Apples & oranges, @CW2020101 - for a homeschooled student strong AP results can act as validation of work done.
Aside from racking up credits (usually most valuable at public universities), the other situation where self-studying for APs has value, @VaibhavKeshari, is if you are applying to schools outside the US that accept APs as part of the admissions process.
Otherwise, as @skieurope pointed out, the super selective colleges are very clear that they are not interested in fueling the AP arms race.
Go read this: https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways/
If you want to impress adcomms, taking an EC that is meaningful to you to the next level will get you farther then skipping gym for an AP that (as other posters have pointed out) is not even particularly respected by the people you are trying to impress.
@collegemom3717 Yeah, I’m just gonna focus on the classes I’m taking rather than the classes I could be taking from now onwards. With that being said, would taking a majority of my AP’s (5 out of 8) senior year hurt me if I’m applying EA or ED (or any decision for that matter) to schools because they can’t see how well I’m doing in my senior year AP’s?
A better spread would be better. 5 APs senior year is a LOT, I would limit to 4 and if possible switching one to junior year.
As of now, my senior year AP’s will be: Calc AB (double period), Macro/Gov (1 period), APES, and AP Lit. I’ll be doing AP Lang and AP World my junior year. Thoughts?
@theloniusmonk You’re right. I was misinterpreting what you said. My mistake.
5 is a lot, but it depends on you, your school and the subjects if 5 is too many for senior year. At the schools I know best that would not be an excessive load. Count college apps as an autumn senior year class also- it will take up more physical time and mental space than you imagine).
But: your focus on APs is still a bit off-center: go down to your GC and ask if that courseload will get the ‘most rigorous’ box ticked on your application. If they say ‘yes’ you are sorted: AOs will look for that box to be ticked, not how many APs you have taken. They will be looking at how rigorous your courseload is in the context of your class, and at the natural progression (for example did you go on to the higher level or did you switch out to an easier elective?). Also remember that you will be doing well to have an AO spend 10-15 minutes on your entire application: your essays, your recs, your ECs, your courseload, and your stats. Parsing your APs is a small, small, small part of those 10 minutes.
@collegemom3717 Yeah, I’m just gonna ask my GC how many AP’s I’ll need my senior year (given I have 3 ap’s before then) to receive a Most Rigorous courseload designation. Hoping for the best!
ok, that’s 4 at a time, so it’s doable.
What major are you thinking of? This choice would make me think Social Sciences, Humanities. Correct?
@MYOS1634 What do you mean by “ok, that’s 4 at a time, so it’s doable.”? As for my major, I’m thinking of Finance mainly and Econ for a select few schools. A bulk of my courses have gone towards generic college prep so it’s hard to deduce my major choice from that alone. The only business major related classes I will have taken are business explorations and Financial Accounting (Fresh and Soph) and AP Macro my senior year.