Self-studying for AP Subject Tests: effective?

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
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<p>Lookingforward: Thank you for posting! I will definitely look into some direct community service work. I’ve done some things for a local Down Syndrome program the past year (but quite sporadically, to be honest), does that count for something? As for research and lab work, my mother mentioned that doing that does give you an edge, but wasn’t sure how to hook me up with doing that. Do you have any suggestions on how I can start doing that?</p>

<p>And I will definitely check out MITChris’s posts, thanks again for your input!</p>

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<p>You can look at a sample Common App now, to get an idea of how it’s structured. Downs work is good- but think about it and you’ll realize which vol activities are easier/too easy and which are more “adult level.” </p>

<p>Some kids diss things like regular work at a soup kitchen- but these smaller groups need help, you work directly with those you help- and you can take on all sorts of extra resonsibilities or create a role for yourself- it adds up. It might be very neat to throw yourself into an org that, eg, supports dance lessons for underprivileged kids. See how all this is different than an occasional walkathon with friends or once in a while helping clean a park?</p>

<p>If you have any friends with parents in the med field, they may have ideas or contacts. You can start with any main HR or vol dept phone number and work your way through to get to the right program or dept. Even if you start as a general vol, you can use that time to make contacts- working with patients, btw, even if it’s handing out magazines, is good- and many kids are too intimidated. Those who do it usually have wonderful observations to make.</p>

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<p>Okay, all of those things sound doable. I will look into that so I can start this coming school year. Thanks again for your help!</p>

<p>If any other member has some logical advice to give me, I’m all ears!</p>

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<p>alliekinz -</p>

<p>To go back to your original question, I think you’d be easily able to self-study for AP tests. You seem very dedicated, very motivated, and very passionate about getting into a top school, so you should have no problem finding a reason to push yourself hard enough. I self studied for APUSH, which granted is much easier than World, and had no problem whatsoever. </p>

<p>Also, I completely disagree with the post talking about how sad it is to fill your schedule with rigorous classes and not just enjoy your youth. While it is great to enjoy your youth, it’s just a small percentage of your life, so why not work really hard now to enjoy later that much more? If you, alliekinz, want to go to Harvard or another top school, then I say go for it, push yourself and take as many APs as you can handle. One day you’ll look back and be thankful you worked so hard when everyone else was partying. </p>

<p>That’s my philosophy at least…</p>

<p>Best of luck,

  • Mike</p>
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<p>Parent here - couple words of advice:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Where you think you are aiming for now may change come senior year. There is more to consider than name recognition. </p></li>
<li><p>High SAT II/subject scores carry more weight for admission than AP. If you feel you need more “stat” driven data, consider the SAT subject before the self-study AP.</p></li>
<li><p>Ad Coms look for more than grades. Some schools want to see you push, other schools want to see you live a balanced life. If your SAT/ACT and GPA are within the range of a school, the holistic review schools will give as much weight to EC/volunteer as they would self study AP.</p></li>
<li><p>Try combining EC with volunteer. You are a ballerina, look into volunteering at after school programs to teach ballet. </p></li>
<li><p>Don’t spend volunteer time all over the place. Try focusing it.</p></li>
<li><p>Go back to item 1. My kid is starting his senior year. He is burnt out. Public Honors colleges are looking much better to him than an Ivy. Plus, he really likes the seminare courses at many of the honors colleges. Our finances have changed. Public Honors colleges are looking better to us parents too. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>I do agree somewhat with Lisa – I admire that you have a goal of Harvard, but don’t burn yourself out during high school. The “Race to Nowhere” is real. And remember, grad school name is more important than undergrad. </p>

<p>Take the time now to look at the various types of college teaching methods - seminar, lecture, block (ala Colorado College). Look at the various opportunities offered at individual schools - fellowship and research at a lower tier school or in the masses at an Ivy. And remember, the Ivy’s are a lottery. You can do everything right and still not get an acceptance. Right now, time is your friend. Research the various programs. Determine your personal learning style. </p>

<p>Enjoy your self discovery through high school!</p>

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<p>wow, thanks long haul, i thought i was screwed because i got a three on my first two ap tests, one of which i self studied. how many subject tests do you think i should take for UCB or even stanford if i still have a shot( chance me, incoming junior, if test scores…)</p>

