<p>I’m a rising 10th grader this summer, and I’m going to self-study Macro/microeconomics this summer. I’m planning to take around 7 APs in total. Do smaller APs like Psychology and EnviroSci still matter, or should I fuel that extra time into extracurriculars, GPA, etc.?</p>
<p>Exactly how much time would you devote to those two AP classes? Personally, I think extracurriculars and GPA are much more important, but those two classes take very little time to study for, so I think you could manage it all; if you had to choose, though, you should definitely focus your attention on ECs and your GPA.</p>
<p>I would disagree that environmental science is a “small” AP class; it is extremely demanding and has such a low passing rate because of people with sentiments about it like you.</p>
<p>I personally believe that there is no such thing as a “small AP.” AP classes in nature are demanding as they are representative of college level study. Yes, the material might be easier to learn or the teacher might be easy, but that is not the case for everyone, everywhere. I think 7 APs is a good amount, so I would focus on excelling in those and your ECs!</p>
<p>@benjaug
I’m sorry, but Environmental Science is THE biggest joke of all jokes.</p>
<p>For example, part of an essay question from the 2010 exam:
(c) An important contributor to global climate change is the release of CO2 from the rapidly increasing number
of coal-burning power plants in China. Assume that the coal burned at these plants to provide the power to
manufacture a single MP3 player releases 40 kg of CO2 and that it costs $0.75 to capture 1 kg of CO2 and
keep it from entering the atmosphere. Determine the cost, in dollars, to capture the total amount of CO2
released from manufacturing one MP3 player.</p>
<p>That’s just insulting, honestly.</p>
<p>??? envi sci also has fewer topics to cover and honestly when you think about it, its easily applicable knowledge like psych.</p>
<p>wow 7 APs as a sophomore… honestly drop your pencil and get on the dance floor</p>
<p>I agree with Gil. While I know that some schools may have a challenging AP Environmental Science course (my school doesn’t even offer it; self-study), the AP exam was the easiest that I’ve taken. With that being said, I’m sure I would have done much worse had I not reviewed Barrons and a couple of powerpoints I found on the internet a couple of days beforehand. The lack of preparation by some could contribute to the low pass rate that benjaug alluded to.</p>
<p>(no offense to benjaug, that’s just my opinion of the APES exam)</p>
<p>^^^^Wow, I cannot believe that a question that childishly simple would be put on an AP exam. Now I wish I had self-studied with my friend for this exam.</p>
<p>Hmm I think I’ll decide later on depending on how this year goes… my school actually might stop offering APES as a class, and they only have a regular psych class. Does it demonstrate discipline to self-study APs my school doesn’t offer or I can’t take as a class?</p>
<p>@NspiredOne lol I mean by the end of my senior year 7 APs would be what I have! =]</p>
<p>I missed a frq question on the APES test because I momentarily forgot how many millimeters are in a meter, probably due to stress and tiredness.</p>
<p>^I hate when that happens. I made the dumbest mistake on one of the Stat FRQs and it may cost me. My anxiety about AP scores gets worse each day :D</p>
<p>Oh, and I forgot to answer part of a question on both my APES and APHG tests. Blurg hopefully my MC saved me.</p>
<p>Soo, do you think a admin. officer would seriously look up on someday who took “harder” APs like APUSH instead of Psych.? What about something like Chem. vs. APES?</p>
<p>I go to a private college prep school where 3-4 APs is average for seniors. </p>
<p>[ul][<em>]AP Psych = joke AP history class
-other AP histories offered = AP Art History, AP World, & AP Comp Gov.<br>
-APUSH = 11th grade
-AP Euro = 10th grade
[</em>]AP Environmental Science = joke AP science class
-other AP sciences offered = AP Physics B, AP Physics C - M, AP Physics C - E&M, & AP Biology
-AP Chemistry = 11th grade[/ul]</p>
<p>That’s the general consensus at my school. Good for you the general consensus at my school doesn’t hold true for admissions at selective universities. I know people who took AP Psych over AP Comp or AP World since they had no interest in politics and thought about learning most of human history to be a mundane topic. He is currently a rising sophomore at Yale.</p>
<p>Admissions officers want to see you taking the hardest classes possible, but if you want to be a marine biologist would they rather see AP Chemistry or AP Environmental Science? It’s really subjective; I’d personally go for most rigorous course load that is manageable.</p>