<p>I did some additional work outside of school during my busy junior year.<br>
I self-studied Chinese and placed into 4th year by partitioning the teacher
and her testing. Previously I had only taken introductory Chinese two summers
earlier. Also I self-studied Computer Science AP and I just was notified I
received a 5 on that. Junior year included AP Psych, AP Calc AB, AP Physics B,
AP USH, AP Spanish, 3rd Year Japanese, Honors English. All A's or A- and results
on the AP exams were all 5s except 4 on Physics and APUSH. I wondered if and how
to note the self-study work. Perhaps just include that into one of the essay questions
"tell us about yourself" or similar?</p>
<p>I plan to apply to UCB, UCLA, UCD, UCSD, Stanford, CMU, MIT, HYP. Seeking a top
computer science program with wide opportunity to study foreign languages - so other
suggestions welcome. </p>
<p>There’s an additional information section of the Common App or if it is an AP test that is self studied, there is a self reporting section on there too</p>
<p>Wow - that was fast. Thank you!</p>
<p>btw…
-partitioning the teacher
+petitioning the teacher</p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>I was going to say, partitioning the teacher sounds painful - for the teacher.</p>
<p>FWIW, there has been some prior discussion that colleges are not particularly impressed by self-studied APs. Report it, but don’t expect much extra credit for it.</p>
<p>Make sure you put this info on the “brag sheet” you give to the guidance counselor who will be writing your letter for you, so that this info is included…</p>
<p>@MrMom62 It’s been a little deflating reading all of the “AP’s don’t matter to colleges” on the day I received six good results. Oh well. I feel like I learned a lot from them at the least my “rigor” assessment can not be questioned. Hopefully taking the more difficult path has prepared me for the challenges at college.</p>
<p>AP’s do matter to colleges in terms of adding rigor to your schedule. AP’s should matter to you because you are challenging yourself and learning something new. Good scores can earn college credit.</p>
<p>The fact that the scores play little role in admissions is the least of my concerns, personally.</p>
<p>Congrats on 6 good results.</p>
<p>The AP scores play little role in admissions, but six good scores won’t hurt and might help just enough. The fact that you took six AP courses and did well in the courses IS very important.</p>
<p>The UCs tend to look at foreign language in terms of highest level completed (or other indication of proficiency, such as score on AP or SAT subject test). So taking Chinese 4, Japanese 3, and Spanish AP (presumably level 4 or 5) indicates a high level (by US high school standards) of proficiency in three different non-English languages.</p>
<p>If you want more schedule space to study foreign languages along with a CS major, you may want to choose a non-engineering-based CS major (e.g. at Berkeley, consider L&S CS instead of EECS).</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus That’s interesting and helpful on the languages. I will be in AP Japanese and Chinese 4 when Senior year starts in a few weeks - assuming the scheduling works out. AP Spanish is all done. Thanks for a bright spot! Cal is high on my list for all the language offerings and the top notch comp sci. (Not to mention in-state tuition.)</p>
<p>While some other schools may require or recommend “4 years in high school of the same foreign language” or some such, it is hard to believe that they would hold it against you if you did not actually have that, since you have level 4+ of three different foreign languages.</p>
<p>As far as a few self-studied AP scores of 5 go, they won’t hurt, but may not help as much as many people think, since the most commonly self-studied AP tests are the ones that are relatively easy to self-study for the top-end students aiming for highly selective schools. CS has a relatively low barrier to entry for someone motivated to self-educate it, so it would not be that rare to see students with an interest in CS self-study the AP CS test.</p>
<p>Self study APs show drive and intellectual vitality. They set you apart as an applicant. Intellectual pursuits beyond the classroom are a big factor at MIT and Stanford according to this article, and extra APs certainly fall in that category. <a href=“http://www.ivycollegeprep.net/imported-20110121194859/2011/6/16/intellectual-curiosity-and-the-college-admissions-process.html”>http://www.ivycollegeprep.net/imported-20110121194859/2011/6/16/intellectual-curiosity-and-the-college-admissions-process.html</a></p>
<p>I would like to see if someone has hard data that contradicts this article. Additionally, there are many naysayers on CC who for reasons of their own are dismissive of high AP scores and high SATs. Published admissions data proves otherwise. Also remember that there are many CS programs and they all have different personalities, and it’s all about finding the right match. </p>
<p>I would add that there are many naysayers in general re: AP classes, AP tests, and high SAT scores. These tests and offerings exist for a reason. Ignore the naysayers, fairtest.org etc. There is not a single top tier university that has stopped using standardized tests, only less selective schools. Standardized tests are used for grad school and professional licensing & certifications too. The ability to study for and do well on standardized tests is a huge asset. </p>
<p>Wake Forest is less selective? Bryn Mawr? Holy Cross? Hamilton? NYU?</p>