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<p>Longhaul: great post. A keeper.</p>

<p>Dream: go study Stanford’s website. You’ll find clues to what sort of kids they want and what their recs are, how they form perceptions. That’s your homework. Anyone who wants a great souce, all rolled up for you, read Yale’s admissions site and advice.</p>

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<p>Perhaps I was less clear than I thought - I was in no way advocating partying all the time while filling your high school schedule with Home Ec and Wood Shop, nor was I concerned that the OP was too much about academics and not enough about EC’s. My concern is that a child who makes decisions about classes and activities based solely on how things will look on a college application is setting herself up for burnout. I’ve seen it happen countless times, most recently to my son’s best friend this past year. He overextended himself with too many AP’s and activities simultaneously, and after a year of all-nighters ended up getting C’s in two of his classes. This is an extremely bright kid with high scores and straight A’s who had been looking at places like Williams and Dartmouth, and he may have shot himself in the foot. He has other things going for him and will no doubt get into a college that will be wonderful for him, but it’s something to think about. I’m sure getting a C is inconceivable to some of you students, but trust me, it was to him too. He was just so worried about perfecting his college apps that he lost sight of what was actually physically possible.</p>

<p>My real hope in posting was merely to get the OP to step back and take a look at WHY she is choosing the classes and activities she is participating in. Simply cramming in every possible AP class and EC and volunteer activity, regardless of whether they are meaningful or enjoyable in any way, is not only incredibly stressful but is often ineffective. The ad coms KNOW YOU ARE DOING THIS. Honest they do. You should absolutely be working hard and getting involved in your community, but not at the expense of being able to take a breath! While I’m not suggesting partying all the time, I do think it’s a shame if a high school student can’t ever just hang with her friends. Every single minute of every day should not be directed at building your college resume.</p>

<p>If you read college admission books and look around on this site some more, you will find plenty of evidence that colleges these days really are looking for depth and passion in fewer activities, not 8-page laundry list resumes. Is either approach a guarantee for Harvard? Of course not. But that’s the point - the top schools are a lottery, and the best-qualified applicants don’t always get in. It sucks, but it’s just the way it is. Again, I’m not saying don’t work hard to make yourself competitive for admission to top schools. All I’m saying is think about what you’re doing, choose classes and activities that are meaningful to you, and don’t push yourself so hard that it backfires.</p>

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<p>This is horrible. You have no idea how the college admissions process works. I was accepted into every university I applied to (yes, Harvard, Stanford, etc.), but I didn’t take 20 APs or volunteer for thousands of hours (I didn’t volunteer at all). </p>

<p>The goal is not to “impress” admissions officers. I had lunch with my Stanford admissions officer and she just told me that she thought I was passionate, genuine, and that she just really liked me. Yeah, it really is as simple as that. These admissions officers are usually alumni, sometimes young (my Harvard AO was in her mid 20s while my Stanford AO was early 30s), and normal people. Do you think these people are really going to care about the mundane laundry list of activities you’re trying to stuff your app with? They will get bored. </p>

<p>If I were an admissions officer, I wouldn’t accept someone like you, whose goal in high school seems to just be “get into a good school”. If you’re not pursuing things you actually enjoy/like, you will not get in. Simple as that. These days, it’s just way too competitive and thinking you can follow a formula for acceptance will fail you.</p>

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<p>I self-studied for music theory and got a 4. Granted, I could have spent a little more time studying vocabulary (which is what I think is the cause of my score because there is a ton of music vocab on both the aural and non-aural), but I had to do very little ear training as far as being able to discern notes since I have been playing piano for 12 years. However, i’m not dissapointed. I’m not doing music as a career, but it is a major part of my life, and I have such a greater amount of understanding because I took the time to learn for the sake of learning.</p>

<p>However, I wouldn’t do it just because you want one extra AP on your transcript. Do an EC you love instead.</p>

