I’d like to self-study either AP Statistics or AP Literature for the AP test at the end of this year. I am currently a senior, and couldn’t take either of these classes due to a 3 AP class maximum per semester at my school. I have never taken an AP english course, mostly because while I got the grades necessary, I dislike english. I am currently taking AP Calculus, and I wonder if taking the AP Stat test would help me later on in my future. I am going into a Biology-centered major, with a focus on pre-med.
Thanks!
Why?
IMO,taking a statistics class would help you more in the future. Take it in college.
Another question I have is, because I haven’t taken any AP English courses, would that hurt me at all in the admissions practice? I am 100% sure I want to do something science related.
Nobody can answer that question in a vacuum.
If you have had a rigorous schedule fore 4 years with honors/AP classes fairly well distributed between STEM and humanities, then no, not taking AP English will not hurt you. No college expects a student to take every AP offered. However, if all one’s honors/AP classes are STEM-related, then yes, not taking AP English could hurt.
I have taken two humanities AP classes, namely AP Psychology (not 100% sure if this is actually humanities) and AP United States History. I’ve also taken Honors World Studies and Honors English during my freshman year.
AP psych, US, H world, H English- no more? This can’t be the full non-stem list, right?
And you want Mich, Case, JHU, OSU or Cornell?? Did you ever look at what these expect for hs prep? Will your GC label this a “most demanding” courseload?
So many stem kids apply with at least one AP English, when the hs offers it.
Plus, self study as a senior won’t give you any test score to give adcoms some notion you really worked it. And all (but maybe OSU a bit less so) will be holistic, looking for your rounded academics (as well as ECs,) not just some claim to be stem focused.
My school only offers 8 non fine-arts APs - 4 humanities, 4 STEM. The two honors courses I took were during my freshman year, when I attended a different school. Also, there are only 5 classes per semester, and teachers strongly recommend having a free period, which leaves only 4 academic courses per semester. Additionally, there is a 3 AP maximum per semester policy in effect. When I transferred, it completely messed up my schedule. At the school I transferred too, students took biology and chemistry during their freshman years. I had to take these sophomore year, so all of my courses were basically pushed back a year. There are also no designated honors courses at the school I currently attend. This is why I mainly prioritized STEM courses over English courses. In addition, I didn’t want to force myself to take a class I knew that I hated.
Make sure your guidance counselor explains in the school profile the regular semester schedule (assuming it’s block scheduling?) is 4 classes per semester/block with a maximum of 3 AP’s.
However, keep in mind that 1° there’s glut of biology majors 2° the vast majority of freshman premeds never make it to med school 3° being premed is an intention. It means you’ll have to be top 10-20% in every class you take, including English - 2 semesters of English are actually required for med schools.
I understand. Do you believe not having an AP English class may hurt me in admissions? I understand that it won’t be the deciding factor in my admission decision, but will it affect me negatively in any way? @MYOS1634
Depends whether you took Honors classes in Humanities and Social Sciences along with your AP Stem classes. Depends on the universities you’re aiming for.
Generally, though AP English Language is considered a key class since it is important for everything else. So, yes, not having that class (indicating either an unwillingness or an insufficient ability to take it) would be negative. However, since you took APUSH, which also requires a lot of reading and writing, it may be a mitigating factor. We don’t know what a big deal it could be.
AP English Lit is more of a class for future Humanities/Social Science majors. In any case self studying it wouldn’t matter, as self studied AP’s don’t matter to Admissions, especially when it’s senior year.
What universities are you aiming for?
@MYOS1634 I am 100% sure I’m applying to Johns Hopkins, Case Western, University of MIchigan, and Ohio State. I may also apply to URochester, Wake Forest, and Cornell.
Also, in addition to really hating English, the teacher that teaches AP Lang is notoriously bad (highest grade earned last year was a B+, but most people get Bs). I understand that this is not an excuse, but I guess it might help you see into my mindset about why I did not take the class.
“I dislike english.”
“I am 100% sure I want to do something science related.”
I think that you have answered your own question wrt AP Literature. You don’t like English, you would miss a lot in not sitting in on AP classes to discuss the various books that you would need to read, and you already have a busy schedule. The ability to speak and write coherently in English is important for a science major, but being way ahead in English Literature is not. IMHO I think that you should skip this one.
@skieurope said “IMO,taking a statistics class would help you more in the future. Take it in college.”
I agree. You are already taking AP calculus. Calculus is going to be important going forward. Take this class very seriously and do well in it. As a science major you will want to take statistics in university and do well in it also.
Also, senior year you will have the equivalent of an extra class, consisting of researching colleges, college applications, visiting schools, comparing offers from schools, visiting again and deciding where you want to go, and so on. This will take a significant amount of time and effort.
Just my opinion, but I would say “no” to self studying either of these. Focus on the classes that you are taking, including your existing 3 AP classes. You have a good schedule already.
Yes, it will matter to the more competitive schools on your list that you have no advanced English when the top end competition is likely to have AP lang and AP lit. You may have reasons, but the colleges are the ones picking and have many perfectly qualified applicants to choose among.
Was there any English besides 9th?
And you’ve really got to quit saying you dislike or hate it. It’s just not the intellectual attitude needed for top colleges. They don’t want the sort who says it or purposely ignores the challenge. Not to mention that med school relies heavily on one’s ability to read, read large amounts, and process.
I think maybe you haven’t researched targets well enough. You’d see their recommended hs prep (courses.)
I hoped you might hint you’d be willing to rearrange, to fit it in. Or consider at least an online class.
Is 9th English really the only time?
It’s one thing to say it here. It’s quite another to say it in the real world. No college will view explanations of “the teacher was bad” or “the teacher was a hard grader” as valid reasons. That said, you can’t unring the bell in terms of your past classes.