AP Testing Still a Thing at Sidwell/GDS/Maret/Potomac/St Albans/NCS?

[Anonymous]

We all know that a number of DC area private schools got rid of AP courses (subsequent DOJ investigation followed too)

Parent here and have noticed that while the school does not teach the "AP class" it still offers the AP test to students who want to take it if they study for the test on their own.

Other parents and I have asked college advising office and they have said "do not take the AP tests, colleges know DC private schools don't do AP so the test itself gives the kid zero benefit"

So it surprised me to see that perhaps a dozen kids are taking AP tests in a number of high-level courses in the AP subject areas at my kid's school and then to hear that the teachers are doing extra help sessions for kids taking the AP tests. I've heard the same from parents at one or two of the other DC private schools.

Is this parents being pushy? College advising office fibbing about US colleges knowing that DC schools dont offer APs? A bit of both? Or are there that many kids applying for UK colleges that require a minimum number of AP tests regardless of what DC schools decided to do?

Truly confused and sensing some mixed messaging. I mean if some kids take the AP tests then doesn't that entirely negate the "we don't have APs" narrative that these DC schools are banded together to announce two years ago to colleges?

[Anonymous]

Here's the DOJ announcement that concluded collusion did occur but DOJ chose not to prosecute

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-concludes-its-investigation-dc-area-private-high-schools-decision-stop

[Anonymous]

I have had the same question. My DD has been planning to take certain AP exams, which will require certain additional prep on the side for her, and I am not sure whether it’s at all worth it. I suspect it’s not, but cannot get a straight answer.

[Anonymous]

Another parent here who finds our school's messaging to be confusing. We get same messages that you have gotten but also told by admin that many Juniors choose to take AP English and AP US History exams. I have not heard of extra study sessions. When we asked college counseling, our contact described the AP as not needed but icing on the cake if you wanted to take them. Given the messaging, I was really surprised to see that the Junior class schedule and workload will be adapted to accommodate AP History and English this year. (and maybe this is every year, but I didn't know about it if that was the case).

[Anonymous]

The only real benefit of taking the AP tests is to earn credit for courses at college. The problem is that many colleges now no longer award credit for these courses. Many colleges and universities have claimed the APs are not equivalent to the rigor of most college courses. Of course, colleges also have a financial investment in requiring students to take as many credits as possible. For a few years, some colleges were using AP scores in lieu of standardized test scores. If you're DC wants to take the test, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't. Just know there are fees involved and, depending on the number of AP tests they take, it can become expensive.

[Anonymous]

I see no point in taking AP exams unless you will be trying to get credit and graduate early from college. Some of the most highly selective colleges won't even take it, unless it is an extremely unusual situation and they will still require a student to be there for all 8 semesters.
I don't want my kids to graduate from college early. We, like 75% of private school parents in this area pay full tuition and plan to do so for college as well. I want them to take as many interesting college courses as possible for the full four years. It is the only time in one's life to do so!
If my child was in a different situation I would definitely see the point of AP exams and trying to get college credit, but otherwise the tests are meaningless. The course grades matter for college admissions, not the AP test scores, one is not even required to take or submit AP tests scores(unlike IB programs). My child is taking them because they are required to at their high school ( not one listed above) and I told them to do their best but not stress about the test, just focus on their grade in the class.

[Anonymous]

If it's just a dozen or so kids it could definitely be a cohort of prospective UK applicants. My DD graduated from a big 3 in 2019 and even back then they had 7 or 8 kids applying to UK schools. With the current admissions craziness, it wouldn't surprise me that more people are thinking of applying abroad as a hedge.

[Anonymous]

OP here - looks like several similarly confused parents.

Our kid chose not to take AP History, English etc despite being in the higher level classes at our school.

Best advice i got was from an outside friend who has worked in college admissions for many years who said "if studying for the test has even a 10% chance of reducing kid's GPA in final report card of junior year, then do not take the test" - focus should be on junior yr GPA.

If the school was really transparent about it, they would be frank to say for kids who get into top 50 colleges last 2 years since this policy has been in place, here's the % admission rate to Top 50 schools by "took any AP test or not" - frankly they should release the same data for SAT/ACT.

The messaging on this topic (like many others at this school) seems to be entirely focused on the middle academic kid and on "let's not say or do anything to stress kids and parents."

Meanwhile, we all know the randomness of the college process and fact that equivalent elite high schools in every other other state in America do offer AP tests and kids are judged against a national pool not just DMV.

