Student at the Columbia University, appeared for six Advance Placement exams while in high school. She talks about the benefits of the exam and shares tips

A step Ahead

Student at the Columbia University, appeared for six Advance Placement exams while in high school. She talks about the benefits of the exam and shares tips

I am a sophomore at Columbia University studying economics and south Asian studies. I had applied to colleges in the US as well as the UK, and I initially signed up for the Advance Placements (AP) because a few colleges in the UK did not accept Indian board exam marks. As I became more involved with the US college application procedure, I also realised that many colleges and universities give credit for AP exams, allowing you to skip out of certain introductory courses. While I am not planning to graduate early, giving the calculus BC and micro/ macro APs allowed me to skip the mandatory introductory mathematics and economics courses, and still get credit for them.
    Looking back, I would say that the most beneficial way to study for the APs is to review the topics covered, and then do as many practice tests as possible. The practice tests should replicate the actual testing conditions— they should be timed and no mobile phones or any other distractions. Once you finish the practice test, it is crucial to go back to every mistake you made and understand why you got the questions wrong. If the exam involves writing an essay, make sure to have someone else read it—preferably a teacher. Online tutorials usually release free response questions of the previous year’s exams.
    Appearing for the APs has allowed me to get ahead in completing major requirements, thus giving me more freedom to take classes that I am interested in, including those that may not relate to my fields of study, such as psychology, political science, and dance. In fact, had I not given
the APs I would have probably not been able to pursue two of my majors. 
 
EXAM REGISTRATIONS College Board’s Advanced Placement exams are scheduled for May 6-17, 2013. They are conducted in 24 subjects and are securely administered at designated test centres in Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Deadline for registration is March 25. For more details, visit www.collegeboard.org/ap-in-india.html