Anyone got any tips for AP Classes?

[Deliriyum]

Math is my buddy

hence engineering major

I'm not gonna have much free time this year if I get hired by Subway like I hope(I got offered an interview, and once they see me, I don't think they'll reject me)

[Sunwoo]

You know ... taking AP classes is great and all, but if you want to use those classes for college credit, it'd be a good idea to make sure that the schools you want to apply for actually accept AP credit.

[Deliriyum]

You know ... taking AP classes is great and all, but if you want to use those classes for college credit, it'd be a good idea to make sure that the schools you want to apply for actually accept AP credit.

I've already looked into that

[Sunwoo]

So many things I wish I could do again correctly. >_<

[nflchamp]

I'm taking AB in the fall and BC in the spring. That's the only way my HS offers it. I'm most worried about this because I am skipping calculus and going straight to AP calc and people that do that usually struggle.

Aerospace Engineering deals with both Aeronautical and Astronautical.

I'm actually pretty excited about Civil Engineering & Architecture because I want to major in Civil Engineering when I go off to college next year.

Technically, the first half of what most schools call BC Calc is just AB Calc. Your school is basically just separating them. Also, calc isn't that hard so long as you understand algebra. (If you really want, you can send me questions. I did major in math. :P)

For AP classes in general, take good notes. And by good notes I mean, add in all that stuff your teacher is going to say that isn't necessarily on the outline/slides/chalkboard. Okay, not all that stuff your teacher is going to say. Pick out the important points and be sure to add them in your notes. You're not going to remember everything in the class, but having your oddball notes will help you remember the important things.

For the exams down the line, multiple choice is multiple choice. If I recall, you're usually penalized for answering incorrectly but not for skipping the question. -.25 points for a wrong answer, I think. What that means is, if you have no idea, don't answer. But if you can get it down to 50/50, take a guess. Following that, you can usually get a question down to 2 choices by eliminating the ridiculous choices. (Knowing the answer is obviously better.)

The essays or whatever they're called obviously require you to actually know something. If there happens to be a question you don't know the answer to (because your teacher is never going to be able to cover all the possible material), don't worry. If there are some terms you know that are related, define them! You'll get points for at least knowing something! Beyond that, answer the questions precisely. You generally don't have a lot of time and no one wants to read pointless drabbel that doesn't have anything to the question in your answer. It doesn't hurt your score directly to have the unimportant stuff, but the grader is more likely to miss things you should get points for when it's there.

[Phoenix Wright]

I'm taking AB in the fall and BC in the spring. That's the only way my HS offers it. I'm most worried about this because I am skipping calculus and going straight to AP calc and people that do that usually struggle.

Aerospace Engineering deals with both Aeronautical and Astronautical.

I'm actually pretty excited about Civil Engineering & Architecture because I want to major in Civil Engineering when I go off to college next year.

Hm, Calc AB wasn't bad at all, but doing it all in a single semester will obviously make it quite a bit more challenging. I wish you luck.

So your class will split the material 50/50? That's pretty great.

That's awesome! Two of my uncles are civil engineers and love their jobs very, very much.

[HongLei]

You don't want my advice, I'm sure my AP US teacher is as baffled as I am as to how I got a 5 on that test 2 years ago. I just goofed off with my friends and used amazing multiple guess and getting lucky with the essay skills.

Only thing I did right was I went to all of my teacher's review and essay writing workshops after school to give him more crap and sarcasm

Also no question is a dumb one except for "Who is the greatest president?" He never answered this ... I had to wait for AP gov, where my favorite teacher opened it to the class and we discussed it for a day, I asked my teacher who's the fat guy in some political cartoon in his PowerPoint, and the question "Who is depicted in political cartoon"

For the exams down the line, multiple choice is multiple choice. If I recall, you're usually penalized for answering incorrectly but not for skipping the question. -.25 points for a wrong answer, I think. What that means is, if you have no idea, don't answer. But if you can get it down to 50/50, take a guess. Following that, you can usually get a question down to 2 choices by eliminating the ridiculous choices. (Knowing the answer is obviously better.)

They removed this two years ago, because it discriminated against males, because they were more likely than females to guess what I was told my US teacher could have been screwing with my on the reason

Edited August 25, 2012 by HongLei

[BK-201]

Two 4's on them. Close enough

Hahaha, thanks. Although biomedical engineering's a really popular subject, so I've got some competition to look forward to. :V

lolno. Physics C and that's it. xD

I'M BAD AT MATH AND HISTORY OKAY

If your school offers it, possibly join a scientific investigation type of activity? Sophomore summer I worked in a lab that was part of the BME department coincidentally :). I feel it's a great opportunity to get actual experience if you haven't already done something like this. Or you could just intern at any lab for experience.

[Lord Raven]

junior year i took physics c: mechanics and calc ab

senior year i took physics c: E&M, calc bc, chem, and stat

got a 5 on both calcs, 4 on E&M and stat, 3 on chem and mechanics

burn in hell, ap physics and ap chem

Trust me, this stuff gets way easier in college... well from my point of view at least. Time management is easier in college.

