<p>Although I definitely think self-studying for APs isn’t helpful at all by itself, they could be a help if you are not taking enough APs to qualify for an AP award. For example, if you have 5 APs taken so far, you might want to self-study 3 APs to grab that National AP Scholar award, which may help a little more than just self-studying in it of itself. (Or you could go insane and self-study 20 APs to grab that State AP Scholar award…which I doubt you’ll do :|)</p>
<p>@quadmaster Then why should tests matter at all? I could’ve been sick during my math test and got a poor mark. Wouldn’t that still be factored into my grade? How about SATs and Subject Tests? I could have been feeling particularly fatigued on these test dates, aren’t they still weighed heavily for admissions?</p>
<p>I personally believe that AP exams should be mandatory for everyone who took the class. The SAT is here so it can serve as a point of reference for applicants applying from across the US and the world. Why shouldn’t the AP be the same? Some schools have easier teachers and other school have harder teachers, AP exams are akin to a final exam that everyone takes. </p>
<p>Also for some courses, e.g., AP sciences, you aren’t going to be able to do the labs</p>