<p>Sorry I just copy pasted off your post. I meant only Calc BC. I’m doing AP chemistry not AP Clac AB</p>
<p>oh allright. </p>
<p>APs are somewhat then Board exams of the USA students. Its spread across a period of 20 days. Each day has 2 exams. So its technically possible to do all the APs (save a few repetitions). Its not at all like a SAT 2. Its a 100 times harder.</p>
<p>And why am I doing it you ask?? In the academics section of my Common app, i mentioned that I will be doing these. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that a Common app school to accept me. I presumed I was destined for a Purdue or Illinois. But, ah well. I got into Penn ed so now I guess I HAVE to do my APs. I don’t want to risk anything.</p>
<p>Well, if I’d taken APs I would take at least 9 of them.</p>
<p>Calculus BC
Psychology
Chemistry
European History
United States History
Physics C: Mechanics<br>
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism†
English Language and Composition
Macroeconomics
Statistics
Microeconomics</p>
<p>These are the APs that I might have taken. They’re pretty expensive and they’re really of no use to me, so I’m not taking them. I’d get at least 3 on each and slaughter the science tests :)</p>
<p>Nothing below a 5 is good enough apparently!</p>
<p>You need 4 or 5 for credit. I was planning on taking them but I thought I’d chill. But apparently the CMU CS curriculum requires a person to have AP CS A knowledge to do well. So I was planning on just going thru the book without taking the exam because I don’t want the credit since I want to take intro courses in order to get accustomed to everything.</p>
<p>^ so, you got your acceptance packet ?</p>
<p>this intro course BS is a myth that has to be shattered.
APs will never let you ‘skip’ a course. It will just make it easier for you to get a A in it. The amount of time you spend in class will be the same. There is no way to reduce ait apart from
- Not taking the class.
- Bunking.
APs boost your GPA significantly.</p>
<p>I’m getting it on Monday… Stupid UPS is not open today! So its probably rotting at the UPS office or at the airport or something 
:(</p>
<p>Didn’t get you Karan</p>
<p>How come you all are talking about APs and stuff? Karan, I know you’re in Dubai. What about you, Ani? You also non-resident-indian? I don’t know if they are available in India?</p>
<p>They’re available in India, collegebeckons… I think they’re available in most metro cities. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, etc… But seats are obviously limited. There is this ISC school here which offers AP training btw.</p>
<p>Whoa… I did not know that… then the A-levels (British) would be available too? I SOO wanted to go to LSE but could not as they don’t really accept CBSE graduates. :(</p>
<p>You can give the A level as a private candidate-you just have to register with the nearest British Council office.</p>
<p>
i think most of the ones I’ve been in Puttu. I’ve been in at least 5 ECs since I was 4, us admissions came up in 12th, and it was a pleasant surprise to know that they have more use than pure recreation.
I’ll get back to indian classical dance, maybe also start learning a western style like salsa, continue with my sport, or I think I might shift over to training for competitive swimming, continue with environmentalism…only stuff I’m letting go of is debate and drama, Interact and student govt. Drama,I plan to do in college, don’t want to join NSD here. Might fill the gap with horse riding/ taekwondo and aerobics. You are proficient in Karnatak music? Noice! 
I had karnatak music classes for some time before i switched to hindustani, which was before I quit music fully to focus on dance more. Never could sit still for long. 
anyway, I think karnatak music is very nice. It’s quite difficult to sing though imo. Can u pursue ur interest in karnatak music in HK?</p>
<p>ok let me re-explain.
Everyone thinks that by doing APs you can skip a few courses and thus make graduating early a real possibility. But the counter thought process is that people think that the courses you skip are the intro courses. International students need the intro courses to grow accustomed to the US style of teaching.</p>
<p>However, none of this is true. APs give you a few extra credits. Thus it boosts your ‘grade’ which adds to your GPA. AP do not let you skip an intro course, in fact intro courses are mandatory.
By finishing reports and project work you earn a part of your grade( this is for all courses). The other part of the grade is determined through a test at the end of each semester. All APs do is let you get a higher grade even if you mess up a report or an exam. APs basically make getting a high GPA easier.</p>
<p>Hope this clarifies confusion.</p>
<p>And those of you wondering as to how I know this. Penn International Mentor FTW :)</p>
<p>oh and collegebeckons - You can do A-Levels also. But I doubt if your city has it (cuz its my hometown and I know it). However, Delhi does it have. So you can still register and give them in June (or May, I forget).
I actually gave A-Levels in November last year. They are no challenge what so ever.
I had appllied to UCAS schools also. Accepted - Bath, Bristol. Rejected - Imperial College London. Interview - Cambridge (I didn’t go for it cuz there was no point as Penn had already taken me) BTW for this interview you have to go to the college. </p>
<p>I now realize that no one asked me for all this. And now I feel stupid. LOL, After Boards party hangover :)</p>
<p>Hey Karan!
wow, that was an information overload! Lol. CONGRATULATIONS ON FINALLY GETTING THROUGH TWELFTH. Some of my best years were spent in my school but, honestly, college sounds sooo exciting. If a little daunting, you know!</p>
<p>I wish I’d known OR been enterprising enough to look up the internet for A levels in India. Ah… all’s well that ends well I guess!</p>
<p>Imagine what 30th march would feel like. I am planning to:</p>
<ol>
<li>open 6 tabs with Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth IN THAT ORDER</li>
<li>be completely SEALED in my room</li>
<li>have a box full of tissues near me</li>
<li>prepare my folks for a SCREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM. Good or bad? Aaargh.</li>
</ol>
<p>What are your preparations???
Karan, you should have waited for RD. It is SO MUCH FUN! </p>
<p>Nah, scrap that. Not much fun. Very nerve-wracking. But why are you HERE? Your college’s done and all!!</p>
<p>^Since you already got into Cornell shouldn’t that be 5 tabs? :p</p>
<p>I’m not doing any APs. For my major, my IB subjects are enough to get me credit/boost my GPA/whatever their purpose may be. Assuming I end up at an American college, that is. The way things are going I’ll probably end up having done the IB for the heck of it.</p>
<p>I want my 100th post to be the one announcing my Ivy league admissions. 24 more to go for 99… grr… have to very thrifty now! :)</p>
<p>You’re rather excited aren’t you collegebeckons? I’m the complete opposite lol. I’m so anesthesized against the whole process now that March 30th is the last thing on my mind. I’m looking forward to the India-Pak match more than I am to this. Maybe because I only have one decision on that day, and I’m already resigned to the fact that it’s a no. I’ll take it in my stride. I’m out with my friend that day anyway since she has a lot more substantial decisions coming out then, so I’ll just eat, drink, and be merry, whatever happens :)</p>
<p>^ hehe. She’s so excited, it’s almost contagious (and irritating). j/k :p</p>
<p>I’m not looking fwd to the 31st. At all. I’ve had a fair share of rejections and wait-lists already. Give me a break.</p>