<p>Basically, that is my question. Would it be pointless to take AP exams one's senior year if you self-study for them? Will colleges see that you self-studied for them or would it be too late?</p>
<p>They will if you tell them. On the AP section of the APs, there's room for you to write the AP exams you took or are taking, and the date you took (or will take) them on.</p>
<p>But couldn't a loser just write a bunch of APs that he's never gonna take just to get in?</p>
<p>No, because most colleges don't consider AP exams in the admissions process. The ones that do, however, are the top colleges, so clearly taking a lot of AP exams won't guarantee, or even give you a significantly better chance, of admission.</p>