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<p>Most colleges don’t look at AP tests, I believe, or at least it isn’t required to submit your scores on AP tests. And for the most part, it’s extremely difficult to self-study for AP tests simply because of the breadth and rigor of these courses. Of course, that doesn’t apply to all AP tests–you can definitely self-study for Music Theory, AP Psych, and probably a few other minor ones. I studied for AP Psych for about a month with Barron’s and got a 5, so yeah, it’s definitely doable. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Not all adcoms are mid-20’s to mid-30’s. Most on my team are older.</p>

<p>The goal IS to impress adcoms- but in the ways these stranger adults, with oodles of experience judging kids, want to be impressed, in order to ensure a great, capable class with multiple interests and energy. </p>

<p>Therein lies the problem. Most hs kids have one frame of reference: high school. Their status can hinge on lots of tough classes, math wiz, all that studying for standardized tests, that mundane laundry list- secretary of French Club. Formed a club. A little debate a little MUN. A walkathon once a year sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon with buds and collect a few hours. They list Key Club and never tell what was done, as if “Key Club,” in itself, conveys something hot. Yes, boooring. Then a kid comes along who did all the right, expected things (depending on proposed major), stretched himself, writes engagingly, shows the qualities the school likes and needs in students- and it’s exciting. </p>

<p>I need to say that, if you were an adcom, you wouldn’t so quickly say you wouldn’t accept OP for her goals. Adcoms read fast, but closely. You would have caught OP’s shift from the original post.</p>

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<p>Theresa, you are wrong. They look at AP scores. If you do not submit/self-report, all you can show is you took the class, got some grade- since there is no standardization in most AP classes and some hs grade inflate, without the score, it’s a shoulder shrug. People are confusing the fact that you don’t have to report all scores or submit official CB reports until you are set on a college. Harvard and Yale both have explicit recommendations you submit.</p>

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<p>Lookingforward -</p>

<p>So you mentioned Key Clubbers not elaborating on what they did, just expecting tacky 's well known name to speak for itself. However, there is such limited room, so would it be okay to say general things done in Key Club (like manage budget; collect membership dues; organize fundraisers) or should it be very specific?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>I’ll probably sound tougher than I am. So, I’ll be brief: why not, at the least, rethink the best the club accomplished- and, of course, your role in that? Eg, organized 3 fundraisers to purchase computers for inner city classrooms; delivered, & installed 6; trained kids in simple math programs.
The specifics depend on what was done, space and what you did. How you word it matters- that’s true in life.</p>

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<p>Thank you very much, Lookingforward, and don’t worry about sound tough, I can handle it! The difficulty is explaining the activity in 100 characters!</p>

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<p>Firstly, I would just like to thank everybody for their time into answering my question. It means a lot to hear the opinions of others on a topic that means so much to me.</p>

<p>Lehigh2017 – That’s what I wanted to hear! I value academics over everything, even my social life. Even my violin and ballet. If anything can get you somewhere in life, it’s knowledge and a bit of luck. And thank you for making your reply relevant to my original post!</p>

<p>Longhaul – Your advice sounds like it would be a smart move for me. I will ask my ballet mistress for some volunteering I can look for that relates to ballet; likewise for violin, I know my violin teacher encourages me playing around the area (ie, nursing homes) and volunteering time helping less fortunate children learn about music in general. I understand that, with prestigious college admissions, the majority of it is chance. My high school’s class of 2015 showed that: the val got into Harvard, but not Princeton or Yale. The sal didn’t get into any of those three. The number three girl got into Yale (but not Harvard or Princeton.) So I’m very familiar with that. Thank you for your advice and I hope your son does well in the college application process.</p>

<p>Dream4Life – I’m sorry, I didn’t acknowledge your first post. Would you mind telling me which AP tests you got 3s on? If that’s personal, it’s okay. I appreciate your input.</p>

<p>Lisa6191 – I am not offended in the least! In fact, I find your opinion truthful in many ways. I will try to work hard, yet also enjoy my youth, if that is what you recommend. I dance, and I love reading and writing in my free time. Doing things I love while balancing it out with challenging academics is actually quite exciting for me, so while I may be missing out on parties and whatnot, I still have a close-knit group of friends. I still go to the mall sometimes. I still throw immature birthday parties. I hope you don’t get the wrong idea about me, I’m not a sadist out to work myself to death! And again, like I said above, I recognize the role chance plays in admissions, so I am not going to be naive about anything (“I want to go to Harvard on a full ride, yay me.”) But thank you for making your opinion clearer. </p>

