SELF STUDYING FOR REAL(no courses whatsoever) junior year

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
1

<p>So yah im actually self studying the following</p>

<p>chem
bio
physics c
calc bc</p>

<p>reason is</p>

<p>canada does not offer certain APs/ does not allow AP to be taken in grade 11</p>

<p>can someone confirm in saying the following books im using will get me a 5 if i thoroughly study till may:</p>

<p>Chem-Princeton Review(chose because had many questions)
Physics C-Princeton Review(chose because had many questions)
Calc BC-Princeton Review(chose because had many questions)
Biology-CliffsNotes(Seems uber userfriendly, and looks seems appropriate)</p>

<p>anyways, could someone confirm this?</p>

<p><em>note</em>- i am not taking a AP course, and i am only studying for AP exam only.
<strong>note</strong>- i am doing this to strengthen my chances as a competitive and outgoing candidate. Is this good or bad?</p>

<p>Replies, advice, or words of encouragement would be greatful</p>

<p>and other ways of improving my chances of getting admitted( mainly to Johns Hopkins University)</p>

<p>Greatly Appreciated</p>

2

<p>I can't really confirm those, but just wanted to say I admire your insanity for taking on those four all at once. I wouldn't do that even if I were taking the classes, and I'd say I'm pretty hxc when it comes to APs.</p>

3

<p>thanks for the words of encouragement lol...im setting my time wisely with my crazy course load</p>

4

<p>Those are pretty crazy to self study. You might want to think about buying used textbooks or something because prep books aren't "all that".</p>

<p>I'm self studying 3 APs this year also but outside of the prep books I bought I'm also using online and other sources to study.</p>

5

<p>wow!....studying all three AP sciences at once. Prep Books only won't suffice; try to find some used textbooks online.</p>

6

<p>I've heard that Chem and especcially Bio (the labs!) are very hard to self study, but I would recommend getting a textbook. For chem, Zumdahl + Solutions Guide is good in my experience.</p>

7

<p>Those are 3 courses where the textbook itself is way more important than any prep book.</p>

8

<p>The labs for AP Bio can be learned right out of CliffsAP. Seriously.</p>

<p>Oh and, I confirm CliffsAP for AP bio. It's an awesome book that's really well-organized, concise, and helpful (+ it's friendly). I got a 5. =)</p>

9

<p>Bio and Chem will be easy but AP Physics C itself is hell! Im taking the class right now and I work my butt off to learn everything and I still have a B</p>

10

<p>one word... DOOM! This will not be smooth sailing, even if you're a science/math genius. AP Bio is pure memorization (and a lot of it), chem is a little difficult to digest and comprehend at times, and Calc is just time consuming... haven't taken physics. And third on the Cliffs AP Bio book, it's unbelievable. This could pay off nicely at Johns Hopkins, though - good luck :)</p>

11

<p>It's hard to say how top unis like Hopkins will view self-studied APs. On the one hand, self-study shows a lot of discipline, especially since you have chosen some of the toughest exams. On the other hand, your preparation is likely to be shallower than that of a student who's taken a real course with a good teacher, so you may not perform as well in college.
Another thing a science-oriented student should try to do is research, preferably under the supervision of a college professor.</p>

12

<p>im just taken it to strengthen my chances im not actually planning on using them to replace a course...and physics is pretty natural to me...only thing i have against me is time...also i got 3 sciences and english this semester...canada doesnt split up the sciences...u take 3 in grade 11 and 3 in grade 12</p>

13

<p>A "B" in canada is a 75% i think...so far ive been gettin A- to A+ in sciences...so 80-91%...conversion table of canadian standards to american id be gettin a 93-95% average in america</p>

14

<p>Princeton Review WILL NOT cut it if you're self studying based on the review book. You MUST get Barron's. I can't stress this enough. Barron's review books are over-the-top: just what you need. However, Cliffs is perfect for bio; all I did before the Bio exam was read Cliffs AP Bio...I had a really good Bio I class but no real AP Bio background. I got a 4. It's a very manageable exam.</p>