Self-studying for AP's is a waste of time!!

<p>According to an article by an admissions officer in Boston University, taking only AP tests won't impress admissions officers. If you take the AP tests without taking the classes, it just shows how you are good at taking tests. They won't be able to know how well you are able to work with your fellow students and teachers. Admissions officers want to know about student's 'learning process', not their adeptness in taking tests.</p>

<p>If you still want to self study after reading this, then I won't stop you.</p>

<p>Well if the school doesn't offer the AP class, doesn't that show that the student has enough passion for the subject to self study it? And passion = good, right?</p>

<p>To top notch schools it probably won't mean as much, but I wouldn't say its a waste of time for ALL schools.</p>

<p>I think Didnotfaillife is right. Its not going to make or break you but it will help especially if you get 4-5's and you are really passionate in those subjects.</p>

<p>I don't think everybody necessarily self-study for AP exams just to impress colleges, it might be just to gain some college credit. That's why I'm doing it.</p>

<p>I don't think it's a waste of time at all. Someone can't naturally get a 5 on a Calculus BC test (for example) just by being a good test-taker.</p>

<p>Haven't thought of that. I agree with you guys. But it seems that not all but a lot of CC'ers self-study even though they are taking tons of AP's in their schools. I hear people taking 14 AP's and even more but I doubt if they've gotten all 5's on those tests.</p>

<p>I'm only self-studying two APs: AP Microecon and Comparative Gov't. I have to do Micro because I can only get credit if I take both Macro and Micro. I'm doing Gov't because I'm majoring in Political Science and want to take more hours of higher level coursework.</p>

<p>pffff,
Ever heard of college credit!</p>

<p>Actually, self-studying isn't the best way to get college credit. By doing it, you usually only learn the absolute bare minimum that you need for the exam. Most people end up forgetting everything they memorized very soon after the test. If you forgot half the basic material, how would you fare in an advanced course?</p>

<p>I agree it would be difficult, but if you are just trying to get of general education credits to take more classes you are interested in then it's fine. For instance, I just have to do 3 hours (one class) of economics, so if I get credit I can take a class I want to take.</p>

<p>u r not simply taking APs to impress colleges do u? U R going to get same amount of credit regardless of whether u take w/ a class or by self-studying.</p>

<p>For the most part I would have to agree with you. However, I am going to self study 2 APs this year because my highschool is letting people get out of a required class if they pass the AP Macro and Government test. Its the only way I can have time in my schedule for an engineering class I want to take. Since I actually want to be an engineer I think that is a good reason for self studying AP tests. So I don't know if that applies to anyone else but I just want to point out that there are many reasons for taking AP tests.</p>

<p>Sorry if I've offended anyone who's self-studying for AP's because the school doesn't offer them or because of other reasons... but don't self-study for AP tests if you already have enough AP classes in your school.</p>

<p>My school only offers 8 AP classes. I've taken all of them (although I admit that I will NOT be taking either Physics C test this year since my teacher is terrible).</p>

<p>I'm doing an independent study for AP European History this semester because it was either that or take Foods (home ec minus the sewing). <em>shudders</em> I wanted a challenge.</p>

<p>I'm also self-studying for AP Psych because that's what I originally wanted to do my IS in, until the idiotic department chair nixed it. (She wanted me to have taken regular psych first. Which I wanted to do, but my schedule wouldn't allow it. And then she wouldn't let me IS regular psych either.) So I'm going to get a 5. XD</p>

<p>And since my math class this semester is calc-based statistics, and some of the material we're covering will be on the AP Stats test anyways, I'll be taking that as well.</p>

<p>I agree that if your school offers 20+ AP classes, and you've taken most of them, that there's no reason to add additional APs, unless you're truly interested in the subject. I'm a senior, so I'm obviously not doing this to be impressive... I just want cheap college credit. Especially if I know the stuff anyways (like with Stats).</p>

<p>I'm confused...wouldn't colleges be impressed to see you have the brains to learn a subject by yourself and ace the exam?</p>

<p>I think they would. As was previously mentioned, it's not worth it to self-study if your school already has a billion APs.</p>