Taking 14 tests next year. Would taking a year off to wait for scores hurt me??

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
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<p>I’ve got a really good memory and a fast reading speed.</p>

<p>When I started High school I was put in the normal classes. I wasn’t honors, but I wasn’t at the lowest classes either. I was college prep.</p>

<p>Last year, after successfully showing that I could do well on my classes, I asked my counselor to place me on a couple AP classes. She refused and only placed me in one. AP Euro.</p>

<p>I was angry and for the most part fooled around because of it. Stupid, I know. About two weeks from the exam I started to freak out and finally opened my book and started studying. When exam time came, I got a 4. Now I know a 4 is not a 5, but if I was able to get a 4 on a test which for the most part I had not studied for, why not do the same for several other classes?</p>

<p>So I decided to take 14 tests next year:</p>

<p>World Hist
US hist
US Gov
Comp Gov
Micro Econ
Macro Econ
English Lit
English Lang
Bio
Psychology
Art Hist
Human Geography
Spanish Lit
Spanish Lang</p>

<p>I’ve looked over the content of world and human geo, and being a senior, I already know most of it. US hist and US Gov have pretty much the same thing, so its almost as if I were studying for one very hard test.</p>

<p>Micro and Macro are gonna be a bit of a challenge because I’m not good at math, although everyone says there’s no math involved just memorization of graphs, which I’m good at.</p>

<p>English lit and English lang are pretty much the same thing. Considering I’m taking the English lit course at my high school, English lang shouldn’t be a problem.</p>

<p>I took regular Biology back in my sophomore year. I aced the class. I’m thinking this is gonna be the same, except more work from the teacher.</p>

<p>Psychology is pretty much a joke as its all memorization. So is Art history.</p>

<p>I’m a native Spanish speaker so Spanish lang will be extremely easy. On the other hand, Spanish Lit requires reading. I’ve already bought the books for it and will start once I finish the rest.</p>

<p>I’ve bought in total about 12 different books. I’m currently halfway through the AP Gov one as well as halfway through the AP US hist one. </p>

<p>I don’t think AP classes are too hard. Actually, I do. I think the classes are hard because the teachers make them that way. The course itself, and the content which you must learn, is not.</p>

<p>My GPA is pretty good. I have 3.8 weighed, but unweighed its a crappy 3.4. My school doesn’t release unweighed. I don’t have any extra curriculars but school newspaper and fbla. I’m also 98th out of 300 in my class rank. The rest of the kids took honor courses. Usually people in my school only take about 5 APs total.</p>

<p>I think I would have a much better chance at getting into a good school, Cornell, or Columbia, were I to show them my AP scores from next year. But in order to do that, I would have to wait until July which is when scores are released, and by then, college admission letters have already been sent.</p>

<p>I would need to wait until December that year and then apply. I’m already a senior, so I would, in fact, be taking a year off. I guess I could work during that year as well as do community service. I won’t be behind any of the kids because if I do start in a good school, I would start as a sophomore.</p>

<p>So I’m wondering, would taking a year off and applying as a graduated high school student, instead of as an ongoing high school senior, hurt my chances to be accepted at a good school?</p>

<p>Also, don’t say getting good scores on several AP tests can’t be done. This guy did it, but he only got threes and studied for less time than I will (after january):</p>

<p>[YouTube</a> - ‪How I Completed 2 Years of College in 2 Months (Part I)‬‎](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bof3wbZV4bk]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bof3wbZV4bk)</p>

<p>I’m planning to get all 4s.</p>

<p>Even if I get threes on all exams I could still get into a crappy school like say West Chester University where threes are accepted and do like the guy did and only have to take two years of college.</p>

<p>I’m going to major in political science. I plan to go to law school after.</p>

<p>EDIT:
All my friends have told me I can’t take 14 tests and do well.
I calculated it.
A school year has 200 days. I missed about 20 last year, but I’ll count them anyway.
That’s 200 hours of hearing my teacher talk about AP euro. I did not study.
200 hours per year. If I were to study 8 hours a day, at the least, and I’m studying 14 at the moment, it would take me 25 days to review the entire material for one AP class.
I have 10 months until the exam and giving each month 30 days, I would be able to review for 12 courses. Considering I will hardly need to study for world, human geo, and spanish lang, I will have extra time for one class. </p>

<p>Note that that is only if I study 8 hours a day. I’ve been doing 14.</p>

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<p>

That should say, “Two years ago”.</p>

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</p>

<p>You contradicted yourself numerous times in your post, hinting that you are in fact not as intelligent as you believe yourself to be. I recommend not self studying for 14 AP exams, because even students who are accepted to Harvard do not take more than 10 exams in one year.
I hate to be the one to say this, but I don’t think you have the capacity to study for 14 AP exams in one year. Saying that Art History is a joke because all it requires is memorization displays your stupidity. Art History is very difficult and it’ll be even harder for you to pull off a 4 because you’re also studying 13 other exams.</p>

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</p>

<p>Dude, do you live in Philadelphia?</p>

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<p>Uh, what are you thinking?
No, do not take 14 aps next year. Yeah, so you fooled around and still got a 4. Chances are, when it comes down to it, your going to fool around again. AND you’ll have 13 other tests to worry about on top of it. NO ONE, can put 100% into all that so some of those subjects (most probably) will take a big toll, as will your ap test score. Take… 5 maybe. You don’t go from taking 1 ap to 14. That’s just down right psychotic. Plus maybe there was a reason your counselor only signed you up for 1 ap. I mean, you didn’t take 1 ap class seriously what makes you think you are going to take 14 seriously, AND on your own? It was just lucky you got a 4 dude. You need to do some serious rethinking.</p>

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<p>For one, I wasn’t asking about your opinion on the classes. Simply assume I get a 4 on each test. What I asked was, would my chances at being accepted at a good university be hurt if I take a gap year to wait for my exam scores? </p>

<p>

I’m not intelligent at all. I just remember things easily.
And how exactly was what you quoted a contradiction?
A 3.8 GPA is good, unless its weighed. When un-weighed its just a 3.4. </p>

<p>

Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean I can’t.
Art history is a joke. Its not difficult at all. People who I know that have taken the test have only read one book on it and still passed with 5s. Please don’t tell me what I can’t do. You don’t know me.

