Your school is going to want a deeper speech than just about GPA and AP classes. That is shallow. They want something more inspiring and thoughtful.
Here’s one of the articles on the trend against tallying AP courses:
The purpose isn’t to overload myself so I can’t do anything else, but rather that I or anyone can take all these classes and test and still volunteer and be leaders and have social lives.
@Dovahkiin012200 You don’t know what tippy top colleges really look for, eh? That’s your first problem and all the AP classes (tests) in the world won’t fix that.
@lookingforward sounds like an advertisement. What do they look for? Again I am doing the test regardless if it boost my application or not, just wanted to know if it would help.
If you want to be top college quality, you have to the sort who thinks on their level, not what you think impresses in your one high school. The sort who looks for the fuller picture of what they value, on his own. And the notion a grad speech to seniors and their families will inspire?
I think you got an answer from every single poster here that it will not help, but you might want to contact Guinness World Records and see if they might be interested.
All those APS will HURT your app, not help. You will look like an obsessed test taker (which is very common in California.)
I understand that grades and test aren’t everything. I started on this path without the intention of impressing colleges; I was doing it on my own to prove to myself I was capable.
@Ballerina016 Yeah you’re right.
@suzyQ7 Now why is it a bad thing? What if I’m genuinely interested in those subjects? And I still have time to help others as well as volunteer and participate in clubs? Asking through the lens of college admissions.
There are 100 other things you could do with that time. Your app needs to tell a story. If the story is “I’m a typical highly competitive test taking machine from CA” then it’s a boring story. Do you think the fact that you took 18 APs looks any better then another CA student who took 12?
Get a job if you have so much free time.
P.S. All the self study APS senior year are useless. They will not be on your transcript and u won’t sit for the exam until after you are admitted to college. So they are hypothetical APs.
I’m not sure what else I can do (other than get a job). I plan to create websites and run a small business and start a few clubs. I come from a low income single mom type of family, but I find that story kinda boring. I am taking the AP test for my own personal reasons. Same goes for the business and starting clubs; it’s not to look impressive however it would be nice if that were the case.
Get a job! It’s an AP course in life and you will need the money in college.
How do you plan to pay for so many AP tests if you are low income? I believe you get only so many fee waivers.
Creating websites and businesses - being an entrepreneur - is much more interesting and potentially effective.
Actually, websites, “businesses,” and starting some clubs isn’t an “it.” And not for CS and EE. Not at a top stem college. What’s the current vol work, do you have math-sci ECs? Do you have the gpa?
And when they look at the transcript, you need to match the recommended curriculum, as classes, not self study. If EH and WG don’t show, they’ll notice. Physics C should also be a class.
I have a 4.65 GPA. Physics C is not a class offered at my school. All the self study classes are not offered at my school. I went to an engineering camp at Berkeley last summer and plan to take a computer science class during the summer. Besides that and creating websites for clubs I don’t have Math or Science ECs. I volunteer as a tutor to kids at a local home for kids going through hardship, started a tutoring program at my school, and volunteer through a club at my school (key club).
Have you taken your SAT or ACT yet?
Colleges want to see how you do in classes over the semester.
AP Tests may or may not get you credits, but that is for your benefit.
Practically, you say you are self-studying Statistics, Psychology, Computer Science A, Comparative government, and Physics C: Mechanics…colleges.have no evidence you are doing this an dyour AP test results won’t come up until after you are accepted.
http://admission.stanford.edu/basics/selection/prepare.html
“Choosing Courses
We expect applicants to pursue a reasonably challenging curriculum, choosing courses from among the most demanding courses available at your school. We ask you to exercise good judgment and to consult with your counselor, teachers and parents as you construct a curriculum that is right for you. Our hope is that your curriculum will inspire you to develop your intellectual passions, not suffer from unnecessary stress. The students who thrive at Stanford are those who are genuinely excited about learning, not necessarily those who take every single AP or IB, Honors or Accelerated class just because it has that designation.”