Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spending too much time on your own academics is a sign of arrogance and self-centeredness. Schools do not care if you are top .1% intelligence if you are solely focused on racking up stats. I'm not speaking to this kid in particular, but there are plenty of brilliant maladjusted geniuses that will spend all day in their room studying, masturbating and playing shooter games, rather than contributing to the campus community. Schools would rather take to 5% intelligence and community impact than the .1% top student who is glorying in their own intelligence all day.

Wow. You need to spend some time on your own issues.

I think you're missing the point. The world is not a better place because a kid takes a 25th AP, or gets a 98 on a test instead of a 96. Studying that much is a self-centered, ego-gratifying endeavor. If the kid spent 3 hours a week bagging groceries and paying compliments to senior citizens at the supermarket instead of studying for the 25th AP, they will have done more good for universe than going from 24 to 25 APs. At least the old ladies will smile and reflect on their "lovely blouse" at home for a day or two. Parents are prioritizing the wrong values and colleges are showing this through holistic admissions. Great stats on their own are just not that valuable.

Sorry but this is dumb. You can argue about the benefits of being friendly and nice but in the context of college admissions we’re talking about the path to being a productive individual that makes the world a better place through their job or other contribution to society. Part of that contribution will be delayed in time. The kid that took 25 APs may be the one with an invention that will keep the “lovely blouse” old lady alive, not only put a smile on her face in high school.

25 APs is impressive considering it was almost all 5s, the few 4s he received were changed to 5s after he retook the exams. From what he was saying the application was not well prepared, and his grades might not have been all As as he mentioned for his AP Chemistry class. He also did not put a lot of effort into extracurriculars.

I see a smart hardworking kid with a good dose of hubris, that was not well advised about the college application process. He’ll do well at UCLA, likely he can finish in two years and move on to the next chapter of his life.

That is likely the biggest red flag on the entire application, from what has been released.
Retaking is grade grubbing and with the newer AP distributions makes it clear he was not as prepared as he should have been in the first place.
Not a good look. Just as retaking a C to get a B or an A in a premed course at college is not a good look for med school(neither is B to A but that is not allowed by colleges).

Anonymous wrote:Kid that took 25 APs in high school couldn’t crack top 10, but still got into UCLA.

https://youtu.be/MlTf-qxcY3k?si=FH7sakCHHqgeDH3X

It’s not only APs, everything else does matter.

It's 30 now. Try to keep up!

There were other factors in this case, like the kid switched high schools twice, he applied for a competitive major, and he built a somewhat impressive education website AFTER submitting his applications.

Anonymous wrote:Meh, "25 aps" just means you went to a generic Public school grind factory that bought into the college board grift.

AP precalc should not be a thing, for example.

At this point, "AP" just means honors track. You are a strong student, but it doesn't make you extraordinary.

Agree with this. My kid is taking a lot of APs, but it's more a function of the way the school is set up.
They think all the AP distinctions that they get make them look like a good school, even thought as a HS they are quite mid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of schools that don’t offer AP classes or exams and still send lots of kids to top 10 colleges.

The context of what is offered at your school and what other peers are taking is what matters. If your school doesn’t offer AP then take the highest level offered. That is irrelevant to this conversation as you aren’t being compared to the kid w 25.

It is relevant. Taking a rigorous course load is possible without APs. Taking the most AP classes is not the point of high school. Nobody cares about AP classes anymore.


Imagine if rather than take 25 APs, which are basic and standard, this kid took half that number, and used his time towards actual college classes at a real college. He could have been doing advanced coursework and gained real expertise in an area of interest.

It’s not possible to get a rigorous courseload without APs in public school. Exception being if it is a competitive “admission only” type public high school like Hunter College HS or TJ

Of course it is. At our local public, Honors Pre-Calc and Honors Calc 3 are both tougher, more rigorous classes than AP Calc AB and BC, which the top kids generally coast through. There's nothing special about APs, they are just a standardized curriculum. Public schools (and individual teachers) can have more rigorous classes if they choose.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spending too much time on your own academics is a sign of arrogance and self-centeredness. Schools do not care if you are top .1% intelligence if you are solely focused on racking up stats. I'm not speaking to this kid in particular, but there are plenty of brilliant maladjusted geniuses that will spend all day in their room studying, masturbating and playing shooter games, rather than contributing to the campus community. Schools would rather take to 5% intelligence and community impact than the .1% top student who is glorying in their own intelligence all day.

Wow. You need to spend some time on your own issues.

I think you're missing the point. The world is not a better place because a kid takes a 25th AP, or gets a 98 on a test instead of a 96. Studying that much is a self-centered, ego-gratifying endeavor. If the kid spent 3 hours a week bagging groceries and paying compliments to senior citizens at the supermarket instead of studying for the 25th AP, they will have done more good for universe than going from 24 to 25 APs. At least the old ladies will smile and reflect on their "lovely blouse" at home for a day or two. Parents are prioritizing the wrong values and colleges are showing this through holistic admissions. Great stats on their own are just not that valuable.

Sorry but this is dumb. You can argue about the benefits of being friendly and nice but in the context of college admissions we’re talking about the path to being a productive individual that makes the world a better place through their job or other contribution to society. Part of that contribution will be delayed in time. The kid that took 25 APs may be the one with an invention that will keep the “lovely blouse” old lady alive, not only put a smile on her face in high school.

