AP results July 7th timing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the number of 4s and 5s being reported, I'd say the tests are too easy. Or anything below a 4 isn't worth mentioning.

Anyone know when/where a distribution of scores will be published?

My kids' school pre-tests all of the AP kids in late February, and they discourage anyone from taking the AP exam who isn't already at a high 3 level at that time. Unsurprisingly, when the results come out, all of the kids allowed to take the test earn 4s and 5s. The tests aren't necessarily too easy. There's a ton of self selection in who is taking the exams and who is opting out.

I agree, though, that anything below a 4 is unlikely to help with admissions or grant any credit.

My kids’ school does this too. They also adjust year end grades to reflect AP scores. So kids are likely to score in the 4/5 range IF they take the exam.

I’ve never heard of a school doing this! What about students who want to take it to get college credit. Even a 3 will earn credit at many colleges. That’s a terrible
Policy.

[Anonymous]

My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the number of 4s and 5s being reported, I'd say the tests are too easy. Or anything below a 4 isn't worth mentioning.

Anyone know when/where a distribution of scores will be published?

My kids' school pre-tests all of the AP kids in late February, and they discourage anyone from taking the AP exam who isn't already at a high 3 level at that time. Unsurprisingly, when the results come out, all of the kids allowed to take the test earn 4s and 5s. The tests aren't necessarily too easy. There's a ton of self selection in who is taking the exams and who is opting out.

I agree, though, that anything below a 4 is unlikely to help with admissions or grant any credit.

My kids’ school does this too. They also adjust year end grades to reflect AP scores. So kids are likely to score in the 4/5 range IF they take the exam.

I’ve never heard of a school doing this! What about students who want to take it to get college credit. Even a 3 will earn credit at many colleges. That’s a terrible
Policy.

It’s probably Basis, or anyway Basis has a policy like this. It’s for-profit. And that’s the problem with for-profit schools, the policies are designed to make the school look good even if it hurts the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

That’s silly. If you’re already into college, and the college gives credit for a 3, why isn’t it worth taking the exam for a 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the number of 4s and 5s being reported, I'd say the tests are too easy. Or anything below a 4 isn't worth mentioning.

Anyone know when/where a distribution of scores will be published?

My kids' school pre-tests all of the AP kids in late February, and they discourage anyone from taking the AP exam who isn't already at a high 3 level at that time. Unsurprisingly, when the results come out, all of the kids allowed to take the test earn 4s and 5s. The tests aren't necessarily too easy. There's a ton of self selection in who is taking the exams and who is opting out.

I agree, though, that anything below a 4 is unlikely to help with admissions or grant any credit.

My kids’ school does this too. They also adjust year end grades to reflect AP scores. So kids are likely to score in the 4/5 range IF they take the exam.

I’ve never heard of a school doing this! What about students who want to take it to get college credit. Even a 3 will earn credit at many colleges. That’s a terrible
Policy.

It’s probably Basis, or anyway Basis has a policy like this. It’s for-profit. And that’s the problem with for-profit schools, the policies are designed to make the school look good even if it hurts the kids.

Yay. A frothing at the mouth Basis hater jumping into a thread to spread misinformation. Just what we all needed.
I'm the first PP who said that my kid's school discourages kids from taking the AP if they're not on track to earn a 4 or 5. And yes, it is Basis. The key word here is "discourages", which is not the same as "prohibits." Any kid at Basis who is not recommended to take an AP can still do so. The only real difference is that Basis won't pay for the AP exam if the kid fails.

I think pre-testing the kids around late February, letting them know what score they would have earned on a real test, and then recommending them or not for the real test is a great policy that helps the kids immensely. Basis pays for the AP tests that they think your kid will pass, which is a lot better than most schools, where you have to pay for it. The system where kids are not recommended helps kids either avoid taking an exam that they will likely fail or helps them understand that they need to study hard and kick it into gear to pass the exam. One anecdote I have is that one of my kid's friends was not recommended for AP Physics I. He opted to take it anyway, crammed hard, and attended a lot of office hours with the teacher. He ended up earning a 4 on the test.

FWIW, I checked UVA, and for the most part, you need a 4 or 5 to earn any college credit. Not that many schools give credit for 3s. It's debatable that it makes sense for either the parents or school to pay for an AP exam that likely won't earn any college credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

That’s silly. If you’re already into college, and the college gives credit for a 3, why isn’t it worth taking the exam for a 3?

Many schools don’t give credit for a 3.

Others put a cap on the number of AP credits they’ll accept. Too students have already reached that cap with their 10th/11th grade APs, so the 12th grade exams are useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

I have a rising senior who worked their ass off also and is now looking at a busy fall. I will probably discourage extra testing unless the college they get into gives actual credit for APs. Two questions for you:

1. How did your child have "a place in college sorted out in October"? You mean they picked an ED school and got into that school in December?
2. Assuming your kid took a bunch of AP classes, did you sign-up for and pay for a bunch of AP tests and your child just did not take them? At our district, the cost of the exam is $140 if you sign up before Nov. 1 and $185 afterwards, so they incentivize signing up early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

OMG. Of course you WANT a 5. You want to WIN when you're on a competitive sports team and play a match. Would you tell your kid to just go to practices and not play the games because it's not worth it if you end up losing? Why bother taking AP or any other classes at all because you might not get an A?

