Explain online AP class?

[Anonymous]

I am not going to have my child explain the online classes.

[Anonymous]

So happy FCPS finally woke up on the online AP classes and is disclosing them on the transcript. Yes, admissions officers know taking it online is easier. Yes, they will see if you did not report the score.

[Anonymous]

Online AP classes are chosen so you can boost your gpa with little to no effort. The kids cheat and have no guilt about this—it is the norm and they freely discuss it. Yes, college admissions officers know this and consider it when assessing rigor and traits like character. Do you think AOs are stupid?

[Anonymous]

Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

I would disregard the bs posts about AOs spending their time trying to deduce whether you cheated or got an "easy A" in an AP class, especially if your kid scores a 5 on the AP test. The amount of total paranoia that this community interjects into the application process is completely absurd. Whether you took the class online or in person will never be THE deciding factor on whether you get into a T25, no matter what nonsense is spewed here by randos on the internet. Do what's best for your kid and if that happens to be an online AP class, then that is what it is. [Also, keep in mind, that kids are coming into the admissions process with 14+ APs, so there's literally no way to do that without taking online AP classes. Princeton shared its stat on the class of '29, in case you're curious. You can search it up.]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

I would disregard the bs posts about AOs spending their time trying to deduce whether you cheated or got an "easy A" in an AP class, especially if your kid scores a 5 on the AP test. The amount of total paranoia that this community interjects into the application process is completely absurd. Whether you took the class online or in person will never be THE deciding factor on whether you get into a T25, no matter what nonsense is spewed here by randos on the internet. Do what's best for your kid and if that happens to be an online AP class, then that is what it is. [Also, keep in mind, that kids are coming into the admissions process with 14+ APs, so there's literally no way to do that without taking online AP classes. Princeton shared its stat on the class of '29, in case you're curious. You can search it up.]

A lot of the students applying with 10+ AP scores self-studied for the tests and didn’t take classes for most of them at all. Which is a perfectly legit thing to do if you are trying to use the AP scores for credit in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

I would disregard the bs posts about AOs spending their time trying to deduce whether you cheated or got an "easy A" in an AP class, especially if your kid scores a 5 on the AP test. The amount of total paranoia that this community interjects into the application process is completely absurd. Whether you took the class online or in person will never be THE deciding factor on whether you get into a T25, no matter what nonsense is spewed here by randos on the internet. Do what's best for your kid and if that happens to be an online AP class, then that is what it is. [Also, keep in mind, that kids are coming into the admissions process with 14+ APs, so there's literally no way to do that without taking online AP classes. Princeton shared its stat on the class of '29, in case you're curious. You can search it up.]

Let me take a guess—your DC took online APUSH and AP LANG and got an A. lol. Oh, test optional right? Because they are not a “good tester”? What a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

I would disregard the bs posts about AOs spending their time trying to deduce whether you cheated or got an "easy A" in an AP class, especially if your kid scores a 5 on the AP test. The amount of total paranoia that this community interjects into the application process is completely absurd. Whether you took the class online or in person will never be THE deciding factor on whether you get into a T25, no matter what nonsense is spewed here by randos on the internet. Do what's best for your kid and if that happens to be an online AP class, then that is what it is. [Also, keep in mind, that kids are coming into the admissions process with 14+ APs, so there's literally no way to do that without taking online AP classes. Princeton shared its stat on the class of '29, in case you're curious. You can search it up.]

Let me take a guess—your DC took online APUSH and AP LANG and got an A. lol. Oh, test optional right? Because they are not a “good tester”? What a joke.

My kid will be graduating with 17 AP classes, many of them online. No, he didn't just study on his own or sit for the tests. He took the classes to learn some of the content from a teacher, though he had to teach himself much of it because the teachers aren't that great. There’s no way he would have been able to do all of it through in-person classes. Are we worried that an AO will think he cheated? Absolutely not! His academic record speaks for itself, and he's got many other legitimate concerns when it comes to college admissions—certainly not that the AO will be worried about some of his APs being online!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would she need to offer an explanation? AP classes have standardized content and the AP test is also standardized.

My teen took AP English language online because she had conflicts with the hours her school offered it.

What conflicts?

They are on a different school campus half the day for some other core classes and AP Eng was only offered during hours they weren’t there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would she need to offer an explanation? AP classes have standardized content and the AP test is also standardized.

