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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

Never knew private school parents were so obsessed with standardized tests.

Half our school students are scared of any test. Very non competitive kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

Well they cost $90+/exam, for starters.

There is financial aid fee reductions for tests.

Correct. Bargain for 4 credits or to show some level of mastery of material.
MCPS pressures all its UrM to take free subsidized AP tests. Regardless of level of preparedness and eventual outcomes.

Not a bargain if you’re LMC and have to ask your parents for $90-$200 at 16 years old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

Well they cost $90+/exam, for starters.

There is financial aid fee reductions for tests.

Correct. Bargain for 4 credits or to show some level of mastery of material.
MCPS pressures all its UrM to take free subsidized AP tests. Regardless of level of preparedness and eventual outcomes.

Try not to be so racist next time and maybe we can have a productive conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

Well they cost $90+/exam, for starters.

There is financial aid fee reductions for tests.

Correct. Bargain for 4 credits or to show some level of mastery of material.
MCPS pressures all its UrM to take free subsidized AP tests. Regardless of level of preparedness and eventual outcomes.

The tests have very low pass rates in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again - I see lots of comments about AP tests being used to place out of college classes. I get that.

What about the AP test scores being used in admissions as a sign of rigor or academic qualification? I guess that's the question behind my question.

I have one public and one private child. My public school child has loaded up on APs since 10th grade. He never bothered to take the exams. It was only used as a tool to show rigor and pump up his weighted GPA. He was accepted Columbia. He basically got into all his top schools.

Im probably going to pull my middle schooler for public high school and follow the same strategy.

The amount of bullying and hyper kids we keep seeing in our lower school the last few years, we will be too. dC is not NyC or boarding school standards or vetting, they take some bad apples and keep them. Not impressed.

Then to see the academics be an after thought and tons of gaps… ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

the fact that they don't should tell you something about whether AP tests are useful or just a scam. If AP classes are designed as college equivalents, then you should wonder why kids in MoCo take APUSH in 9th grade.

I took APUSH in 9th grade 30 years ago. It was college-level then. Definitely a US History 101 class. Has it changed?

[Anonymous]

Until the tests are free and students receive equitable preparation for them, and are not run by a “non-profit” grossing millions of dollars/year, they won’t be comparable to European high school exit exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again - I see lots of comments about AP tests being used to place out of college classes. I get that.

What about the AP test scores being used in admissions as a sign of rigor or academic qualification? I guess that's the question behind my question.

I have one public and one private child. My public school child has loaded up on APs since 10th grade. He never bothered to take the exams. It was only used as a tool to show rigor and pump up his weighted GPA. He was accepted Columbia. He basically got into all his top schools.

Im probably going to pull my middle schooler for public high school and follow the same strategy.

The amount of bullying and hyper kids we keep seeing in our lower school the last few years, we will be too. dC is not NyC or boarding school standards or vetting, they take some bad apples and keep them. Not impressed.

Then to see the academics be an after thought and tons of gaps… ugh.

I have my oldest in public now, after having been in private since prek. It is good for her. Quick question for above pp:
My freshman in public is taking 2 APs this year and I'm curious how your son didn't take the tests since they are part of the school day and the last few weeks are prep for them(according to what I heard). He just didn't pay for the tests, obviously, and then that's that? The school never reached out to you?
new to public HS hence the question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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?

It is so smart to get rid of the classes but still help the kids take the tests. This way, the admission officers can’t compare the classes and counselors won’t need to say a certain number of AP classes are offered and if the students are taking them. It is all a strategy to get into top college. So, I applaud these schools learning and adapting to play the admission game. I really mean it. These days, it is all about ranking and prestige!

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]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

the fact that they don't should tell you something about whether AP tests are useful or just a scam. If AP classes are designed as college equivalents, then you should wonder why kids in MoCo take APUSH in 9th grade.

I took APUSH in 9th grade 30 years ago. It was college-level then. Definitely a US History 101 class. Has it changed?

No it suggests it was a scam 30 years ago. You think that a highly selective college is going to equate a class you took in 9th grade with one of their classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

the fact that they don't should tell you something about whether AP tests are useful or just a scam. If AP classes are designed as college equivalents, then you should wonder why kids in MoCo take APUSH in 9th grade.

I took APUSH in 9th grade 30 years ago. It was college-level then. Definitely a US History 101 class. Has it changed?

