I disagree with lookingforward. OP should not be worrying about “the competition”–he should be taking what he wants to take. If he’d be bored in AP Bio, why take it? That’s a way to make sophomore year terrible. If he’s smart enough to do well on the exam anyway, more power to him. Who cares if he’s going “too fast”? Too fast for what?
OP, don’t twist yourself into a knot following all this advice about beating the “competition.” How would the posters here know whether colleges like self-study or not? They are mostly kids like yourself, or parents. Besides, all college admissions offices are different. Frankly, I’d be impressed with a 15 year old with enough initiative to study for an AP test for an entire year.
Study what you are interested in. The rest will fall into place. This is how I approached my kids’ education and it worked out far better than I ever could’ve hoped.
OP mentioned Harvard and Stanford and needs a grasp of reality. Indulgence only gets one so far. You don’t get in by “taking what he wants to take.” And a number of posters here know through experience. Nor do we usually suggest being bored is a legit decision point.
If OP wants to come down a big notch from two of the most competitive colleges, fine. Then it’s different.
There are no hard and fast formulas. But savvy covering the right bases is within a student’s control.
Unlike you, we’ve been through the admissions process with our children/students or ourselves and share what we have learned from discussions with AO’s. And to answer the specific question about self study, I have recounted this tale many times: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/20923603#Comment_20923603
Actually, except for the OP who is a freshman, you, as a junior, are the only HS student on this thread. SO I would caution the OP from taking advice from someone who does not yet know how much s/he does not know. @lookingforward is correct, IMO.
I’m still here too! (HS senior). In my opinion there’s a middle ground between what @lookingforward and @yongxiu say. Sure, you have to take hard classes to get into top colleges, but you don’t need AP Bio specifically if you don’t want to take it. If you’re not interested in a biology intensive field (medicine… etc) then it’s perfectly fine to take Freshman Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics, then a post-AP dual enrollment science. That shows plenty of depth and breadth, and actually makes you stand out a little more as an applicant. He’s not proposing replacing AP Bio with AP underwater basket weaving!
Also, you should either take the AP class or not take the AP class, don’t worry about self studying. That time is better spent perusing interesting ecs and maitining your sanity.
To clarify my position, it’s fine not to take every single science AP, so if the OP does not want to take AP Bio, then don’t take AP Bio. Just ensure the balance of the schedule is rigorous enough. But in choosing not to take AP Bio, don’t waste time self studying it, with the possible exception of if you are targeting schools that hand out AP credits like candy (which does not describe Harvard and Stanford). In almost every case, the time spent self studying would prove more beneficial elsewhere.
OP is in 9th. It’s too early to tell him the decisions, going forward, that will work best for him- especially when it’s advice based on another’s hopes. Let him consider what advances him best toward his goals. Encourage him to be properly informed.
CC is already full of frantic seniors, asking if they’re competitive enough, hoping their picture is good enough, will this or that outweigh some issue. Let a kid just starting 9th keep doors open, not assume.
Especially for STEM. You can do what you want, but in the end, the college targets need to choose you. Be smart. Cover the right bases.
You should focus more on living a little bit and slow down with the courses. Take Cal BC or whatever it is and take whatever science class interests you the most, and focus more on the things that matter in life.
