Take AP exams without taking the class?

<p>Currently I'm taking College Credit Calculus, English, and Economy as well as AP Biology. I hear that if it's a college course you're taking in high school, it's certified to let you take the AP Exam. It would be awfully hard still, but could I still take a crack at some AP Exams(with some study before of course!)? </p>

<p>Would colleges appreciate the effort even if I get a 2 on the exam but I still didn't take the actual AP course? If I do enough practice tests with prep books I feel that I can get some college credit here.</p>

<p>well, you probably won't get college credit no matter what - you can place out of courses but it's not often that you get actual credit. as for your classes, you'll probably do fine on calc with your college credit class (how many semesters? if it's two, take ab; three, bc)... how well you do on the english/econ tests depend on the class level. take practice tests. lots and lots. </p>

<p>colleges probably wouldn't appreciate a 2... i think they'd probably expect better judgement, i.e. if you didn't think you knew the subject well enough to pass the test, you shouldn't have taken it in the first place. you can always try, though, and not report the score.</p>

<p>To my knowledge, colleges look at your APs and they play some role in admissions, but not very much. I think it would do more to demonstrate your ambition than anything else, so go ahead and take it if its in a subject you want to exhibit a high level of interest in, but don't take it just to say you took an AP test.</p>