<p>There are no AP courses offered at my school, so I was thinking of self-studying for my sophomore year.
I was thinking of taking Human Geography, Environmental Science, Psychology, World History and English Language. Are these too many? What do universities think about students self-studying?</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Just as long as it doesn’t interfere with your regular schoolwork, I think taking many “soft” APs early is a smart idea. This is because in your junior year you will be busy with the SAT I/ACT. I’m a sophomore in a school that doesn’t have any APs or the IB, but next year I’m moving to one that offers some APs to seniors only. So next year, I’m probably going to self-study some of the APs you mentioned as well.</p>
<p>As for what universities think about students who self-study APs, I don’t have much insight to offer (at least not statistically). However, I don’t see any reason why they should hold you in disregard, as there are probably tons of other applicants who don’t have access to AP courses at their schools. If something is unavailable to you, and you take the initiative to pursue it anyway, I think that’s definitely something an admissions officer would look for.</p>
<p>Lastly, make sure to spend a considerable amount of time researching the variety of prep books available for each AP exam you wish to take.</p>
<p>Take care, and good luck! :)</p>
<p>Thank you so much:)</p>
<p>I think you are fine, but I would recommend delaying english language for a year. It will give you more time to focus on your other exams and is usually taken 11th or 12th grade anyways.</p>
<p>Think about your goal and pick AP test strategically. Make sure you can do good on the test and the credits would be useful. My D is going to an engineering school and that only requires 12 LAC credits below 300 level. That would be covered by 3 APs completely, so it is perfect that she did not take any extra ones. She took other Sciences and Math AP that would be counted towards credit in engineering school though. Some schools may have a limit on total AP credits. Also, some schools will consider upperclassman tuition one your have certain number of credits (including AP). So you need to take all these into consideration.</p>
<p>I found this thread you might find very useful. <a href=“Self-Studying APs: Improving Your App - AP Test Preparation - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ap-tests-preparation/369861-self-studying-aps-improving-your-app-p1.html</a></p>
<p>Btw, which colleges catch your interest at this point? That way I can help you determine which APs you should self study in your junior and senior years.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help. 
I am very interested in applying to the top tier schools across the United States and Canada. (ex. HYPS and other schools of that caliber) I want to be as competitive as possible when I apply for these colleges in Grade 12.</p>
<p>What’s your intended major? And which SAT II subject tests do you plan to take in the future? If your current school doesn’t offer IB, is it possible for you to transfer to a school that actually offers a decent amount of AP courses? For universities of that caliber, most students take quite a lot of AP courses over four years, and self-studying for so many AP exams can be difficult.</p>
<p>I self-study too. I’m a junior and did English Language, among others, last year. That was really easy for me because I’d say I’m a confident writer and when I’m in the right state of mind (as I was during the test) I can churn out BS like mad. But among your list, I think that is something you can’t just learn by reading a book; you need to feel confident about your writing skills, and especially your essaying skills while under time pressure.</p>
<p>Another thing about self-studying is what kind of test taker you are. I’m an irresponsible standardized test taker. I don’t prepare a lot, panic a bunch beforehand, and frequently get good results back but sometimes…don’t. I didn’t study for the ACT at all, had no idea what was even the format before going in, and got a 36. But I also didn’t study for the AP Bio and got a 3 (which top echelon schools won’t accept for credit), and yet was excited to get that score because I thought I was getting, like, a 1. Basically, I breeze through most of the year but get super stressed the two weeks before test season, and sometimes, getting good scores seems like a round of roulette for me. </p>
<p>Based on my personal experience, if you are that kind of test taker, self-studying a lot of APs is NOT a good idea. I got so many panic attacks last May before the tests, and felt a lot of anxiety afterwards waiting for my scores (remember that it’ll take nearly two months for scores to come – not a great way to spend your summer). This year, I think I did slightly better with planning a healthy study schedule, and it helped that even though my school doesn’t offer APs, my Calc and Stats teachers were understanding about helping me prep for the exams in class. Yet still right now I am faced with a lot of panic right now as I wait for doom, aka my AP Economics tests, tomorrow. </p>
<p>Of course, I don’t know what kind of test taker you are, but at least for me, I think one of the biggest things to keep in mind with self-studying APs is that these things aren’t always “cram a few days before the test” affairs, so you do need to devote time, especially around the month before the test, to prepare. I know some amazing people can cram the two days before the test, get good scores, and still be healthy, but I can’t really. I don’t know if you are one of those amazing folks – lucky you if you are – but if you know that you aren’t, don’t try to push it. (Also, from personal experience, I know that telling yourself, “But XYZ said they just crammed and still did super well” is really bad and not helpful.)</p>
<p>Oops, didn’t realize I wrote so much! Guess I’m spending my sick day productively…Hope at least some of this was helpful. :)</p>
<p>Frankly I’m not worried at all about escapefreedom’s own ability to churn BS with their 99 in English. 
This is precisely why I was a bit uncertain about guineagirl96’s advice to delay taking AP English for another year or two.</p>
<p>All of their grades indicate that they’re not someone who’s going to procrastinate a single second for any of their AP exams.</p>
<p>P.S. Not to hijack your thread, but to both of you Shakespeares here: What’s your advice to a fellow high schooler whose worst subject is always English Language?</p>
<p>@blaisepasca Haha thank you :)) English has also been my best subject, probably because I like it so much (I’ve definitely found that having a real interest in what I’m studying in English makes a huge difference.) I know that this is not always possible, so the best advice I can really offer you is to immerse yourself in language outside of the classroom. I enjoy reading any material that I can get my hands on, and I think that this has helped my develop that vocabulary, reading and writing skills that have helped me excel in the subject. If all else fails, extra credit is your best friend. </p>
<p>@metacrisis Thank you so much for your post as well. I would consider myself to be the polar opposite of a procrastinator, but I still suffer from severe test anxiety. Do you think I would be able to hand 5 self-studied APs if I began to study in July?</p>