<p>Yea, I'm a rising sophomore, and I'm desperately trying to get into the top ten or top five. As a freshman, my rank was 17 out of 500ish. In my sophomore year, i REALLY REALLY want to get in the top ten. So for some of you guys that are ranked #1 at your school, can you give me some vital advice that I could use next year? How do you guys study, for how long do you study, and what are some aids that you use to get a really good rank. It seems that even though I study everyday and study for all my exams, I still only get in the top twenty. Any ANY advice would be useful for me to use next year. Thanks.</p>
<p>Its not good enough for me. For next year, I have the hardest class schedule you can get. My hardest class will be AP US History. For the people that took this class, can you give me some advice on what to do.</p>
<p>Or any advice at all? Please</p>
<p>Oh yea, for my school, if you have an honors class, you get 5 points added to your final grade, and for AP you get 10 points added to your final grade. And those points are converted to a 4.0 scale</p>
<p>it's simple. take the hardest classes. do your absolute best in them(i.e. study study study). Communicate with the teachers! Ask them how you're doing. Ask questions if you don't understand. And stay after school for extra-help before a test. Don't neglect extracurricular activities, though. They're just as important to colleges.</p>
<p>Yea I understand that. But what about some advice about HOW to study. I know there is a lot of info in the AP class, so how do you go about studying and taking notes and reading....like that sort?</p>
<p>For APUSH, the best thing to do would probably be read the chapter before you go into class to talk about it. You'll go in already having a idea of what stuff is about and you'll have time to reread.</p>
<p>Numbers wise it's going to be really tough. I mean I know that freshman year I was ranked 6th and by the time I graduated I was third, but that's because I didn't take any electives, the fourth ranked at the time didn't care anymore, and the 5th ranked went to rehab so it wasn't that tough. But yeah, I would recommend sticking to those high GPA classes and avoiding electives where possible, good luck :)</p>
<p>Personally, US History wasn't my toughest class, but to get by and do well same as above, just reread the reading right before the class. And I found that a helpful way to study for the AP test itself is just a massive memorization of all the info that you can possibly fit in your mind, but that was just me and study skills realy depend on the person. But just think of what you would do to study for a class with an extreme level of memorization needed but in this case a moderate to moderately higher of thinking is required which is what makes this class significantly harder than many other AP's.</p>
<p>1) Try to take as many APs and as few electives (4 point classes) as possible.</p>
<p>2) Work smart, not hard. (If a 96 A is just as good and is worth just as much as a 100 A, then don't kill yourself for the 100)</p>
<p>3) If you have really good short-term memory, then wait till the night before or morning of, to study for tests/quizzes. The info will be fresh in your memory then.</p>
<p>4) For US History, keep up with the reading to do well on the quizzes. Making outlines can be tedious, so if you can do without them, you could use your time on other homework.</p>
<p>5) If numbers and ranking are really important to you (and not so much the love of the subject), then focus on finishing assignments that count in the gradebook.</p>
<p>6) Work your butt off...in a smart way though (refer to #2)</p>
<p>im sorry to tell you but this is one of the stupidest threads ive read in quite a while. for admissions, also remember to worry about your ECs and SAT's!!! the difference between being 5 and 13 in your class will not get you into harvard.</p>
<p>I dont think you should be studying for SATs quite yet. I'm also a rising soph and I'm studying for the PSAT but not SAT because i'm not taking it for like another year and a half.</p>
<p>no seriously, im not trying to be mean or anything. your rank is awesome! really dont worry about it. i guess what i meant to say is that its stupid to be worrying about this stuff if its not a problem. defenitly get very involved in EC's tho. what sort of stuff are you in?</p>
<p>GreendayFan, I've already started studying the SAT. It's not when you should study. It's when you want to take the SATs. If you want to take them in 9th grade or 10th grade. You should start studying in 9th grade. It's time oriented.</p>
<p>No one was talking to you Masterus. I want to take them junior year after I've had all the appropriate classes to prepare me for it. Also, I dont have the money to waste to take it every year just because I "feel like it"</p>
<p>I'm with GreenDayFan, It makes more since to wait a little and take it your junior year, because even if you do bad there will be plenty of oppertunities to do better. </p>
<p>I'm not sure about this, but don't you have to record all your SAT scores on applications... If so I would atleast want my worst grade to still be kinda good (hence the waiting until I take the needed classes)</p>
<p>Well I am taking the PSAT in october as a sophomore. But studying for the SAT will also prepare me for the PSAT (just take out the essay and bam).</p>
<p>As for EC's im gonna get way more involved next year and I will be sure to keep up with them and try to get leadership positions by the end of the year. Also doing some sports and trying to get an internship somewhere (if anybody can help me?)</p>
<p>My "D" was ranked #2 to #5 throughout 9th - 12th. Seeing as being "V" is strictly a numbers game, it's probably not likely you are going to wind up in the #5 spot. Believe me, the first 5 ranked students are playing that game and will continue to take the hardest classes possible to "keep" their ranking, and they will have their parents help on this. Trust me. Be happy where you stand and hope that by the end of your senior year you can bring it up as much as possible. You may get to that #10 spot. For my "D's" class, everyone stayed pretty much where they were for the entire 4 years. "D" winded up #4 and never made anything below an "A" except for AP Spanish. This is what hurt her ranking, but more importantly, the students ranked 1-3 never took as rigorous of a language class as she did, so I really felt she did better. Like the other posters said, don't worry so much about your ranking. Just try to do the best you can and get as many A's as possible and enjoy the journey. It doesn't last very long. :)</p>