Self-study APs for next year...need your input

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Ok, I'll provide you guys my senior schedule as of now just so you all know the workload I will most likely experience:</p>

<p>AP Calc AB
AP Physics B
AP Studio Art Drawing
AP Gov
English 12
Career Practicum (2 periods)
...and then there's seminar</p>

<p>Like I said, this schedule is not set in stone yet. What I really want to ask concerns self-studying for APs, and taking AP classes and their exams during senior year. I'm planning to self-study AP Psych and European History by getting a head start during the summer and also throughout senior year. The reason why I'm self-studying those courses is because they won't offer those classes in the school I'm going to next school year. That's 6 exams I'll supposedly be taking. </p>

<p>Now, obviously colleges will see the courses I'm taking (the 4 APs) but not the courses I'm self studying. I'm sorry I typed too much, but what I'm really asking is if these AP scores really matter since by the time I take the AP exams, I'll be already accepted in whatever college chooses me. I know AP scores do matter for college credit, college's looking at the scores, etc., but the colleges I apply to won't be able to see those scores at all for the 4 APs plus the 2 I plan to self-study for; heck, they probably won't know I'll be taking the AP Psych and Euro History exams until I sent scores reach the colleges. </p>

<p>Concerning the APs I'll self-study, I really do want to self-study for these courses and take the exams, and it's not because I want to impress colleges via workload to the max. I'm planning to major in psychology, and I'm seriously and truly interested in psychology; I just made the mistake of not taking it this year because I wanted to save the course for senior year, only to find out that the new school I'm going to doesn't offer it. As for European History, I'm interested in that course too, and not just "interested": truly interested, like for real. I mean, I've lived in Europe most of my life and I love it here; it's kind of pointless to live in a place when you don't know its history. I also made the mistake of not taking AP European History earlier throughout the school year.</p>

<p>What I'm really worried about is that colleges won't be able to see my ability in these two courses until they see my ap exam scores because I will have self-studied in them (I mean, can you put on your application that you're currently "self-studying" to take AP exams?).</p>

<p>I know I typed way too much; I have a problem with being frank. I also know that my question is not clear. I'm so sorry. </p>

<p>Here's a clear question:</p>

<p>If you've taken any of these AP classes, can you please tell me the expected workload and difficulty? I know AP classes are subjective in a way because every student is different, every teacher is different, every school is different; however, any input would help me learn what I will expect next school year. :)</p>

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<p>I am yet to take AP euro (I will be taking it in the fall), but everybody I know says it is brutal, personally I would not self study it.</p>

<p>Psych is fairly reasonable, I did DE and then took the exam today. The material is truly interesting and the concepts are straight forward. For my DE class (which is a much shorter semester) I had to read around 80-100 pages a week. So I would say if you can devote the time it would take to read 40-50 pages a week you should be fine. Then just give yourself a couple weeks at the end to review material. Also for psych I have found that it helps if you supplement your learning with psych related things that interest you.</p>

3

<p>I just took AP Psych in school and had my exam today! I took it in school but I didnt learn much from my teacher…he didn’t really know what he was talking about. But the exam was fairly easy & a reasonable test in my perspective. If you teach yourself about 1-2 chapters every 2 weeks and then go over a review book twice in your last couple weeks before the exam, you’ll do fine!</p>

4

<p>Taking AP Euro currently. THE most important parts of the exam are the essays. I am using PR Cracking for a useful study guide. I will take the test next week. There are plenty of online tests to check your progress.
I am self-studying Micro as well. Began self-studying Psych at the beginning of the year, but it just wasn’t my thing.</p>

5

<p>AP psychology is really easy. I got a five after cramming the weekend before with only Barron’s.
AP European History… might be easy, but it depends on your forte. Personally, I would never self-study for the exam but I have a friend who is in love with all social studies and got a 5 self-studying in 9th grade.
AP Calc and physics are brutal and often have great workloads. Can’t say for studio art, and AP US government should have a decent workload but nothing too awful.</p>

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<p>Why do you want to self study for APs in senior year? What is your goal?</p>

7

<p>@texaspg - Initially I didn’t plan to self-study for AP Psych and Euro; I was saving them for senior year. I’ve always been interested in these two topics, but the problem is, the new school I’ll be going to won’t offer these courses, and they won’t plan to for next school year. Despite this unfortunate event, I still plan to self-study for these APs mostly to gain knowledge, and then take the exams for them just to see if I’ve mastered the information well. Of course I’ll take practice apmc’s, frq’s, etc, but my goal is not to get college credit; I just want to be challenged. I know it sounds a little silly, but I enjoy the demanding workload because I get to intake more knowledge. My one goal is to obtain more knowledge from two courses I’m interested in but don’t know that much about (except European history because I’ve taken AP World so I know a bit), through self-studying, and then take the exams to see how capable I was to master intaking, analyzing, using, and explaining the information effectively. I’m not sure if I answered your question the way you wanted it to be answered, but my goal is to gain more knowledge and get a head start particularly for psychology since I plan to major in psychology (don’t you dare ruin my dream! xD), not for the college credit.</p>

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<p>@gomdorri - Thanks on your input particularly for AP Calc and physics. I can’t say whether or not I’ll be comfortable in those classes since I can’t predict my future; however, I think getting a head start for those 2 classes during the summer will somewhat help me see what I’ll expect. About the amount of hw the classes come with, do you know the number of hours expected, like an approximate value, for both ap calc and physics? I think AP Calc AB would be more demanding than Physics B, right? From what I’ve heard Physics B is more algebra and trig.</p>

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<p>I scores a 5 on AP Euro last year, and the only book I used to study for the Exam was REA AP European History. It didn’t have any exams but the material in there was so comprehensive, it made understanding history more intuitively a breeze. On a weekly basis, I would lecture to myself as if I were speaking in front of class different chapters.</p>

<p>Grab a copy for yourself at Amazon if you are up to it. The class was brutal but if you can approach history with a personal touch (your interpretation of the facts), self studying will work out.</p>

<p>My advice? Don’t overburden yourself and be realistic.</p>

<p>Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD</p>