<p>My school offers few APs, really the most upsetting aspect in its curriculum.
Except for AP English, AP Calculus, AP Biology, and AP US History, there are no APs. I am thinking about self-studying for a good number of APs through out my high school career. I will not be taking any AP exams my freshmen year so I'm using this year to get a head start on the APs that I will be taking sophmore year. </p>
<p>Any comments on this AP schedule that I plan to follow will be helpful. I'll gladly make any adjustments or cut down on the number of APs. </p>
<p>Sophmore Year:
I plan to study for AP World History, AP European History, and AP US Government & Politics. Since I am taking World History this year and doing very well in it, I think that my freshmen course will compliment my studying for AP. If I'm taking AP World History, then I might as well take European. Some of the information will, most likely, overlap. I have heard that AP World History and AP European are less difficult to study for and involve mostly memorization. Since I'll be taking US History Honors my sophmore year, I thought it best to take US Gov. & Polit. If my sophmore year is too hard I probably will drop US Gov & Polit. </p>
<p>Junior Year:
I'll study for AP Chemistry, AP Physics B, and either AP Environmental Science or AP Psychology( Any advice on which one to choose would be helpful). Since I will be taking Chemistry Honors my sophmore year, I think I will be prepared to tackle AP Chem my junior year. I will also be taking Pre-Calculus in school. Pre-Calculus and my preparation in Chem Honors might help me with Physics B. Depending on which one is easier, I would like to take either AP Environmental Science or AP Psychology. Besides these APs, I will be taking AP US Hist and AP Bio( might be cancelled if insufficient enrollment) in school. </p>
<p>Senior Year:
AP Macroeconomic, AP Statistics, AP Physics C. AP Macroeconomics an AP Statistics seem to be easy APs. This year I will be taking Physic Honors in school. I think that my Physics class will help me with AP Physics C. Since I will not be able to take my Physics exam in time for College Apps. I will not be able notify the colleges since AP Physics C is not a class in my school. I'm thinking to replace AP enviro sci of AP Psych in my jr. year for AP Phys C. However, I think that taking 5 APs, especially 4 science APs, my jr. year will be too tough. Besides this, I will be taking AP English and AP Calculus as a school class my senior year. </p>
<p>If anyone has advice please give. It would be so helpful.</p>
<p>Okay, your sophomore schedule looks good as the AP histories (world and euro) do overlap quite a bit. For junior year, AP Environmental is basically a lot of memorizing, as well as AP Bio, but I'm not sure about AP Psych (it might be more conceptual than env. sci., so it just depends on which one you think would be easier). If I were you, I would take take AP Chemistry your senior year, and that will lessen the science load a bit. And I hate to say it, but I don't know if you will be able to take Physics C concurrent with AP Calculus. I wanted to do that this year, but I'm stuck in Physics B because it's algebra-based. Physics C is calculus-based and there's stuff that we aren't learning until next semester that you need at the beginning of Physics C (such as integrals)... unless you are willing to learn A LOT of calculus on your own in order to learn Physics C on your own, I would suggest not taking it (but I could be wrong). It's a bad idea to replace Psych or Env Sci with Physics C, especially if you will only be enrolled in Pre-calc at the time you take it. Also, there are two AP English's (Literature and Language), so if you wanted to, you could take which ever one your school doesn't offer your junior year...</p>
<p>For junior year, I would take:
AP Physics B
AP Env Sci or AP Psych (again, I THINK one is more factual and one is more conceptual)
AP Statistcs (fairlly easy class for an AP)
AP US History
AP Bio
AP English (the one that your school doesn't offer... lit. or lang.)</p>
<p>For senior year, I would take:
AP Macroeconomics
AP Chemistry (this class is really hard to study for on your own)
AP Physics C (if you must, but don't take it junior year)
AP English (lit. or lang.)
AP Calculus</p>
<p>Physics C and chem will definitely keep you busy, and i agree that you'll probably be prepared for ap chem your junior year, but with your work load, it sounds like it might be better to take it when you have less classes. Hope this helps, and I hope that I'm not going overboard on my advice, but i've taken or know someone who's taken all of the classes (with the exception of macroeconomics, i have no idea what that is, lol). So, good luck with whatever you decide!</p>
<p>Your sophomore year seems pretty good since you are going to do all histories, may I suggest adding a science to sophomore year also?
