About Independent Ap Studies

[Dolly]

well, to start it off, my school is a really small school with just about 35-40 students in the whole high school; therefore, there are very few AP class offers. i'm currently in 10th grade, and today there's the 11th grade pre-registration. usually my school doesn't offer AP until like 11th or 12th grade, but for next year's 11th grade they're only offering 1 AP class, and that is biology. now, this is very weird, becuase my school's science system is: 9th grade= physics, 10th= chem, 11th= bio..... so obviously i can't take AP Bio since i haven't even gone through the normal bio class...(and that is like weird, because the whole current 10th grade in my school can't take AP Bio next year because they all had physics, except for a few who wasn't in the school in 9th grade....)

now that means that i won't get to have any AP classes until 12th grade! and that is like late late LATE!! so i'm thinking about doing independent studies on an AP course next year. (although that won't earn me any higher GPAs obviously :'( ) i'm considering European History right now, becuase the study of Europe in my Global Studies Class quite interests me, but my friend was like shocked when i told her about my thoughts, because she said it is a very very hard AP class, and independent study on that course is kind of impossible. is that true though? i mean...i'm not a science person! (definitely not physics or chem...biology maybe...will have to see...) i've taken the AP Eng Language and Comp this year with only 12 hours' prep (wasting money...i'd be VERY thankful if i get a 3) and if i failed this year i'll try again next year, but besides that i gotta have some more AP credits....and our school just doesn't offer any!...

so what AP course would you suggest for independent studies?

Thanks!

[Paris In Flames]

Hey,



Okay, as a student enrolled in the IB program (a basically much more advanced version of AP classes) I suggest that you only enroll in self teach AP courses if you really think you'll be able to understand it. It's unfortunate that your school doesn't offer more, but if you feel that you are determined enough, go for it.



Cheers,



Jenna

[SirPostAlot]

Hey!

My school doesn't offer those classes...we have weighted "Honors" Classes...i dunno if those are the same or what..



But Bio 2 at my school is weighted "honors" and its like a mixture of chem and biology...



So if you wish to do the science AP then you know chem. and biology ("baby" bio...bio 1...) really isn't that difficult...



I say to challenge yourself n take AP Bio...



But thast what i would do...



~Jeff~

[Adnama]

If you believe you can do it, I'd say go for it!



And as for european history... I just took that test on friday, and I'm not even in the "Ap european history" class, just ap world history, which is simmiler, but still not the same. I obviously haven't gotten my scores back yet, but I have a really good feeling about how I did on that test. It's among the easier of the Ap tests, so I don't know what your teach was talking about.



You're the one who has to know how able you are to pick things up like that, how devoted you are, how hard you're willing to study. If you think you can do it, then go for it! Really, what do you have to loose in the long run?

[Lena]

could you get a private tutor to help with it?

[She]

Originally posted by ~*~AiM_uSeR~*~@May 8 2004, 08:52 PM

My school doesn't offer those classes...we have weighted "Honors" Classes...i dunno if those are the same or what..

Not at all. AP classes are college level courses and at the end of the year, you can take the AP test and if you score a 4 or 5 (on a 5-point scale) you get a college credit for the class.



I'd talk to your biology teacher, see if he/she thinks you can make it through AP Bio without taking regular bio first. I think AP bio covers regular biology stuff just in a lot more depth. I'll ask a friend of mine who's taking the AP test tomorrow.

[PurplePoemPuppet]

Taking any AP class as an independent study would be very difficult. Especially to make sure you've covered just what you need to. You'd probably need a teache to help coach and guide what you study. But buying materials to help you is a great idea. Like Cracking the AP European History book. You can also find practice tests and study tips online, but actual course work that you would want to study might be more difficult. You'd really want to prepare yourself as if you were in a real class. If you're motivated enough to put yourself through that work on your own, being able to put yourself through it despite other activities going on and stuff, you'll definitely do fine.

[SirPostAlot]

Originally posted by She@May 9 2004, 10:27 AM



Not at all. AP classes are college level courses and at the end of the year, you can take the AP test and if you score a 4 or 5 (on a 5-point scale) you get a college credit for the class.

Ohh, my school does have that...Spanish 4 and Scientific Calculas are AP classes i suppose cuz you can test at college level to get credits...

Ok, now i understand!



~Jeff~

[Dolly]

thanks for all these suggestions and "precautions"!!

well we do have what's called "AP option." if your teacher think you are ready to take the AP exam, he/she will give you extra work in class to prepare you for it. the problem is, we don't get GPA credits for that, and we don't get as much preparation as those who take AP classes. hmm.....

i talked to my algebra 2 teacher the other day about AP statistics (that is offered to 12th graders next year, but due to different schedules it is offered to seniors ONLY.), i asked her if it's possible for 11th graders to attend the class. she said a lot, but her point was: "AP classes are college level courses, and i don't think 11th graders will be ready for it." oh well...maybe that's true, but she seemed very determined that we won't be able to handle it... (and our class's math average isn't bad at all! i've reasons to believe that everybody in the class will get at least a B.)

i mentioned that i took AP English language/comp. this year with 12 hours' prep, (our English teacher met with us once every 3 months for a class, and the students in the class are those who were recommended by their English teachers.) and my math teacher knows that, but she seems to think that it's a matter of fact that we would get a very low grade because we only had like 3 classes! that's like so discouraging....

anyway, my mom is really pissed because i'll have no AP classes in 11th grade, and seems like she's going to the principle to talk about this...

oh btw has anybody taken AP online courses? do those work out well?

[SexyLittleDoll]

I would take it.. but I am really good at science.



2 years ago I took AP BIO and it wasn't too bad.. I actaully love biology. Try it.



Good Luck Mandy

[Dolly]

hmm....sombody in my school took AP bio without taking bio class first...and...he got a 1 on the AP exam............