Most Moco HS have AP NSL as an option for 9th and then APUSH for 10th, FYI. I'm sure some might offer it in the other order, but the truth is it is now an easy class to get an A in and to score high on the AP test, if taken. The reason they offer it is because there are some kids who want the challenge and who are ready for it in 9th or 10th. Then they take AP world, etc in 11th and 12th, or do IB. It is not a scam. Some kids are ready for college level work in HS, even in lower grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Until the tests are free and students receive equitable preparation for them, and are not run by a “non-profit” grossing millions of dollars/year, they won’t be comparable to European high school exit exams.

Tests and prep are free, in multiple languages. Advertised all over schools and from teachers and to parents at mtgs, via handouts and emails and phone calls.

Europe has serious (and free) merit tests every couple years of schooling and rigid tracking for access to A Levels and similar and certainly for university and majors. Uniforms help too, as does time tested curricula and tests. They do not do anywhere near the progressive experimental new math or reading or whatever approaches as here- here’s riven by common core standards or politics or a big lucrative curriculum business of ex teachers and admin selling to their former districts.

I’d be for testing too. Similar to India’s IIt and Japans Todai/kyodai, the Russian system too. No one else is watering down k-12 education and holding back its brightest like America.

Please talk to some friends who are teachers. Get informed about how things actually are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

the fact that they don't should tell you something about whether AP tests are useful or just a scam. If AP classes are designed as college equivalents, then you should wonder why kids in MoCo take APUSH in 9th grade.

I took APUSH in 9th grade 30 years ago. It was college-level then. Definitely a US History 101 class. Has it changed?

Most Moco HS have AP NSL as an option for 9th and then APUSH for 10th, FYI. I'm sure some might offer it in the other order, but the truth is it is now an easy class to get an A in and to score high on the AP test, if taken. The reason they offer it is because there are some kids who want the challenge and who are ready for it in 9th or 10th. Then they take AP world, etc in 11th and 12th, or do IB. It is not a scam. Some kids are ready for college level work in HS, even in lower grades.

typo above, meant to write NOT an easy class to get an A in. In fact many incoming freshman who sailed through MS are in for a slight shock at the beginning of the year. Sorry for typos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked that colleges don’t use the tests as confirmation that the kid can actually learn the material. Seems like an excellent weed out metric.

the fact that they don't should tell you something about whether AP tests are useful or just a scam. If AP classes are designed as college equivalents, then you should wonder why kids in MoCo take APUSH in 9th grade.

I took APUSH in 9th grade 30 years ago. It was college-level then. Definitely a US History 101 class. Has it changed?

Most Moco HS have AP NSL as an option for 9th and then APUSH for 10th, FYI. I'm sure some might offer it in the other order, but the truth is it is now an easy class to get an A in and to score high on the AP test, if taken. The reason they offer it is because there are some kids who want the challenge and who are ready for it in 9th or 10th. Then they take AP world, etc in 11th and 12th, or do IB. It is not a scam. Some kids are ready for college level work in HS, even in lower grades.

you can swallow what the college board is telling you and believe that it's college level work and that your kid is so, so smart and gifted that they can do it as a 9th grader. But the colleges clearly don't agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again - I see lots of comments about AP tests being used to place out of college classes. I get that.

What about the AP test scores being used in admissions as a sign of rigor or academic qualification? I guess that's the question behind my question.

I have one public and one private child. My public school child has loaded up on APs since 10th grade. He never bothered to take the exams. It was only used as a tool to show rigor and pump up his weighted GPA. He was accepted Columbia. He basically got into all his top schools.

Im probably going to pull my middle schooler for public high school and follow the same strategy.

The amount of bullying and hyper kids we keep seeing in our lower school the last few years, we will be too. dC is not NyC or boarding school standards or vetting, they take some bad apples and keep them. Not impressed.

Then to see the academics be an after thought and tons of gaps… ugh.

I have my oldest in public now, after having been in private since prek. It is good for her. Quick question for above pp:
My freshman in public is taking 2 APs this year and I'm curious how your son didn't take the tests since they are part of the school day and the last few weeks are prep for them(according to what I heard). He just didn't pay for the tests, obviously, and then that's that? The school never reached out to you?
new to public HS hence the question.

It was very clearly stated they were optional. He played varsity sports and practice was 6 days a week. Didn’t see any benefit in spending the time to take the exam. He already earns As and the goal wasn’t to test out.