You could study over the summer also because I think your junior year is overloaded with science (which is not a good thing, unless you are a super genius in science).
You should do AP Chem Sophomore Year, while it is still fresh.</p>
<p>Junior Year seems overwhelming. I hope you are good at grasping concepts because AP Physics B is hard to self study, it is already hard with a teacher teaching the class. I would suggest you to wait until Senior Year to take AP Physics B, since that is when you are taking Physics Honors.
You are taking AP Bio and AP US Hist during Junior year at school, so I suggest studying AP Stat and AP Pyschology. </p>
<p>Senior Year, take Physics B. Don't take C unless you study Calculus ahead of time and understand it. Maybe get an AP Physics Prep book and look at the calculus sections, I think it is basic Calc. If you understand it, study B & C. If you are not allowed to, just take C (for college credit, some don't give credit for B). Take Environ Sci., Macro, and Micro.</p>
<p>Physics B and C overlap a lot, they cover the same material, except C doesn't focus as much on some parts and goes more into electricity and magnetism.</p>
<p>wow.
I think you need to be more rounded in all the subjects. Taking all social studies classes one year and then all science is just too...
European history is very hard to self study for unless you are truly VERY INTERESTED in the topic.
To pass the AP exam, not only do you need memorization skills, but very good writing skills. You need to practice DBQs, FRQs in a 45 minute time span and have someone critique it.
Depending on how disciplined you are, i don't think you should self study so many APs. Just focus on one or two.</p>
<p>And don't you need to be in calculus to do AP physics B?</p>
<p>dude, you're a freshman, live a little.</p>
<p>Well if its what joker wants to do, then by all means I support him for challenging himself academically.
Probably wants to knock off some courses to shorten the process to med school anyways.</p>
<p>I agree w/michael_pham now that i look at it... you should take chem your sophomore year, and take physics B (and maybe C) senior year... and i don't think you HAVE to be in ap calc to take physics b, we have plenty of kids in my class who aren't, but it does help to have pre-calc before hand.</p>
<p>Thanx for all the advice. </p>
<p>I've revised my schedule, taking into consideration all of you guys' comments. If you have any opinions as to improve this schedule, Post them. Any would be helpful.</p>
<p>Sophmore Year:
AP World History
AP European History
AP Chem ( I decided to take chem my soph. year because I will be taking Chem
Honors this year, too. I figure that I will be able to ask my chem teacher questions if I have trouble with AP Chem. I dropped US Gov & Polit. for senior year to devote my time for chem.) </p>
<p>Junior Year:
AP Physics B ( Since my studying for AP Stat and AP Psych will be less time-consuming and involving, I decided to take AP Physics B. AP Stat and Psych will not interefere with my studying for AP Phys B.)
AP Stat
AP Psych ( I have a genuine interest for psychology so, I'll study this AP instead of environmental science.)
AP English( I'm not sure if I'll take this one since I'm taking Phys B. I might just save it for senior year since I'll be taking one of the two AP English courses in school. The material from both APs might overlap.) </p>
<p>Senior Year:
AP Macroeconmics
AP US Gov. & Polit. [I'm still not sure where this one stands. I'll be taking AP US Hist my jr. year. I could take this AP then but it might conflict with my studying for AP Phys B. I could take it my soph. year as planned but I wanted room for AP Chem. My Us Hist Honors course is a two year course( the 2nd year is AP US Hist.) ]
AP Phys C ( I'll start studying in the summer for this one. I'll follow micheal_pham's advice and look over the Calc. sections of AP Phys prep books. I'm also depending on my Physics Honors class to help me with this one.)</p>
<p>Twinkletoes: I realize the preperation APs require. I'm ready for it.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you, sounds like your revisions are great.
I would probably do the same thing as you for self studying, except for the fact that my school has IB and AP, so I'm taking IB instead.
I only have room for few AP's, but in IB they let us have the option of taking AP exam along with IB exam.</p>
<p>I'm taking Physic B this year and Comp Sci (as a sophomore).
I'm taking IB Methods I (pre-calc/beginning Calc AB) and honestly, Physics B has little or no relevance to any type of pre-calc or calc.</p>
<p>You just need good Algebra skills and trig. skills (basic trig with triangles, law of sines, etc.)</p>
<p>I will probably take the C exam next year after finishing some Calc this year and studying it over the summer.</p>
<p>Private_Joker: AP Psychology is extremely easy, so you shouldn't have trouble with it (AP Psych and APES are the two easiest AP exams). Physics C isn't too bad if you've had physics before.</p>
<p>michael_pham: You're taking Physics B AP? Try IB Physics HL next year :)</p>
<p>Thanks warbler, I was thinking of that, except for one problem.</p>
<p>We aren't allowed to take a higher level IB Physics course if we didn't take IB Physics I.
