How many AP tests should a student take during ninth grade?

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

It depends on your kid. Most 9th graders will not have met the prerequisites for math and science APs which then leaves the humanities. They usually cannot take AP Lang or Lit. So now you’re left with AP history classes. Many 9th grades take APUSH or AP Gov depending on the standard 9th grade requirement at their school. They would take the other one the next year.

So by default the answer is usually 1.

[Anonymous]

Mine took 2 in 9th, 5 in 10th, 6 in 11th, and 3 in 12th. Got in Ivy.

[Anonymous]

1 or 2 tops

[Anonymous]

One of mine took 0 (also 0 in 10th and 11th), the second took 4, having already taken one in 8th. The third took 1.

It’s about finding what’s right for the kid. I would say that my first and third are more typical kids my second is an outlier.

[Anonymous]

0 or 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of mine took 0 (also 0 in 10th and 11th), the second took 4, having already taken one in 8th. The third took 1.

It’s about finding what’s right for the kid. I would say that my first and third are more typical kids my second is an outlier.

What AP course did your 8th grader take? Was it in an MCPS HS? And then what 4 did they take in 9th? Also in an MCPS HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on your kid. Most 9th graders will not have met the prerequisites for math and science APs which then leaves the humanities. They usually cannot take AP Lang or Lit. So now you’re left with AP history classes. Many 9th grades take APUSH or AP Gov depending on the standard 9th grade requirement at their school. They would take the other one the next year.

So by default the answer is usually 1.

+1 And AP Computer Science Principles is also often taken by 9th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of mine took 0 (also 0 in 10th and 11th), the second took 4, having already taken one in 8th. The third took 1.

It’s about finding what’s right for the kid. I would say that my first and third are more typical kids my second is an outlier.

What AP course did your 8th grader take? Was it in an MCPS HS? And then what 4 did they take in 9th? Also in an MCPS HS?

The question was how many tests they took, not how many classes. My kid who took an exam in 8th, and the one who took 1 exam in 9th both self studied for CSA.

My kid who took 4 in 4th took both algebra based Physics, Spanish, and a social studies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of mine took 0 (also 0 in 10th and 11th), the second took 4, having already taken one in 8th. The third took 1.

It’s about finding what’s right for the kid. I would say that my first and third are more typical kids my second is an outlier.

What AP course did your 8th grader take? Was it in an MCPS HS? And then what 4 did they take in 9th? Also in an MCPS HS?

The question was how many tests they took, not how many classes. My kid who took an exam in 8th, and the one who took 1 exam in 9th both self studied for CSA.

My kid who took 4 in 4th took both algebra based Physics, Spanish, and a social studies.

I realized I misread, the question is how many they should take, rather than how many did they take.

I think the answer to that is 0-1. But I don’t feel strongly enough about that to tell my kid not to take 4. I let him make that choice.

[Anonymous]

2- AP computer science principles and AP Gov or US History

[Anonymous]

Both of mine took AP Gov (taken by nearly all 9th graders in MCPS) and AP Comp Sci Princ, like PP. This is because AP Comp Sci fulfills the tech requirement, and if you take the project seriously, you get an easy 5 on the exam.

In general, unless the kid knows they won't get a good score on the exam, they should plan on taking all the AP exams corresponding to their courses until senior year. Senior year exams only matter if the college they're accepted to (and they will know this before the exam) is willing to give credit for graduation or direct entry into a higher level class for a 4 or 5.

[Anonymous]

1-2, it also depends on how many your school offers. Ours does not offer many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both of mine took AP Gov (taken by nearly all 9th graders in MCPS) and AP Comp Sci Princ, like PP. This is because AP Comp Sci fulfills the tech requirement, and if you take the project seriously, you get an easy 5 on the exam.

In general, unless the kid knows they won't get a good score on the exam, they should plan on taking all the AP exams corresponding to their courses until senior year. Senior year exams only matter if the college they're accepted to (and they will know this before the exam) is willing to give credit for graduation or direct entry into a higher level class for a 4 or 5.

Nearly all MCPS students do not take AP Gov in 9th.

[Anonymous]

0-2. It will be student dependent on where there are in maturity and classes.