<p>Okay, I’m pretty confused. I don’t get why people self study some APs that you don’t have to take in college. For example, why self-study Psychology when you don’t even need to take psychology in college unless that’s your major. Isnt that how it works? What are classes that everyone has to take in college? This is confusing. Can someone explain how we get AP credit? Like US History, do you even need to take us history in college? Whats the point of taking the ap class then?</p>
<p>You can use it to buff up your college application or get various scholar awards. Some other people love learning subjects by preparing for an exam. I’m self-studying AP Computer Science A next year to bring my total by the end of my senior year up to 9 for National AP Scholar, so if I get a 3 on one of the exams I can make up for it with 8 4s and 5s. I’m also self-studying it because I’m genuinely interested in the subject.</p>
<p>Some colleges require courses that you can take care of with AP credit. For example, if you want to be a Biology major in college, you may need to take an introductory Chemistry course. If you take AP Chemistry and do well on the exam, you may not have to take that course in college.</p>
<p>AP English language or literature are useful… most schools require a writing class. For my school psych is part of the general education requirements. Also a math would be useful</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>wait, self study english language?</p>
<p>For me, the AP exams keep up my motivation to study subjects that interest me. While I’m interested in learning physics and calculus, I don’t think I can keep up with it on my own if it weren’t for the prospect of the exam.
Of course, college credit and AP awards are pluses and additional motivators 
And to answer the question in your title, if I had to choose the best cost-benefit AP, I’d pick psychology. It’s very easy/fast to learn and extremely applicable to daily life. Group polarization or availability heuristics, anyone?</p>
<p>O Okay, so I’m wondering what are the general requirements for colleges, so I can take those AP classes. I don’t want to take AP classes that I don’t need to because I don’t have to take them in college. Do requirements change, or do all colleges require the same classes that everyone must take?</p>
<p>For that, you have to check individual college websites. Some colleges (especially private) don’t even accept AP credit, while state schools accept the majority of AP credits.</p>
<p>O all right. Anyone know if middle eastern is considered a minority in admissions?</p>
<p>In practice, most of the commonly self-studied ones (e.g. Statistics, Environmental Science, Psychology, Human Geography, etc.) are the ones least likely to be given credit and/or placement by universities. Those most commonly associated with high school AP courses (e.g. English Literature and Calculus AB and BC) are the ones most likely to be given credit and/or placement by universities. But check each university to be sure.</p>
<p>Some APs can make up fo elective credits and there are some APs that are generally accepted by most universities. Calculus BC and Languages seem to be accepted by most universities.</p>
<p>It depends on the school. Most (liberal arts at least) colleges will require you to take an English, Science, Math, History, FL, Arts, etc. and if you get the right AP score then you can bypass some of those. </p>
<p>To me self studying and taking the class are very different. So at my school 10th graders have a choice between World Cultures and AP Human Geography. I have no use for APHuG but it looks much better on applications and it’ll be more interesting.</p>
<p>O Okay, I see.</p>
<p>No APs are essential to self-study. Anyone who self-studies is either:</p>
<ol>
<li>desperately seeking a marginal boost for their college application.</li>
</ol>
<p>or</p>
<ol>
<li>actually trying to get more college credit.</li>
</ol>
<p>CC is filled with rabid students who fit the first description.</p>
<p>I self-studied English Lit, and getting a 5 on the exam got me out of a placement exam for college. I was in a non-AP English class, but I wanted to take the exam anyway.</p>
<p>I’m not really looking to boost my app cuz its pretty good. However, I would be interested to self study because I like psychology and I want to place out in college. The real question is would i have to take it in college?</p>
<p>Depends on your major/ the college.</p>
<p>Also, I think Middle Easterners are considered white in college admissions. Anyway, they aren’t part of the URM label.</p>
<p>^Yeah, you’re right. I think that’s annoying though, because they’re obviously not white.</p>
<p>Some people self study because their school doesn’t offer the course. Others, like myself, were interested in the topic (psychology), but couldn’t fit into school schedule. Self-studying is also a valuable tool as many classes in college, you’ll be forced to self study whether be a professor who’s terrible at teaching, or another who gives you autonomy and expects you to become more independent.</p>
<p>If you take AP psych now and get the necessary score, you’d be exempt from an introductory psych class and eligible to take an advanced class. If you were just interested in the material, like I was, you may still be able to receive a “liberal arts/humanities/core curriculum” requirement, as almost any college makes you take classes outside of your major.</p>