I didn't feel like taking that this year because it was useless (they learn very slow and it is too easy), so I took AP Physics B (opting out of the IB Physics route). </p>
<p>But if I take AP Physics C, they will put me in IB Physics HL anyways (we don't have a Physics C class), so I would learn the same stuff, but be exempt from the IB parts. I wonder if they would allow me to take the IB exam for it?</p>
<p>michael_pham: Yes, I suppose you're right. We have a combined IB HL/AP C class as well, and the IB students are taking both exams. The AP C students don't have to do Group 4, labs (40 hours?, planning A/B), etc. If you're in the same class, then there's not much point in taking IB HL instead of AP C. If possible, though, you should try to take both exams; I'm taking the Physics HL and Physics C exams in May.</p>
<p>Now that I have decided on which APs I'll be taking my sophmore year(AP Chem, AP World Hist, AP Euro), I'm trying to figure out which prep books I should use. After reading the posts of other CCers, I've devised a study guide: </p>
<p>AP European:
Modern European History by Viault (I've heard high praises about this one. It seems thorough.I'll definitely use this one)
ARCO's Euro Hist & Cliff Notes' Euro Hist (I'm not too familiar with ARCO or Cliffnotes. After using Viault, I need a review book that is quick and concise, a sort of cram book. Any suggestions on which one to use is always needed) </p>
<p>AP Chem:
"Chemistry, 6th ed" by Zumdahl ( This book seems to be very popular at CC and helpful. I've heard that it's good at explaining the concepts and concise. I'll go with this one as my main study guide.)
Kaplan's AP Chem ( I've heard this is a good cram book when there's a few months remaining before the exam. I'm not sure how this compares to Princeton Review. Advice?) </p>
<p>AP World History: </p>
<p>I haven't found anything for World. I'll get back to you guys on this one. Suggestions, too, would be great. </p>
<p>So far, these are my study guides. Do you they'll get the job done?</p>
<p>My son has also been working on his schedule (see our thread <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=20793%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=20793</a> ) and we have been getting alot of great information!</p>
<p>A few suggestions...</p>
<p>When you take AP Macro...you might as well take the AP Micro test. I have heard the tests are really pretty easy and overlap considerably.</p>
<p>Have you considered taking the AP US History Exam along with AP US Government in 12th Grade?</p>
<p>Take both the AP Language and Literature exams the same year (12th is best)...tons of overlapping material.</p>
<p>Best of luck</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions hsmomstef. AP Macro and AP Micro do seem that they will overlap. I have been considered taking both my senior year. As for AP US Gov with AP US Hist, I don't think that's possible. My school offers AP US History which I'll be taking in the 11th grade. I have thought to take AP US Gov as a junior but, my schedule is too hectic for that option. I will already be self-studying for AP Stat, AP Psych, and AP Phys B while taking AP Biology and AP US History in school. However, you make a good point with the english exams so, I have decided to take both APs my senior year. </p>
<p>I have a question, though. For the APs that I'll be studying for in my senior year will I be able to indicate them on my college apps. After all, they are not official classes at my school and I will not have taken the exams, yet.</p>
<p>For AP World History, I wouldn't know, but I have heard that Barron's always overpreps students and that makes the AP test easier for them. </p>
<p>My 2 cents. Sorry, not familiar with prep books for World History (took the pre-IB course last year, but don't plan on taking AP for it)</p>
<p>But if you ever need prep books for Math or Physics, I know the best ones.</p>
<p>You will be able to put down your quarter grades if you apply ED or semester grades for RD.</p>
<p>When you get into a certain college, you can send in your AP scores later for placement.</p>
<p>For self-study, I'm pretty sure their is a section that says "Anything else you would like us to know" and you could list it there. Otherwise, get a teacher to write that you are studying the courses and show the work you have done to your teacher.</p>
<p>Remember: AP's don't play a huge part in admissions except that they show you are taking rigorous courseload. And since your school doesn't offer many, it doesn't affect you that you don't have many AP classes in school.</p>