I am about to begin my junior year of high school. I am taking AP Calc BC, AP Physics and AP language this year, and have previously taken AP bio and AP Calc AB (I scored a 4 on bio and a 5 on Calc). As a senior I am planning on doing a dual enrollment program, and will take the only two remaining AP classes at my high school (literature and US History). Because my school only offers 7 AP classes I was thinking about self studying AP environmental science this year. I was wondering if anybody has experience with self studying AP classes, and if it is advisable to attempt to self teach multiple AP classes in one year. Also, I am curious to know if self studying will be of any benefit to college admission chances. Thank you!
Self studying APES (or any AP in most occasion) will not help your admission, and you will probably not get a college credit at the college you are applying to. So it is not a good idea.
Agree with above. There are exceptions though. If you are truly interested in a subject not offered go for it in your junior year, especially if you might get credit for it.
Seven APs is plenty for top schools. I strongly advise against self studying multiple APs. There is no point.
Yes, we all have experience with self studying AP classes.
Nope.
Look you will have taken every AP class your school offers. You will be taking DE classes. So your schedule is plenty rigorous. There are valid reasons for self studying an AP class as others have mentioned, but doing it for college admissions is not one of them.
If you really are interested in Environmental Science, then I say go for it. But APs play a miniscule (if any) role in college admissions, so don’t do it to impress colleges.
You are taking the most rigorous courseload available at school, so you don’t actually need more AP scores to supplement that.