How do AP exams help international students?

Applying to College
1

<p>I will be graduating my 12th std this year. If i do not get any good university in my country (India) then i’ll try for the fall 2012 admission to US universities (of course i’ll be taking a gap year)
so two questions - </p>

<ol>
<li>If i give the AP exams, this May, will it be of any advantage to me during the admissions?</li>
<li>How is a gap year looked upon by the Admissions officers?</li>
</ol>

<p>Secondly during this gap year, I will be most probably volunteering in a remote tribal place and going to start a company (the business plans are already laid out) and one NGO apart from ofcourse studying for the Entrance Examinations that take place.</p>

<p>I am talking about all the universities from the most selective (MIT, Stanford, Caltech) to the least selective and I am interested in pursuing Science/Engineering combined with a few electives.
Thank you!</p>

2

<p>There is no reason for you to take any AP exams. The universities that you would apply to inthe USA are perfectly familiar with you national exams. Just do your best on those exams, on the ACT or SAT and any SATII exams that you decide to take.</p>

3

<p>You don’t need to stress to take an AP exam if it isn’t offered in your school… But it is clearly interesting for you to take it if the school offers it naturally as part of its academic opportunities. That is – if your school offers AP, taking them will make your curriculum seem more rigorous, which is clearly good.</p>

<p>A gap year in your situation is perfectly acceptable, and with the activities you intend to practice on such period, it could give you some good topics to write about in your essays.</p>