I'd never tell my kid not to take the AP exam. You can't get the college credit if you don't take the exam - and getting the college credit is one of the two points of taking an AP class in the first place, the other being intellectual challenge. And you only need a 4 for most APs at most colleges. Some even take some 3s. Many stopped taking 3s because too many students were getting 3s.

Discussions like these make me more and more proud of my kids every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

That’s silly. If you’re already into college, and the college gives credit for a 3, why isn’t it worth taking the exam for a 3?

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

I have a rising senior who worked their ass off also and is now looking at a busy fall. I will probably discourage extra testing unless the college they get into gives actual credit for APs. Two questions for you:

1. How did your child have "a place in college sorted out in October"? You mean they picked an ED school and got into that school in December?
2. Assuming your kid took a bunch of AP classes, did you sign-up for and pay for a bunch of AP tests and your child just did not take them? At our district, the cost of the exam is $140 if you sign up before Nov. 1 and $185 afterwards, so they incentivize signing up early.

Not the PP but my kid was in at Pitt and VT by October.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the number of 4s and 5s being reported, I'd say the tests are too easy. Or anything below a 4 isn't worth mentioning.

Anyone know when/where a distribution of scores will be published?

My kids' school pre-tests all of the AP kids in late February, and they discourage anyone from taking the AP exam who isn't already at a high 3 level at that time. Unsurprisingly, when the results come out, all of the kids allowed to take the test earn 4s and 5s. The tests aren't necessarily too easy. There's a ton of self selection in who is taking the exams and who is opting out.

I agree, though, that anything below a 4 is unlikely to help with admissions or grant any credit.

My kids’ school does this too. They also adjust year end grades to reflect AP scores. So kids are likely to score in the 4/5 range IF they take the exam.

I’ve never heard of a school doing this! What about students who want to take it to get college credit. Even a 3 will earn credit at many colleges. That’s a terrible
Policy.

It’s probably Basis, or anyway Basis has a policy like this. It’s for-profit. And that’s the problem with for-profit schools, the policies are designed to make the school look good even if it hurts the kids.

Yay. A frothing at the mouth Basis hater jumping into a thread to spread misinformation. Just what we all needed.
I'm the first PP who said that my kid's school discourages kids from taking the AP if they're not on track to earn a 4 or 5. And yes, it is Basis. The key word here is "discourages", which is not the same as "prohibits." Any kid at Basis who is not recommended to take an AP can still do so. The only real difference is that Basis won't pay for the AP exam if the kid fails.

I think pre-testing the kids around late February, letting them know what score they would have earned on a real test, and then recommending them or not for the real test is a great policy that helps the kids immensely. Basis pays for the AP tests that they think your kid will pass, which is a lot better than most schools, where you have to pay for it. The system where kids are not recommended helps kids either avoid taking an exam that they will likely fail or helps them understand that they need to study hard and kick it into gear to pass the exam. One anecdote I have is that one of my kid's friends was not recommended for AP Physics I. He opted to take it anyway, crammed hard, and attended a lot of office hours with the teacher. He ended up earning a 4 on the test.

FWIW, I checked UVA, and for the most part, you need a 4 or 5 to earn any college credit. Not that many schools give credit for 3s. It's debatable that it makes sense for either the parents or school to pay for an AP exam that likely won't earn any college credit.

We are fortunate to be in a public school that pays for the exams - regardless of result. You can rationalize your school's policy all you want. I'm not convinced at all. It merely contributes to the "everyone must succeed, no failures" culture we've cultivated. It's not a waste of time for a student to take a hard exam and not do well. It can open their eyes to what college expectations v. high school expectations are. It can instill some needed humility in a kid who otherwise has always been told nothing but how wonderful he is. Your school's policy is driven by self-interest. How many "discouraged" students do you think go ahead and take the exam anyway? How many believe their teachers that they're not good enough and don't take the exam?

You really don't know how a student is going to perform an any given exam. My kid went into her AP Lit exam knowing she needed a 5 for credit at her future college and absolutely confident there was no way she would get a 5. She got a 5. She had no idea what she'd get on some of her others, took them anyway. She got 5's and one 4. Except for one of them, I don't think she really thought she'd get a 5. And there was no prediction practice test mid-year. BTW, a 3 is not a "failed" exam; but I guess the definition of "fail" at Basis is different. APs aren't pass/fail per se - they're credit/no credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FCPS senior took 6 exams this year (Lit, Bio, BC, Gov, Micro and Macro). All 5s and 4s. Did not do any studying outside of classes. Her school prepared her well (same thing in past years - took World in 10th grade and APush, Lang, Chem and AB as a junior).

Just checking "did not do any studying outside of classes" - do you mean the kid did zero revision? If that is the case, she would have likely got all 5's if she'd put some effort into it, even just the week before exams. It would have been worth it.

Not my kid but I told my senior last year not to study for APs. She was already in at college and there is basically no difference for credit or placement in a 4 or 5. She killed herself studying junior year so I really didn’t want that to happen again.

Yes I understand that. My DS worked his ass off in 11th grade and got all his needed 5's then he had a place in college sorted out in October, so I told him he didn't actually have to take a single AP exam this year (12th) and he so didn't. I just think if you're going to the effort to take the exam, you want a 5.

That’s silly. If you’re already into college, and the college gives credit for a 3, why isn’t it worth taking the exam for a 3?

Many schools don’t give credit for a 3.

Others put a cap on the number of AP credits they’ll accept. Too students have already reached that cap with their 10th/11th grade APs, so the 12th grade exams are useless.

What's the typical cap?