<p>Good AP scores beyond your curriculum are nice to have, but unlikely to make up for lousy grades. AP scores indicate that you were able to master the material, but don’t really say anything about what kind of student you are. Harvard is unlikely to look favorably on students who don’t bother to do well in class, knowing they can just cram to do well at the end. Harvard wants students who will do well throughout their classes here, rather than blowing off everything but the final.</p>
<p>Anyway, APs ARE NOT extracurriculars. Having them is nice if you have them in addition to extracurriculars, but self-studying with a book by yourself by no means absolves you of the need to have an otherwise impressive resume.</p>