25 APs is impressive considering it was almost all 5s, the few 4s he received were changed to 5s after he retook the exams. From what he was saying the application was not well prepared, and his grades might not have been all As as he mentioned for his AP Chemistry class. He also did not put a lot of effort into extracurriculars.

I see a smart hardworking kid with a good dose of hubris, that was not well advised about the college application process. He’ll do well at UCLA, likely he can finish in two years and move on to the next chapter of his life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of schools that don’t offer AP classes or exams and still send lots of kids to top 10 colleges.

The context of what is offered at your school and what other peers are taking is what matters. If your school doesn’t offer AP then take the highest level offered. That is irrelevant to this conversation as you aren’t being compared to the kid w 25.

It is relevant. Taking a rigorous course load is possible without APs. Taking the most AP classes is not the point of high school. Nobody cares about AP classes anymore.


Imagine if rather than take 25 APs, which are basic and standard, this kid took half that number, and used his time towards actual college classes at a real college. He could have been doing advanced coursework and gained real expertise in an area of interest.

It’s not possible to get a rigorous courseload without APs in public school. Exception being if it is a competitive “admission only” type public high school like Hunter College HS or TJ

Why so fixated on public high schools?

AP classes are designed to be introductory and basic intro level college material.

Shouldn’t any advanced coursework in high school be beyond AP level?

What an idiot. Edgy essays?

Only 15 students worldwide took 25 or more AP's. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/number-of-ap-exams-per-student-2025.pdf

He should have been smart enough to realize more is not better. What did actually like to study?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of schools that don’t offer AP classes or exams and still send lots of kids to top 10 colleges.

The context of what is offered at your school and what other peers are taking is what matters. If your school doesn’t offer AP then take the highest level offered. That is irrelevant to this conversation as you aren’t being compared to the kid w 25.

It is relevant. Taking a rigorous course load is possible without APs. Taking the most AP classes is not the point of high school. Nobody cares about AP classes anymore.


Imagine if rather than take 25 APs, which are basic and standard, this kid took half that number, and used his time towards actual college classes at a real college. He could have been doing advanced coursework and gained real expertise in an area of interest.

It’s not possible to get a rigorous courseload without APs in public school. Exception being if it is a competitive “admission only” type public high school like Hunter College HS or TJ

Anonymous wrote:Kid that took 25 APs in high school couldn’t crack top 10, but still got into UCLA.

https://youtu.be/MlTf-qxcY3k?si=FH7sakCHHqgeDH3X

It’s not only APs, everything else does matter.

According to the other discussion, UCLA is a T10. Public. So...?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of schools that don’t offer AP classes or exams and still send lots of kids to top 10 colleges.

The context of what is offered at your school and what other peers are taking is what matters. If your school doesn’t offer AP then take the highest level offered. That is irrelevant to this conversation as you aren’t being compared to the kid w 25.

It is relevant. Taking a rigorous course load is possible without APs. Taking the most AP classes is not the point of high school. Nobody cares about AP classes anymore.


Imagine if rather than take 25 APs, which are basic and standard, this kid took half that number, and used his time towards actual college classes at a real college. He could have been doing advanced coursework and gained real expertise in an area of interest.

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of schools that don’t offer AP classes or exams and still send lots of kids to top 10 colleges.

The context of what is offered at your school and what other peers are taking is what matters. If your school doesn’t offer AP then take the highest level offered. That is irrelevant to this conversation as you aren’t being compared to the kid w 25.

Anonymous wrote:The college board is really taking advantage of the public school crowd, and AOs know.

"APs" are, in essence, college 101 type classes in their subject area, which is why they can count towards college credits.

Personally, I question any "AP" class that is offered freshman or sophomore year, there is just no way it's truly a college equivalent level class.

AP courses don’t change based on when you take them. Just in the DC area, some schools offer APUSH to freshmen. Some offer AP World to freshmen. Both are challenging classes.

But I think for college admissions, once you’re past a certain threshold, 10 or 15 or 25 APs are all viewed as the same. Other factors matter, too.

The fact that this is news shows have effective this strategy generally is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spending too much time on your own academics is a sign of arrogance and self-centeredness. Schools do not care if you are top .1% intelligence if you are solely focused on racking up stats. I'm not speaking to this kid in particular, but there are plenty of brilliant maladjusted geniuses that will spend all day in their room studying, masturbating and playing shooter games, rather than contributing to the campus community. Schools would rather take to 5% intelligence and community impact than the .1% top student who is glorying in their own intelligence all day.

Wow. You need to spend some time on your own issues.

I think you're missing the point. The world is not a better place because a kid takes a 25th AP, or gets a 98 on a test instead of a 96. Studying that much is a self-centered, ego-gratifying endeavor. If the kid spent 3 hours a week bagging groceries and paying compliments to senior citizens at the supermarket instead of studying for the 25th AP, they will have done more good for universe than going from 24 to 25 APs. At least the old ladies will smile and reflect on their "lovely blouse" at home for a day or two. Parents are prioritizing the wrong values and colleges are showing this through holistic admissions. Great stats on their own are just not that valuable.