<p>I just talked to the college counselor at my school yesterday regarding self-studying for some AP subjects. My original question was whether or not my school had ever had students self-study for APs, and she blatantly avoided answering my question and instead asked me WHY I would ever self-study for APs. She also said it would be "unusual" to take an AP test without taking the course .. but unfortunately, there really AREN'T many AP classes offered at my school at all.</p>
<p>The college counselor discouraged me from taking the AP European Hist. exam, even though I would be learning European Hist (there's no AP for this in our school) in regular history class. The teachers at this school seems to be really against sophomores taking APs in any subject BESIDES science .. probably because I go an all-girl's school and the teachers want to show that girls should all major in science, or whatever.</p>
<p>So, how should I try to persuade this counselor (or other teachers) to let me take self-studied APs for next year? I do a pretty good job learning material on my own, and even in this past school year I've always tried to learn material ahead of anyone in all my classes.</p>
<p>I don't think there is any need for you to try and persuade the counselor that you should take the AP exam. If you feel that you want to and that you'll do well on it, then go ahead and do it! It's not up to your counselor as to what subjects you SHOULD take rather than what subjects you WANT to take. So, in the end its up to you, but I feel that you should take it if you want to. Good luck, and if you do well on the exam, make sure you rub it in the counselor's face! :)</p>
<p>Yeah, she can't just take the exam if she wants to. You obviously can't just randomly take the exam at your school without the consent of your school. Also, if she were to take the exam at another school, she would also need permission from her school. It's not like taking the SAT. It's much more complicated.</p>
<p>So, I have some tactics when it comes to things like this. I know what it's like, because I went through the exact same problems. I wanted to self-study an AP exam and take it at another school, so I needed permission from my guidance counsillor. At first, she was kind of worried that it would be too hard, and that I'd fail, and that host of bad things would
happen. </p>
<p>The first thing you should do, which is usually enough, is to say that you have friends in other schools who have successfully done what you want to do. If that doesn't work, you should say that you already started studying because you want to be really well-prepared for the exam. And, if she keeps asking you why you want to do such a thing, give an intelligent answer. Say that you get good grades in school (assuming you actually do) and then say that you don't feel challenged enough, and that you're looking for something difficult to do. Then, say that you think you'd really benefit from it. </p>
<p>I'm about 80% sure this will work, but, in the unlikely event that it doesn't, I can give you more suggestions.</p>
<p>Counselors can be a pain when they don't agree with your interests...and there really is nothing you can do but deal with it or get a new counselor (or even go to a new school if it's that bad).</p>
<p>Try to negotiate with your counselor and provide some justification over your intentions. That's the best you can do.</p>
<p>You can sign up for the exam by contacting college board directly. Do it regardless of the counselor, if you can't argue your way through to her..</p>
<p>Here's an idea...Why not approach it like a homeschooler, because you are "homeschooling" for this one course, since you are self studying. Then just follow the CB instrux for homeschoolers which say to call a school coordinator near you until you find one who will order and administer the test for you. You can use the homeschool school code so your school would not have to approve and the scores will come to your home, not your school. Once your counselor realizes you have a legit way to go around her perhaps she will cooperate with you anyway.</p>
<p>Haha be diplomatic when you're doing all this though...dont offend the counselor or anything, as she might be writing your reference letters later on. =)</p>
<p>My school is actually fond of people taking AP exams no matter what, even if people are not prepared, because the school is going to get some money. I go to one of the "best" public high schools in the country according to some rankings, but the truth is that only about 30% of the people pass their AP exams at my school.</p>
<p>imdamom: She can't approach it like a homeschooler because of two reasons. Firstly, actual homeschooled children have a number for their own homeschool, and she clearly doesn't have one because she isn't homeschooled. Secondly, if they found out that she attends a regular high school, she would need permission from her counselor to take the test, which brings her right back to square one.</p>
<p>Why does she need her counselor's permission to take the exam? I'm not a big fan of students taking AP exams w/o the course, but if they really want to do it and parents are willing to put up the $ why does the counselor have anything to say about it?</p>
<p>This is the kind of f*****ing anti-intellectualism that pervades lower American society. It's not your fault that your counselor has an IQ less than that of a rock. Bring your parents into the equation, and if all else fails pull out the stops and threaten litigation. She won't stand firm in the face of that pressure for something so small as to let you take AP tests. Show her the row of 5's the next fall and give her the finger. Welcome to the ranks of AP self-studiers! :)</p>
<p>Because some students can't gauge their ability, and what they perceive as their amount of skill greatly differs from the actual amount. Some students who do not do exceedingly well with school, or who struggle to get the marks they get, may think that they are capable of self-studying an AP exam when they clearly aren't. It's also important to note that this ignorance, if that's what you want to call it, may even be held by the student's parents. It's for this reason that a guidance counselor, who would know the student's academic standing better than anyone else, must give permission. Also, there are some schools that do not like their students to leave at random times to do random tests and stuff, so the school that's hosting the AP exam would need to get permission just to avoid any future trouble.</p>
<p>A lot of guidance counselors tend to think that they know what's best for their students, when, in some cases, they really don't. This is one of those cases.</p>
<p>well take this from someone who knows, I self stdyed this year, its very possible, euros great, take it (use modern european history book), but hear is the horrible truth, your school regesters you and if they dont give a crap, that you unfortanetly are out of luck, but there is someething to keep in mind councillor is not in charge go take to your cordinator and if he/she is the cordinator go directly to the principal like my principal said "I call the shots here" damb i love that line. anyway if she cant resolve this (my compromise was any exams offored at my school regarless if i took the class I could take) you could also probably achieve this, but if that fails and i hope not because like someone said it makes everyone dumber but you could take it at another school, permission HAHAHA i could not laugh more you dont need permission to take it at another school, especially the councillor find a school and try and register (and really hard i found only 1) and i told my school after taking the exam keep dreaming im not asking permission to take an exam on anothers schools property its there right not my schhools, I thank them anyway good luck its a hard role but good luck and dont forget that you coun, is not on the top of the food chain, go to the top, oyur principal may be better trust me she/he would love a local article about you.
inform use of what happens good luck!</p>
<p>This is unusual, as Newsweek has started ranking high schools based in part on how many kids take AP exams; as such, many schools are trying to pack kids into AP tests. If you really want to take the exam, there is nothing wrong with a polite but firm "I respect your opinions, counselor, but I would really like to take this exam; if I cannot take it at this school, can you please help me get in touch with a school where I can take it." </p>
<p>Counselors need to learn that their job is to give advice when asked (sometimes when not asked), but that high schoolers are mature enough to make their own decisions on matters like this.</p>
<p>Ugh.. much to my misfortune, I wasn't able to speak with my counselor today. But another slightly disheartening thing to hear from the Associate Head of School (she's also the academic dean) that she didn't think I could be able to take an AP exam if that AP course was not offered in the school. I said something about an "AP audit" but she wasn't too positive about me taking an AP as a sophomore next year.</p>
<p>Ahh, I'm beginning to really hate this new private school I'm in .. my sister's public H.S. loved people to take APs (my sister self-studied a load of them and got 4's and 5's) and really supported the AP prog. I better get some use of this private school soon ...</p>
<p>Absolutely you can take an A.P. exam without taking the course. Your school may advise against it which is somewhat understandable. The school may also be concerned about image and what a low score might look like but as far as college board is concerned the only thing that matters to them is that your money's green.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the college board's policy on this subject is. My school will administer any test a student wants to take, and I was under the impression that CB might very well have a policy that if a student of a school requests to take a test, and that school administers other AP tests, then the school must be cooperative to finding a suitable testing area.</p>