They removed this two years ago, because it discriminated against males, because they were more likely than females to guess

Well fuck, two years ago? smh they would do all this stuff the year after I graduate -_- Edited August 25, 2012 by Lord Raven

[Roxas]

If your school offers it, possibly join a scientific investigation type of activity? Sophomore summer I worked in a lab that was part of the BME department coincidentally :). I feel it's a great opportunity to get actual experience if you haven't already done something like this. Or you could just intern at any lab for experience.

I did a four-week internship this summer in biomedical research. That's where I started the project that I'm submitting for Siemens in October. :3

[Leif]

Also who knows a good mental hospital in CA, because I might be insane for going through with being placed in 3 AP classes.

Ok so. yeah the title basically explained it

My three AP classes are:

English and Composition AP

Chemistry AP

and U.S. History AP

Any and all tips will help, as long as it can help me juggle all this work.

Really depends who your teachers are. If you get a real busy-work nut, then prepare to master time management skills. My AP Chemistry teacher back in HS gave us LOTS of problem sets and chapter quizzes, so I always had to be on top of my work. AP chemistry will probably take up most of your time. However, I had to write a huge research paper for my AP English and Comp. class, so there's a chance you might have to write one too.

If you a little studying everyday and keep up with the homework, you are pretty set to get a decent grade in the class.

[Lord Raven]

My AP Chemistry teacher made all that work optional, so I got nothing done. I got a 3 with studying the night before the AP exam and studying hybridization the night before the exam on Hybridization. I wiggled out of the class with a B. I was a pretty lazy student, but AP Chem isn't that bad in retrospect and I know if I put in a little bit of studying every night (like, I studied zero hours every week, I literally did jack shit for the class but sit in class and fall asleep) I'd have a much better grade.

Unfortunately, you spend too much time in class during high school, so I thought high school was tiring/hard.

[Phoenix Wright]

Trust me, this stuff gets way easier in college... well from my point of view at least. Time management is easier in college.

Good news for me!

[shadowofchaos]

Two 4's on them. Close enough

Bringing shame to famiry since 1995.

I did a four-week internship this summer in biomedical research. That's where I started the project that I'm submitting for Siemens in October. :3

Seriously, don't trust this shota on anything he says that's easy. He's too smart for his own good.

Edited August 25, 2012 by shadowofchaos

[eclipse]

CORE:

I went straight from trig to AP calc, and did just fine, 'cause my school didn't offer non-AP calc. Study hard, and hope and pray your teachers don't go on strike during fourth quarter (I am NOT making this up).

TC:

Don't ask for my advice in English; I did WAY better on the exam than I did in the class. My school didn't offer US History, so all that leaves is Chemistry. DO the practice problems, and drill the laws of (whatever you're studying) into your head. Even though I got a 2 (which was one of the higher scores in the class), I got something out of it.

Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.

This was all >6 years ago for me. Wait until you all get into college.

STUFF IT WHIPPERSNAPPER!

[Komeiji Koishi]

Damn, I wish my computer worked so that I could reply to these on a consistent rate... I also wish that people wouldn't talk so loudly in the library.

So I think i got the gist of the tips, manage your time wisely, ask inteligent questions, do the work, study, etc. Thanks abunch everyone! And if there are any more, they would be apreciated.

Don't. Seriously, just don't take them.

*Sigh* If I had that option, I would seiously do just that until my senior year, but NOOOOOOOOOO, can't do that. For those who are interested in why, I'll tell you. I'm in a science academy funded by Project Lead the Way, and part of criteria of being in it is to take AP classes, so yeah, that's pretty much why I posted this topic. I would have gotten out of it, if I didn't care for the future benefits. Ah well, guess I'll just have to grin and bear it for now.

[Phoenix Wright]

Damn, I wish my computer worked so that I could reply to these on a consistent rate... I also wish that people wouldn't talk so loudly in the library.

So I think i got the gist of the tips, manage your time wisely, ask inteligent questions, do the work, study, etc. Thanks abunch everyone! And if there are any more, they would be apreciated.

*Sigh* If I had that option, I would seiously do just that until my senior year, but NOOOOOOOOOO, can't do that. For those who are interested in why, I'll tell you. I'm in a science academy funded by Project Lead the Way, and part of criteria of being in it is to take AP classes, so yeah, that's pretty much why I posted this topic. I would have gotten out of it, if I didn't care for the future benefits. Ah well, guess I'll just have to grin and bear it for now.

The classes are totally worth it.

For example, assuming my calculations are correct, I'll be entering college with sophomore status and over HALF of my GE's completed. feelsgoodman.jpg

[Lord Raven]

Don't listen to Ein, he never says anything worth saying. :/

Yeah I'm with you on the credits part, my suite mates and I were always on the borderline for credit cut offs for housing so if I didn't take any APs I doubt I'd have a good sophomore and junior year like I did.

[Phoenix Wright]

And I don't think this has been said yet, probably indirectly at the least, but Spiritas, try to enjoy these classes. No, really, love your classes. Try not to go into them wanting to fall asleep the second the teacher begins to speak. Try not to lose interest in what you love in case you have bad teachers in those subjects. Really try to care for each subject and love what you learn. They all have something to offer you--something much deeper than just being "knowledgeable."

Edited August 26, 2012 by Phoenix Wright