<p>Spiffy1994 – Thanks for the personal experiences. I do think I balance things I love (violin and ballet) with school. However, I want to come off as a hardworking student that cares about academics very much during my interviews. That is genuinely who I am, possibly because I’ve grown up in a very academic-nurturing environment all my life (May I just say, Asian parents!) However, could you please let me know what you think is “horrible?” Is it my wanting to self-study, or something else?
And thank you for the honest opinion. I just would like to mention that I disagree, I think being hardworking and strong academically is something colleges should prioritize. </p>

<p>Amberave – Just like with Spiffy1994, I would like to thank you for sharing your personal experiences. I’ve played violin for eleven years now, and while my theory skills are laughable you are swaying me on deciding whether to take AP Music Theory (my school does offer it.) I do want to improve my musical understanding, as I am very arts inclined, but I’m just afraid of C-bombing the class. Perhaps I will study with my violin teacher (A symphony violinist) and see how I do. However, when it comes down to focusing on</p>

<p>Theresa9 – Thank you! Nice to hear from more than one person that self-studying is doable! Congratulations on your 5.</p>

<p>If I failed to acknowledge a particular poster, I apologize. Thanks again for everyone’s input, and if anyone new has a say, feel free to voice your thoughts as well!</p>

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<p>Read this.</p>

<p>[Dirty</a> Secrets of College Admissions - The Daily Beast](<a href=“Dirty Secrets of College Admissions”>Dirty Secrets of College Admissions)</p>

<p>"Current admissions officer, Ivy League university</p>

<p>“Some 70 percent of kids who apply are qualified to come to school here, and we have space for one in ten. We can be as choosy as we like. It almost always comes down to whether or not you’re a likeable person. Let’s face it, some people are just more affable or more likeable than others. An admissions officer is really asking himself, ‘Would I like to hang out with this guy or gal for the next four years?’ So if you come off as just another Asian math genius with no personality, then it’s going to be tough for you. An admissions officer is not going to push very hard for you.”</p>

<p>"Joie Jager-Hyman, former admissions officer at Dartmouth College, author of Fat Envelope Frenzy: One Year, Five Promising Students, and the Pursuit of the Ivy League Prize</p>

<p>“People tend to like people like themselves. I could almost predict the application files my colleagues would support: this admissions officer likes the athletes; this one prefers the quiet, creative loner type; one person cared a lot about SATs; or another would be more likely to excuse things like teenage arrests than other colleagues.”</p>

<p>What do I find “horrible”? What I find horrible is that you’re so got-damn college obsessed. You said it would be a “good idea” for you to volunteer while also playing violin and doing ballet, but why? Is it because you want to actually help out your community (gasp) or is it to improve your college resume? I’m sorry if I’m being blunt but if you’re going to be this transparent on your college app, I guarantee you that you will come off as just another one of “those” kids, and I do believe you know what I’m talking about.</p>

<p>And to reply to this: "And thank you for the honest opinion. I just would like to mention that I disagree, I think being hardworking and strong academically is something colleges should prioritize. " Of course colleges prioritize hard work and academics–but if you’re suggesting that it should be prioritized FIRST, then you don’t know much about the role of college in today’s society. I strongly believe (top) colleges are looking for the type of people that will make huge impacts on the world, not just in the classroom.</p>

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<p>^Read that link with your thinking caps squarely on your heads. That is not my experience with admissions.</p>

<p>When you have an applicant who has devoted considerable time to dance and music, that’s not your ordinary lab rat who crept out for a walkathon last year. Now she needs to round out the picture. </p>

<p>Someone who claims no vol experience, should be cautious in his certainty he knows how it goes.</p>

<p>You do not get into a tippy top college because the right football team won or it was a sunny day.</p>

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<p>Just so you know, when your school sends its transcripts it also sends a school information sheet that includes how you are graded and what classes they offer in AP, college level, IB or honors, so as long as you take the most rigorous schedule that your school offers it really does not matter to ADcoms what self studying you did. My school offers 25 aps but it isn’t possible to take all 25 with all of the graduation requirements.</p>