Self-Study AP World worth it?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hey CC,

I was wondering if I should self study AP World next year, my junior year. I have two main motives for doing this -

  1. I want to take the world history subject test and perform well on it.
  2. I want to earn the National AP Scholar Award, which would only be possible if I took an extra AP test next year.

Regarding #1 - is it worth it to study for the AP test since I plan to study for the subject test anyway?

Regarding #2 - how prestigious is this award? It is the highest distinction given by the college board regarding AP classes, but how much does it really appeal to colleges?

Thanks!

2

Self-studying APs does not help you with admissions. They don’t look at your AP test scores for admissions…seniors who take APs don’t get the scores back until after they are admitted.

So if you do it, you would be doing it for College credit. See if your colleges of choice would give you credit and if that credit would be useful.
Also realize that doing well in your HS courses is vastly more important than self studying…also would you have time to do ECs if you are self studying?

Why are you doing this?

  1. Love to learn - great! Take the class in school
  2. Want college credit? Fine…but make sure it is not at the expense of your regular HS courses or ECs
  3. AP Scholars award …this is cool and all…but is not useful for college admissions
  4. College Admissions…doesn’t help. Many people take AP tests senior year after they are already admitted. Colleges don’t generally take AP scores into account. They take your GPA/SAT into account
3

Love History? Want to take AP Euro as a senior and thing this would be a good preparation? Sure.

You’ll only get the National AP Scholar award if you have at least a 4 on four exams. So you might not get it anyway. I don’t think colleges care much about the award.

AP World is getting revamped and will not cover quite as ridiculous amount of time as before, but it’s still a huge amount of material to learn, much of it must be memorized.

4

Thanks for the responses - my primary concern is whether or not this will help me with the world history subject test though. Since I will be taking the subject test anyway since it closely aligns with my desired major, should I take the AP test to help me be better prepared for the subject test and do it since I will be studying for the subject test anyway?

5

What does this even mean? Self studying, by definition, is “the study of something by oneself, as through books, records, etc., without direct supervision or attendance in a class.” So have you never taken a world history class? If not, the world history Subject Test is probably not the best Subject Test to take. If you have taken world history and want to prep for the Subject Test, then prep for the Subject Test. The AP curriculum is not designed to prepare for the Subject Test.

6

AP Scholar requires 4 on eight exams, no?

I would agree that taking 7 AP course and 7 AP exams earning AP Scholar with Distinction vs. taking 7 AP courses and 8 AP exams, getting an AP Nations Scholar isn’t going to make much of a difference in the application process.

I’m confused on the Subject Test. Are you taking World History in school, planning on taking the ST, and are thinking about putting in incremental work for the AP?

Or are you taking no History courses and want to self-study for both ST and AP? If so, why? Perhaps there are schools I’m not aware of that require the WH ST?

If you love History, then certainly pursue it. But then, why aren’t you taking the class?

7

Of course, they can look at AP scores. There’s an expectation they’ll be as strong as grades in those courses. No, not scores after admit decisions are rendered.

And the National AP Scholar Award is no tip. If you do well on AP tests, adcoms will see that. Some award from CB is no big deal. Kids could get the four 4 scores on easy tests. It’s not these superficials. At top colleges, you’ll compete against kids who took the classes, performed well IN class, and got 5’s.

8

Thanks for the answers - although I love world history, I will opt for a different subject test since National AP Scholar is not super prestigious and the AP curriculum is not super connected to the subject test.

9

AP Scholar Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
AP Scholar with Honor Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
AP Scholar with Distinction Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
State AP Scholar Granted to the one male and one female student in each U.S. state and the District of Columbia with scores of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP Exams, and then the highest average score (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken.
National AP Scholar Granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.