<p>I ended up registering late for my school's AP tests and it's an expensive late fee so I want to only sign up for AP tests that I should take or would help me the most. As of right now, the most realistic group of colleges I could go to, in order from most likely at this point to least likely, is UIUC, USC, Michigan, Northwestern, among a few other less likely ones.</p>
<p>If I were to sign up for every AP test I could, it would be both AP Physics C tests, Calculus BC, American government and politics, Comparative gov and politics, English literature, and both economics tests. </p>
<p>So far, I got a 5 on ap us history and human geography, and a 3 on english language and comp. </p>
<p>I am a business major and I have never actually taken economics course but I would self study from a couple review books for the tests. </p>
<p>So with both of my 5s coming from social studies classes, are the gov and politics AP tests really going to help? should I go to all the trouble to self study for the economics test (I have the confidence and ability to get a 4 or a 5 on the test)? </p>
<p>thanks for the help</p>
<p>You want to concentrate on the AP exams that will give you the biggest bang for your buck. That means that you need to check the websites of the colleges/universities that you have been accepted to (no acceptances yet? then check the places you have applied to), and find out which AP exams will get you credit and/or placement for classes that can replace some of your general education credits. That will leave you more time to concentrate on your major, and on electives that you really do want to take.</p>
<p>For example, if you know now that you are an English Lit major, and the Physics and Calculus exams will get you out of your math and science requirements for your degree, take them. It is probably as waste of time to take exams that will place you out of the introductory course in your probable major. It usually is better for you to take that class at your university so that you get the basic training that the rest of the major is built on. However, it may be worth a call to the department to find out what they think. If students with a 4 or 5 on the AP exam normally jump successfully into upper-level courses, taking that exam can save you time, trouble, and money.</p>
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<p>If the major requirement is a peripheral one (i.e. not a core prerequisite for other courses in the major), then skipping it with AP credit if allowed should be reasonably safe. Otherwise, it would be a good idea to try the college’s final exam for the course that you are allowed to skip to see how your knowledge stacks up against the expectations in the college course.</p>
<p>For a business major, calculus and economics would be the most applicable AP tests. Many colleges allow business majors to take a less rigorous “calculus for business majors” course, so using AP calculus credit may not be as much of a concern as it would be for a physics or engineering major. Introductory economics is usually not not that difficult a course in college anyway. But check each college for its specific details (and its old final exams).</p>