<p>I want to aim for the AP National Scholar (8 APs with a score of at least 4 on all of them) for my application, but I don't know if I should try.
I'm going to be a junior next year, and I've only taken 1 AP my sophomore year (My school only offers 1 AP until junior year). My junior year I would be taking AP Bio, APUS, and AP Eng. That means to get 8 APs under my belt I would need to self study 4 more APs. If I do self-study, the subjects would be Human Geography, Psychology, Micro and Macroeconomics (those are the easiest from what I've heard). I'm hesitant because not only is it a lot of work, but my junior year is going to be extremely important to raise my GPA. So if I attempt self-studying, I might take time away from my school schedule and risk lowering my GPA. So, any thoughts or opinions?</p>
<p>Don't do it. The point of APs is to challenge yourself in a subject area of your interest, not just to get an award. Just picking the easiest subjects to get a good grade makes no sense whatsoever. Spend that time on the classes you're actually taking, activities, friends, fun...anything but self studying APs for all the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>Do it if you want. The point of life, not APs, really, is to do what'll make you happy. If you think that you really want that award, go for it. Would I suggest it? Perhaps not. I would however, swap one econ for an APES and the other for English Lit. esp. if English is your strength. (APES since it has ecology overlap with bio and will be useful when taking the test for either class.)</p>
<p>do it. it's a lot of self studying, but if you don't go anywhere next summer, you should get a whole lot done. do what i do and self study throughout the year. that's how i got a 5 on last year's AP. i'm right behind ya i'm going to be a soph next year with 1 self studied AP under my belt as a freshman and i'm also aiming for that. see you at the top!</p>
<p>Not as your main goal to study APs, but if you're one AP away, might as well go for it.</p>
<p>Do note that it is quite common for applicants into top schools to have it anyway, so that is not going to give you a booster or hurt you.</p>
<p>@Brightred</p>
<p>Not at his school though. Won't they consider his environment?</p>
<p>wow, thanks a lot for the feedback and advice.</p>
<p>@ lilyrobin
I do understand your point of view, and I know I sounded as if I was in for just the award, but I am honestly interested in the subjects. If it was subjects I had no desire for (sciences or math), I wouldn't even consider it.</p>
<p>@ Hurt
Thank you for the advice on what courses I should take. I was thinking about taking APES, but the problem is my school offers that course for seniors, and I was planning on taking senior year. Same goes for Eng. Lit. If I do it now, I'm afraid I'm going to have few APs to take, and would end up just taking honors or reg. science/english. Thank you for the advice though.</p>
<p>@ Ice
lol we're pretty similar I guess. See you at the top, indeed</p>
<p>@ Brightred
I'm applying mostly to UCs, as well as a few IVY's, so I just want something to put on my appliction.</p>
<p>@Hurt</p>
<p>They look at the number of APs availible vs. number taken. </p>
<p>Award or not doesn't make a difference.</p>
<p>Oh, well if you are actually interested in them, go for it. I thought you were really just doing it for the award and didn't care about the subjects-that would have been a dumb thing to do. But if you do really like the subjects and are willing to put the much effort into it, more power to you!</p>