Is it just me or is College Board's rush fee ridiculous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we just got a flyer about AP exam fees from the high school. our county covers first six and any classes taken above that parents pay (which I'm fine with). My child will be finishing HS with 13 AP classes (14 exams because of 2x US/Comp Govt). My bill for senior year just came in at $693 unless we opt out. It was just unexpected. I won't even tell you all how much we just paid for senior photos.

Sorry, you're equating academic exams with senior photos? Get out of here. I am happy to pay for my children's meaningful academic efforts. Frivolous pics? Now that's a real racket. We got the basic free package from their high school, and took our own pics.

Not the same person, but just saying that all of the senior year costs add up to a lot of $$. Money is just going out the door these days.

And the point is that some are very important, ie, could make a difference in getting merit aid, etc, and some are very much not.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't seem very nonprofitty of them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the digital age, why is it even necessary?

Tariffs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the digital age, why is it even necessary?

It’s just you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we just got a flyer about AP exam fees from the high school. our county covers first six and any classes taken above that parents pay (which I'm fine with). My child will be finishing HS with 13 AP classes (14 exams because of 2x US/Comp Govt). My bill for senior year just came in at $693 unless we opt out. It was just unexpected. I won't even tell you all how much we just paid for senior photos.

You're lucky, because I have twins taking a total of 12 APs between them, and our public school district does not pay for any of their AP tests. The cost is $140 for early bird, and then goes up to $185 per exam starting November 1st (so, not exactly late for a May exam). Oh yes, and they are seniors so we paid for senior photos as well.

Why are they charging you $140? AP exam fee is $99.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we just got a flyer about AP exam fees from the high school. our county covers first six and any classes taken above that parents pay (which I'm fine with). My child will be finishing HS with 13 AP classes (14 exams because of 2x US/Comp Govt). My bill for senior year just came in at $693 unless we opt out. It was just unexpected. I won't even tell you all how much we just paid for senior photos.

You're lucky, because I have twins taking a total of 12 APs between them, and our public school district does not pay for any of their AP tests. The cost is $140 for early bird, and then goes up to $185 per exam starting November 1st (so, not exactly late for a May exam). Oh yes, and they are seniors so we paid for senior photos as well.

Why are they charging you $140? AP exam fee is $99.

LCPS charges $90 each and first 4 are free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we just got a flyer about AP exam fees from the high school. our county covers first six and any classes taken above that parents pay (which I'm fine with). My child will be finishing HS with 13 AP classes (14 exams because of 2x US/Comp Govt). My bill for senior year just came in at $693 unless we opt out. It was just unexpected. I won't even tell you all how much we just paid for senior photos.

You're lucky, because I have twins taking a total of 12 APs between them, and our public school district does not pay for any of their AP tests. The cost is $140 for early bird, and then goes up to $185 per exam starting November 1st (so, not exactly late for a May exam). Oh yes, and they are seniors so we paid for senior photos as well.

Why are they charging you $140? AP exam fee is $99.

LCPS charges $90 each and first 4 are free.

Yes, there’s a school discount of $9 that I didn’t include. $99 is the base price from College Board. So my question remains, why is pp paying $140 a pop?

[Anonymous]

It is annoying to me that you pay for the test AND to send the results of said test.

To send FAFSA. To send CSS. Which some schools require even if you aren't looking for financial aid.

Insane amounts of marketing from schools are definitely offset by encouraging a crazy amount of applications (and therefore application fees) even though they will admit nowhere near what they see on average in annual applications.

And then layer on the extra fee if your student is applying for an arts major - $100 extra on average per school for the artistic portal review….


I’ll be close to $2k once all is said and done with the above. I’m fine with it (well not fine more resigned and know this is what it is) and I know this is my kids’ path but it’s so expensive just to apply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we just got a flyer about AP exam fees from the high school. our county covers first six and any classes taken above that parents pay (which I'm fine with). My child will be finishing HS with 13 AP classes (14 exams because of 2x US/Comp Govt). My bill for senior year just came in at $693 unless we opt out. It was just unexpected. I won't even tell you all how much we just paid for senior photos.

You're lucky, because I have twins taking a total of 12 APs between them, and our public school district does not pay for any of their AP tests. The cost is $140 for early bird, and then goes up to $185 per exam starting November 1st (so, not exactly late for a May exam). Oh yes, and they are seniors so we paid for senior photos as well.

Why are they charging you $140? AP exam fee is $99.

LCPS charges $90 each and first 4 are free.

Yes, there’s a school discount of $9 that I didn’t include. $99 is the base price from College Board. So my question remains, why is pp paying $140 a pop?

PP here. I had no idea that $99 is the base price. I am assuming that the $140 includes money spent on administering the test (it is held in the gym and proctored by "volunteers"). I had no idea that my (non-DMV) school district is adding a surcharge. I need to go look into this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we just got a flyer about AP exam fees from the high school. our county covers first six and any classes taken above that parents pay (which I'm fine with). My child will be finishing HS with 13 AP classes (14 exams because of 2x US/Comp Govt). My bill for senior year just came in at $693 unless we opt out. It was just unexpected. I won't even tell you all how much we just paid for senior photos.

You're lucky, because I have twins taking a total of 12 APs between them, and our public school district does not pay for any of their AP tests. The cost is $140 for early bird, and then goes up to $185 per exam starting November 1st (so, not exactly late for a May exam). Oh yes, and they are seniors so we paid for senior photos as well.

Why are they charging you $140? AP exam fee is $99.

LCPS charges $90 each and first 4 are free.

Yes, there’s a school discount of $9 that I didn’t include. $99 is the base price from College Board. So my question remains, why is pp paying $140 a pop?

PP here. I had no idea that $99 is the base price. I am assuming that the $140 includes money spent on administering the test (it is held in the gym and proctored by "volunteers"). I had no idea that my (non-DMV) school district is adding a surcharge. I need to go look into this.

You should definitely ask what’s going on. Especially if they are also charging an extra fee after Nov 1. College Board’s deadline is Nov. 14. After that, the base cost is $129.

Deets: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/ordering-fees/exam-fees

[Anonymous]

We sent SAT scores last month and they got to the schools in five days, non expedited.