Oh well - $45k of tuition and i can't get a straight or intellectually consistent answer on this AP question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's just a dozen or so kids it could definitely be a cohort of prospective UK applicants. My DD graduated from a big 3 in 2019 and even back then they had 7 or 8 kids applying to UK schools. With the current admissions craziness, it wouldn't surprise me that more people are thinking of applying abroad as a hedge.

I'm one of the PP's from above. I'll be interested to see how many take the AP English/History at our school. It must be more than 7 or 8 if they are adapting the schedule? DC is not putting much extra work in - not tutoring and I don't know of any special study sessions. Along the lines of "don't affect your grades" message, we are trying not to add pressure. If scores aren't great, DC won't include them in the applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - looks like several similarly confused parents.

Our kid chose not to take AP History, English etc despite being in the higher level classes at our school.

Best advice i got was from an outside friend who has worked in college admissions for many years who said "if studying for the test has even a 10% chance of reducing kid's GPA in final report card of junior year, then do not take the test" - focus should be on junior yr GPA.

If the school was really transparent about it, they would be frank to say for kids who get into top 50 colleges last 2 years since this policy has been in place, here's the % admission rate to Top 50 schools by "took any AP test or not" - frankly they should release the same data for SAT/ACT.

The messaging on this topic (like many others at this school) seems to be entirely focused on the middle academic kid and on "let's not say or do anything to stress kids and parents."

Meanwhile, we all know the randomness of the college process and fact that equivalent elite high schools in every other other state in America do offer AP tests and kids are judged against a national pool not just DMV.

Oh well - $45k of tuition and i can't get a straight or intellectually consistent answer on this AP question

But, your friend told you the answer. They don't matter at all.
My kid is taking two as a freshman in public (my other child is in private) and I will tell him not to bother taking them Junior year( or at least not all of them) because he will have so many AP classes then it would be impossible for the studying not to impact his class grade. Why even take the test unless you are trying to get into a larger state school that might except them as credit? They have no bearing on college admissions at any school.

[Anonymous]

In my experience the advantage of certain APs was that it allowed me to avoid retaking certain classes (e.g. most of Calc) that I would have otherwise had to repeat and other college pre-req classes. It didn't lessen the total # of credits I needed to graduate, but I was able to pursue more advanced courses as well as spend more of my time in courses that were of interest to me rather than "required". But college still got the same $ from me regardless, reducing credits needed to graduate wasn't ever the point of AP for me.

[Anonymous]

My junior is not taking any AP tests. I panicked when I saw the AP testing schedule and worried that my kid should be testing in English and US History. The college counselor said not to take the AP test unless you are applying to UK schools. I will admit that I am still worried it was a mistake, but I am trusting the school. DC has B average and a high ACT score. Attends a Cathedral school.

[Anonymous]

There definitely are still many universities, including big private and public ones, where you can get enough AP/CLEP credit (if you think AP is a joke you haven’t seen CLEP…) to graduate 1-3 semesters early. Those universities do not appeal to private school families because they are wealthy enough that they do not need to save money on college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only real benefit of taking the AP tests is to earn credit for courses at college. The problem is that many colleges now no longer award credit for these courses. Many colleges and universities have claimed the APs are not equivalent to the rigor of most college courses. Of course, colleges also have a financial investment in requiring students to take as many credits as possible. For a few years, some colleges were using AP scores in lieu of standardized test scores. If you're DC wants to take the test, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't. Just know there are fees involved and, depending on the number of AP tests they take, it can become expensive.

I'm guessing that many of the folks in the top privates aren't too concerned with that, but then again, many are probably relying on legacy admission, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There definitely are still many universities, including big private and public ones, where you can get enough AP/CLEP credit (if you think AP is a joke you haven’t seen CLEP…) to graduate 1-3 semesters early. Those universities do not appeal to private school families because they are wealthy enough that they do not need to save money on college.

The UC schools allow you to do this and they still seem popular at our private. I might not be excited to leave college early, but if you were at a UC school and could be done with undergrad early and stay to pursue a Masters - there's benefit in that. However, the kids getting enough APs are not coming from private but from publics that use AP for rigorous courses...resulting in tons of AP tests.

To the public school parent above, I suspect the public school AP class is prepping your child for the test all throughout the year and that taking the AP test doesn't require that much extra work. If your public kid is taking AP classes, I'd have them take the corresponding AP test. Now, choosing whether or not to take the AP class in the first place (or how many to take) is another question.