I came from a low income crappy middle school. Even though I was first in my class there, and had honors all around, and was even in the gifted program, she still urged that I only take prep classes instead of honors classes.

Might have been luck. But even if I get a three on all of them, I’ll still be able to get into a fallback school like west chester.</p>

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<p>

No. No, no, no.</p>

<p>Cut your list down to 4-5 and get 5s on them all instead.</p>

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<p>

That’d be impossible for me to get. At least in the short time that I have.
Can someone please answer what I’m asking instead of giving me a rant on how AP tests are hard?</p>

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<p>Don’t do it. Colleges won’t be impressed by 14 APs. You’re only stressing yourself out and wasting money on all those tests.</p>

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<p>Art History is by no means a joke, especially if you are self-studying it.</p>

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<p>Art history was not a joke, i think you are making a mistake. But, it;s your choice…
Just realize you are asking for a ton of stress and probably lots of disappointment. I don’t think it’s worth it, but best of luck.</p>

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<p>To answer your question directly, yes, it would hurt you.</p>

<p>AP exams aren’t weighted that heavily in the admissions process. Taking 14 COULD look good if you scored straight 5’s, but if that’s not the case, it’ll probably hurt you.</p>

<p>If you do take a year off, you’re expected to have a good reason and use it productively (conducting significant research, volunteering, etc.), so, if not, it’ll be tougher to get in than it would be if you just applied during your senior year.</p>

<p>Having to bear the burden of that expectation in exchange for AP exam scores isn’t worth it. If you really want to impress them with AP exams that badly, you can just mention than you’re self-studying 14 exams in the additional info section.</p>

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<p>14 5’s would probably be the only benefit when it comes to admissions from taking that many. And if you really want to take a year off, go join the Peace Corps or do some internships to bolster your application that way. Doing the work is much more impressive than fourteen 5’s. To be honest, I really don’t think you can get fourteen 5’s unless you blow off all your non-AP classes in school next year and not care about your SAT and SAT II’s (which are weighted much more heavily than AP exam scores).</p>

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<p>

Thank you.
I am only taking AP classes in my school. I am not taking any math at all because as I said, I’m not good at math. You can give me 20 books and I’ll read them without complaining, but you give me a small algebra problem and my brain shuts down.</p>

<p>If I apply this year, and get denied, am I able to apply next year?</p>

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<p>seriously… if you do 14 APs you are just crazy. seriously don’t expect good results on your exams if you do this.</p>

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<p>For all of you who say 14 APs in a year is impossible, you’re wrong. 14 APs is certainly feasible depending on how much summer work you do and which courses you take. That being said, these particular 14 probably wouldn’t be possible if you haven’t started yet. USH, AH, Bio, and Spanish lit all require a ton of reading, so I would recommend you remove one or two of these. After that, your tests should be fine. As for your original question, I wouldn’t recommend a gap year. I know this advice is a bit late, but self-studying is best before your senior year, so you have scores to show that you actually did the work. As of now, the only benefit you have from taking 14 tests is credit. If you say you’re studying 14 and you’ve only taken 1 before, admissions officers will have a hard time believing you’ll do well on them or even carry through with all 14.</p>

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<p>14 APs in a year is feasible if you are a good test taker. i got 11 5s my junior year and i didnt feel that overextended (and none of the 11 were joke APs), and it wouldnt seem like a few more would hurt if you were ok slaving away beginning in january just studying for them (which some people can do fine)</p>

<p>the fact that you got a 4 in euro does concern me. a test taker that could do well in 14 APs would probably need to be able to 5 a test even without studying extensively for it (since doing well on APs requires skill in logic more than anything else).</p>

<p>not only that, but it wont help you get into college, i know people who get into HYPMS with much fewer than say 10 tests before senior year, much less 15. spend your time doing other stuff :P</p>

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<p>Are you paying for all these tests?</p>

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<p>Wait if it is your senior year and you are trying to impress adcoms .Why not focus on raising your GPA or Standardized tests. It doesn’t matter what you score on these tests . The results will come during the summer.</p>

<p>And why exactly are you taking all these tests?
Is it to receive AP credit so you don’t have to take the classes in undergrad?
If it’s because you love to learn then you are better off taking the classes with lecture where you will learn the material in a better setting</p>

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<p>Also, you won’t receive credit for most of those tests at many schools. Especially if you plan on aiming for 4s.</p>

<p>Snap back to reality.</p>

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<p>Oh my God. Are you serious? This is like the dumbest thing I have heard. By the looks of your GPA and your rank, you’re not really the type of student that would be accepted by Cornell or Columbia, and having 14 extra AP scores will not help you. Even if I “assume you got fourteen 4s” (which won’t happen if you couldn’t even get a 5 on one AP), it won’t make enough of a difference for you to get accepted. APs aren’t even used heavily for admissions, they’re just meant for placement. And, schools like Cornell and Columbia have a cap on how many semesters you can place out of (I think just one). So even if you do get in, you won’t be graduating in 2 years. Just by the way you described how you can “ace” every AP, I can tell you are very immature. Do not do this. Trust me. Taking a year off will hurt.</p>