Which is easier: Self-Studying an AP or taking an AP course?

[Salve]

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@ttyl8

I agree… one should take the AP class if it’s offered. However, I don’t think people should take AP classes just because they’re AP, unless they’re genuinely interested in the subject. So if one was going into the humanities and the only AP offered in the school was AP Chemistry, then I’d say the person should self-study a humanity instead.

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<p>I would have to also agree with you on this. If the AP is not offered at the school, then self-studying is obviously the only method. I also agree that people should not take AP classes just because they are AP, but people should also not self-study AP just because it is AP (and they want the National AP Scholar thing).</p>

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@ttyl8

Let’s put it this way. If you asked me to recall the stuff I self-studied 2 years ago versus the stuff I learned as a course 2 years ago, I’d recall the stuff I self-studied better. Why? Because there’s a difference between when I’ve stared at a textbook, tried to understand the concept, and taught the concept to myself and when I’ve been spoon-fed the same information.

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<p>You are speaking from only your own experience and therefore making a general assumption. In my own experience, most of my AP classes certainly do not “spoon-feed” information. Teachers provide students with tons of extra material from their own experience for the student to look over. This material certainly provides for a deeper understanding and a more fulfilling experience. Like you have said, when self-studying a person must sit down and try to consume simply the material in their textbooks. They do not have the extra materials that the teacher provides from their “professional” knowledge. Trying to memorize information from a textbook will not help a person remember nearly as much as if they had a textbook+supplementary information+a teachers assistance.</p>

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@ttyl8

Self-studying an AP would probably be the first thing those people have ever attempted to study for and the people finally learn how to study.

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<p>But do people really self-study to improve their study skills? A good student will attempt to hone their study skills while taking a class. This is also beside the point for making self-studying impressive.</p>

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@ttyl8

Is this just an assumption, misconception, or what? I’m offended that you’re suggesting that I don’t understand the material by self-studying as well, if not better, than people who took it as a course. Quite often, I find that I understand the material more in-depth than my classmates who took it as a course. I often get asked for help from people who are taking the course- even though I’ve self-studied the whole thing. Plus, I learn the material of what’s not covered in the course (since, as mentioned earlier, most courses don’t have enough time to cover everything).

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<p>This view I took is not something that even warrants offense. You are comparing people with two different attitudes toward studying. Think of someone who is equal in their study skills and motivation. Who is going to do better and have a better understanding? The one who self-studied or the one who took a year long class. I think the one who took the class will. I don’t know if you personally have a better understanding or not, but think of someone who is just as motivated towards studying and such as yourself who is taking the class. They will get a lot more out of the subject then you would self-studying.</p>

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@ttyl8

That’s the whole point why self-studying is so impressive. Self-studying requires discipline, which many people don’t have.

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<p>Now look at the college’s perspective. Who do you think the colleges will pick as having a better understanding of the subject? The self-studier or class taker. Colleges don’t know you personally or the course offered at the school, so they have to assume that the course is comprehensive and comparable to a college course. Therefore, in the colleges view, a person who took the class will be more prepared and have technically taken the college class. That is the point to AP. It is not exactly meant to be self-studied, it is supposed to assume that you have taken a class comparable to if you took a college class. Therefore, the AP acts as the college final at the end of the course. Do colleges view self-studying as more impressive? I doubt it. Now if your school offers no AP courses, but you self-study and take the AP tests, this will be impressive. Not because of the fact that you self-studied, but because you showed the determination to do courses that are not offered. If you self-studied an AP that is offered at your school, I don’t find that impressive. Colleges just see that you took a course and took the test. They usually don’t even care if you self-studied or not. In a colleges perspective, it is not any more impressive.</p>

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@ttyl8

Again, is this an assumption? This isn’t true for many self-studiers either.

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<p>This is not an assumption, this is a conclusion based off of not only many people on this forum site, but also from my own experience with students at other schools. Who are these “many self-studiers” you speak of? The ones you know at your school? That is not a very good sample group because it is from a single school or area.</p>

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@ttyl8

As for your analogy… as a matter of fact, I’ve taught myself several instruments and I find that I’m more determined & focused than many other students who actually have a teacher. So I don’t understand what you’re talking about.

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<p>As a matter of fact, I’ve also taught myself several insturments. So I am not speaking with nothing to back it up. Again, it depends on the sample group you are talking about. Some people are forced, whether by parents or others, to pursue an instrument. You must take people of the same level. Do you think that your self-teaching of an instrument is better than someone who is just as motivated and determined as you who has a teacher? Not to assume, but I would say no. You have to compare people of equal aspects, not of two ones.</p>

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@ttyl8

You’re right about the part that it’s possible to learn something incorrectly. It may take a long time for a musician to correct bad habits (since learning a musical instrument is pretty much procedural learning/ non-declarative memory), but Sciences (and the other subjects even more so) involve mostly declarative memory so it shouldn’t take too long to correct.

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<p>But, why waste your time trying to correct your understanding with the guidance of a professional when you can simply of had a teacher teach it to you correctly in the first place? With a teacher’s guidance, a person can generally more accurately obtain information. I am basing this off of the general AP courses. Of course sometimes there will be a bad teacher, but when making a general statement this does not really have any effect.</p>

<p>I am not saying that a person shouldn’t self-study, as I think it is a great alternative if there is no course available or if it is impossible to fit it into your schedule. I just don’t find it to be more impressive (especially in the colleges eyes) to have self-studied. So if self-studying is indeed more impressive, then shouldn’t I have just self-studied all of my AP classes and then colleges would have found me to be a very impressive student? I highly doubt it. I am self-studying Physics C because it is not offered at my school. That makes sense, but I don’t think I am more impressive because of it.</p>