On the subject of AP Exams.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Ok. I've been thinking a while about this. I've looked around on this site at the kids taking 10 dillion AP exams, and well... here is some back ground.</p>

<p>9th:
AP Stats - 4</p>

<p>10th:
AP Computer Science AB - 5
AP Calclulus BC(self-Study) - 5
AP Physics B - 5</p>

<p>---- current year
11th: (taking)
AP Physics C Mechanics
AP Physics C E&M
AP Chemistry
AP US History</p>

<p>12th: (mulling over)
AP Biology
AP Econ(macro + micro)
idk what else</p>

<p>Now if I just take what I am taking this year, I will be a national scholar presumably. I'm considering to possibly take AP Eng Lang this year as well. Honestly, I've realized that I'm a lazy ass, and that I don't really want to study any other courses like Psychology, etc, for AP's. If you think about it, I will have AP National Scholar, and I'd rather spend time working on research projects, etc.</p>

<p>Also, my school offers a full slew of courses beyond AP's. For example, in Mathematics, we have Multi[variable-calc], Mathematical Modeling, Diff Equations, Complex Systems, Number Theory, etc.</p>

<p>My question is, I am not concerned about AP's when applying to MIT. I am positive they would rather I take adv math/science classes than just self-study some humanities course for the sake of self-studying. However, for colleges like HYPS, etc, what would be a good course of action? I really want to go to MIT, but I'm not so arrogant to put all my bets on it. I have to keep all options open.</p>

<p>PS: The reason I'm posting this is because I think I'm kind of lazy, since I took 3 AP exams last year, and the same number this year. I'm suppose to get better!</p>

2

<p>"The reason I'm posting this is because I think I'm kind of lazy, since I took 3 AP exams last year, and the same number this year. I'm suppose to get better!"</p>

<p>Hmmmm. Gimme a break. No, you don't think you're lazy. Let's all guess why you REALLY posted this question!</p>

3

<p>One thing to consider is that if you earn a 5 on the AP English Language or AP English Lit exam, and are accepted at MIT, you are exempt from the FEE (Freshman Essay Evaluation) which incoming freshmen have to take over the summer to determine the range of courses from which their required humanities class can be chosen.</p>

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<p>Thanks mootmom. So perhaps I will self-study AP Eng Lang.</p>

5

<p>Last year we had an article from The Onion about pseudoscience on the AP Lang exam as one of the essays...</p>

<p>... I nailed the 5. :D</p>

<p>It seems like Collegeboard is getting more liberal with the articles on the tests (one of my friends told me his SAT Reasoning Test had an article on cloning in it. They usually don't touch anything REMOTELY controversial).</p>

<p>EDIT: For clarification, [url="<a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29554%22%5Dthis%5B/url"&gt;http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29554"]this[/url&lt;/a&gt;] was the article we had to analyze. Hope yours is just as fun (it makes the essay a WHOLE lot easier to write, too)!</p>

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<p>APUSH is crazy hard, don't make any assumptions ;)</p>

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<p>The language APs are easy if you can write, but it's very hard to bring yourself up to a high writing or literature analysis level without a class. Basically, there is nothing you can study for it; you just have to read lots. I really wouldn't suggest trying to self-study unless you are some writing god already, because it takes a lot of work to get used to the style.</p>

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<p>Reading..so...much...fun.
:3 just get that to be your mindset, and there'll be no problem.</p>

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<p>remember colleges always have a little free thing called a bypass exam.</p>

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<p>I don't know about self studying for the AP Lang Exam. I'm doing really bad in that class (maybe its just my teacher)</p>

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<p>AP language is worthless. Just take the FEE. Two essays. It'd take the better part of a weekend... max.</p>

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<p>try enviro</p>

<p>..ur lazy...its easy</p>

<p>u could self study for it out of the AP textbook</p>

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<p>I'll echo those who said to be careful with self-studying for an English AP if writing or literary criticism is not one of your strong points. English Lit can be especially hard for someone who is not used to analyzing poetry and/or prose. I also see that you've pretty much only taken math/science APs, meaning the essay sections of the humanities exams might be a bit of a jolt for you.</p>

<p>As far as the other part of your question goes, I remember an article about how Stanford does like to see some breadth in terms of courses taken for transfer applicants. They offered a hypothetical applicant that had taken mostly math/science courses as an example of a courseload they would not look favorably upon. That might apply to first-year apps too.</p>

<p>BTW...</p>

<p>
[quote]
However, for colleges like HYPS, etc, what would be a good course of action? I really want to go to MIT, but I'm not so arrogant to put all my bets on it. I have to keep all options open

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Heh, I hope your other options include more than HYPS.</p>

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<p>One quick question:</p>

<p>On the MIT website, it says only one AP exam from a given subject area will be recognized.</p>

<p>Does that mean one AP exam per subject area, or one AP exam period?</p>

<p>For example, if I take AP Calc Bc and AP Physics C, could I get credit for both?</p>

<p>Thanks a lot.</p>

<p>P.S. (How is AP Physics C for self-study? Too much without a class to guide me? I'm pretty strong in math, also self-studying AP Calc Bc, do you think Physics will be okay?)</p>

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<p>P.P.S. ( I have not taken a single class in physics yet, my high school does not offer them)</p>

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<p>I believe they are talking about credit that you recieve for the ap exam. It's pointless to consider credit for AP Physic B when you have a 5 on AP Physics C.</p>

<p>Personally, I am not worried about credit. If I got into MIT, I would just take the courses that I got into. Too much time spent fighting the system in high school. Time to just sit back and learn.</p>

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<p>"Heh, I hope your other options include more than HYPS."</p>

<p>Of course. I figure that if I aim for these colleges, and apply to lots of others(Duke, Chapel Hill, Berkley, and others), I'll get into some. Chapel Hill and NC State are basically guaranteed full ride for my school(so its like safeties).</p>

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<p>
[quote]

For example, if I take AP Calc Bc and AP Physics C, could I get credit for both?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yup. All you ever wanted to know about AP credit can be found [url=<a href="http://mit.edu/firstyear/2009/subjects/ap.html%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://mit.edu/firstyear/2009/subjects/ap.html]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;]. Note that in most cases you need a 5 for credit.</p>

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<p>They also state that the credit policy is subject to change each year, so all you can know for sure is that this year's first-year class policies are the ones mollibatmit linked to. And as sagar_indurkhya hints, only AP Physics C and AP Calc BC are eligible for credit (no other AP Physics or Calc exams).</p>

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<p>Depending on your background, self-studying English Lang/Lit may be easy. For Lit you have to have read books. I don't know about Lang, but from what I've heard it should be slightly easier.</p>

<p>Still, I'd say don't bother. Few prestigious colleges/universities count it, and if the only reason to do it is to avoid writing an essay for MIT, it's a little pointless to spend $80 and study.</p>

<p>I'd say that Physics C by self-study should be possible, but you may not want to do it entirely out of a textbook. I've been doing self-study of all the non-B (hard) parts from Halliday, Resnick and Walker and it's kind of a pain in the ass. Perhaps it's easier out of other textbooks, but I find that I'm learning as much from the AP review book as from anywhere else. I believe that MIT uses some web-based system to teach introductory physics, which might be worth checking out.</p>