Dovahkiin, if you want to give that many APs as a personal challenge, you definitely can go ahead and do it. However, as somebody who wants to be an engineer, I believe there are more challenging things you can do -
(in case URL is not visible, google “MIT Admissions Enrichment” - it’s a page about what you can do in high school as a science enthusiast, and hardly about MIT at all)
There are many olympiads you can take part in, and they all require higher level thinking (much, much more than APs). I would recommend you pick up one subject ( say, programming - for which the olympiad would be the IOI - International Olympiad in Informatics at the international level and USACO - USA Computing Olympiad at the qualifying level) and try and prepare for that particular olympiad in your free time(since you assert you get done with the day’s work quickly).
In the above webpage, you can also find websites for tinkering and building objects, and if you like that sort of thing, by all mean try that too.
BTW, Olympiads are not easy, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll do well at them. So that may come as a hard and bitter surprise to somebody who’s easily coming first in class. It would give you and idea about what to expect from a good college in terms of competition. It’s also harder to self-study for them (unlike APs, though you may be able to find stuff on the computing olympiad since well it’s computers), and it’s questionable whether a teacher could help(though in many cases they can).
As far as essays are concerned, talk to your parent or guidance counselor about them(whoever you hold in higher regard when it comes to writing). Being good in classes does not mean colleges like Cal (because Berkeley likes being called that), Stanford would automatically take you(obviously). While you should definitely not take random advice from people on an internet forum, you should definitely pay heed to what somebody who’s older and more experienced says ( I am doing this rant to remove any mental blocks you may have made, as I regretfully had). You don’t need an interesting or a story which makes you stand out. It’s the way you present the story.
And the above poster asks a pertinent question - what’s your SAT / ACT score? If you haven’t taken them, why not spend some doing practice papers?
Most importantly, DON’T BURN OUT. Rather than trying to do everything at once, doing things steadily may yield better returns.
There are a lot of accomplishments in the Guinness Book of World Records that some previously thought were impossible, but that doesn’t mean people find them inspiring. Won’t your peers just have the same reaction that the commenters have on this thread? And your peers won’t even know how many AP tests you eventually passed, so how would they be inspired? I agree with the commenter above who thinks that you could show off your academic skills in other ways.
I’m a high school senior- I’m graduating with 14 AP classes, but they were spread out all four years of HS. You’re not an ‘inspiration’ if you take 12 AP tests. If anything, the biggest achievement you’re completing is taking 12 standardized tests within the span of two weeks. That isn’t impressive to me, and it just seems like superfluous time that you could’ve spent being more productive. PLEASE do not patronize yourself in your val speech. Honestly, it’s kind of tacky. Look up some val speeches on youtube- none of them are advertisements for their achievements. The only response you’ll get is some eye rolls from your peers and some scoffs from the parents. Just being honest.
I took the SAT as a Sophomore and got 1390. I honestly didn’t study for it though. I am taking it again and I am aiming for upwards of 1530. I will consider other options to show my academic expertise, however I still wish to pursue the AP tests even though colleges won’t see it, I will. As for my Valedictorian speech, I don’t want to come off as bragging about my accomplishments, I wanted to talk about how I was a failing student but through determination and commitment I turned into an A student; not because I am “smart”. However based on responses here it seems there is no way I can come across without people thinking I am bragging.
I wish I would have spread out my AP test but like I said I originally was a bad student. I gradually got better since 7th grade. As a freshman I thought I would focus only on academics and not join any sports or clubs. Then as a Sophomore I thought I would only focus and pass the math and science AP tests.
You may want to research what makes a good valedictorian speech. It is much broader than talking about yourself and your own history. Usually, they talk more about the future.
Sunny is right, it’s usually for the group to feel good about themselves and their accomplishments. “We.” Not to be hauled through one person’s bio. Not to be lectured about how they, too, can make it to graduation. After all, that’s why they’re there: they’re done and moving on.