schools. I even think their guidance counselor report reflected on their independent studies and their desire to learn and seek challenges. </p>
<p>I say, go for it.
Susan</p>
<p>You could take AP tests for each of your independent study courses. If you do well on the test, it'll help you.</p>
<p>I was thinking of taking the AP World History one because I am in AP US History and I know how to write the essays properly.</p>
<p>Susan et al:</p>
<p>if bashful is a senior, does s/he even add the self-study AP to the list of senior 'classes' on college apps....?</p>
<p>Bluebayou, your question differs slightly from what my kids did. Theirs were not necessarily self study for an AP exam type thing. Well, I suppose one child did Calculus indep. study where she was going to take the AP test and one did Calculus BC through Johns Hopkins Long Distance that did result in an AP test (it is just that not all their indep. studies resulted in AP tests, nor was AP the main objective really). But in EVERY indep. study they did, it wasn't just that they studied up for some test at home. They did an indep. study that was ON their transcript and supervised by a faculty member. The course was listed on the transcript and it noted it was indep. study but they also got GRADES for their courses. We even got the Johns Hopkins course noted on the transcript but if that was not possible, would have attached the course description. In any case, every indep. study was noted not only on the transcript but also on the list of "senior" classes on the college apps (though senior year was NOT the only year they engaged in indep. studies). Again, they received grades AND had a faculty person oversee and supervise the study. Only two indep. studies they ever did were through Johns Hopkins....one did Calculus BC because she ran out of courses at our high school due to acceleration and had done Calculus AP in 11th, and one child did a long distance writing course via JH. </p>
<p>Here are some of the indep. studies my kids have done:</p>
<p>Algebra
Geometry
PreCalculus
AP Calculus
AP Calculus BC thru JHU/CTY
Crafting the Essay thru JHU/CTY
French 2
French 6
One quarter of indep. study history
Indep. study in drafting, mechanical drawing and AutoCAD</p>
<p>These are not all by one kid but my recollection of between the two of them. In each instance, there was a rationale for why it was an indep. study......some were due to acceleration, some were due to schedule conflicts, some were due to exceeding the curriculum at our school, some were for extra challenge, some were due to an interest area, some were due to preferring the pace of indep. study over the slow pace of the class, and so on. Each one fit ONE of those reasons, not every reason. </p>
<p>I don't know if this helps but again, it was not like they just self studied for a test at home. In fact, each of these indep. studies were scheduled INTO their day at school for a period. </p>
<p>Susan</p>