My teen took AP English language online because she had conflicts with the hours her school offered it.

What conflicts?

They are on a different school campus half the day for some other core classes and AP Eng was only offered during hours they weren’t there

Is it an academy class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

I would disregard the bs posts about AOs spending their time trying to deduce whether you cheated or got an "easy A" in an AP class, especially if your kid scores a 5 on the AP test. The amount of total paranoia that this community interjects into the application process is completely absurd. Whether you took the class online or in person will never be THE deciding factor on whether you get into a T25, no matter what nonsense is spewed here by randos on the internet. Do what's best for your kid and if that happens to be an online AP class, then that is what it is. [Also, keep in mind, that kids are coming into the admissions process with 14+ APs, so there's literally no way to do that without taking online AP classes. Princeton shared its stat on the class of '29, in case you're curious. You can search it up.]

Let me take a guess—your DC took online APUSH and AP LANG and got an A. lol. Oh, test optional right? Because they are not a “good tester”? What a joke.

My kid will be graduating with 17 AP classes, many of them online. No, he didn't just study on his own or sit for the tests. He took the classes to learn some of the content from a teacher, though he had to teach himself much of it because the teachers aren't that great. There’s no way he would have been able to do all of it through in-person classes. Are we worried that an AO will think he cheated? Absolutely not! His academic record speaks for itself, and he's got many other legitimate concerns when it comes to college admissions—certainly not that the AO will be worried about some of his APs being online!

AP scores? Sat score? Asian?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Applying to several T20 Universities. DD took a AP US History online. The transcript will show that it was taken online (FCPS). Does she offer an explanation or better to not draw attention to it? Got an A in the class and a 3 in the exam - imho the teacher did not prepare the students. All other AP tests are 5s.

oof that will hurt, plus other T20 strivers in her class likely took it in-person which is harder. online is a known hack for the easy A. T20 schools will not miss the obvious shortcut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we will see. My kid is at one of those hard high schools and is getting crushed in AP Lang and there is definitely some regret about not doing this online as it is possible this one class, even with likely getting a 5 on the AP test as the teacher says there is a very high 5 rate, will tank chances at a top school.

AOs want the top grades in the hardest classes and sometimes the only way to do that in those schools to have a mix of online and in person.

I would disregard the bs posts about AOs spending their time trying to deduce whether you cheated or got an "easy A" in an AP class, especially if your kid scores a 5 on the AP test. The amount of total paranoia that this community interjects into the application process is completely absurd. Whether you took the class online or in person will never be THE deciding factor on whether you get into a T25, no matter what nonsense is spewed here by randos on the internet. Do what's best for your kid and if that happens to be an online AP class, then that is what it is. [Also, keep in mind, that kids are coming into the admissions process with 14+ APs, so there's literally no way to do that without taking online AP classes. Princeton shared its stat on the class of '29, in case you're curious. You can search it up.]

14 APs in person has become fairly common at our public school for the top 10% of rigor kids, and many who do it do not get in to ivies they settle for UVA in state. It used to be 12AP when Geo and precal were not a thing there.
APGeo in 9th
AP precal in 10 AP AB cal 11 BC 12th
APlang and lit 11th and 12
APhys1 11th
AP bio/APChem/APphysC: most top kids have 2 of the 3 because they double sciences in 10th or 12th
AP Econ 1 or 2 and APGov 12th, some take another in 10th
AP foreign lang 12
APWorld 10, APUSH 11
some fit in AP compsci or AP stat too as a 6th core one of the years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes are chosen so you can boost your gpa with little to no effort. The kids cheat and have no guilt about this—it is the norm and they freely discuss it. Yes, college admissions officers know this and consider it when assessing rigor and traits like character. Do you think AOs are stupid?

100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re in the same boat. Our college counselor advised us NOT to explain why the class was taken online. Admissions officers are unlikely to even notice that the course was online, but pointing it out could unintentionally draw extra attention to it.

It’s REALLY frustrating that FCPS changed the policy on how online AP classes appear on transcripts without any warning. I never would have let DS take an AP class online if we’d known it would show up that way. It’s honestly discouraging that online courses can still carry a stigma of low rigor and cheating, when students are simply trying to navigate the system they’ve been given and make thoughtful academic choices. At Langley, many of the top students take APUSH online, and at TJ it’s AP Econ, which shows just how common and practical taking online classes has become.

the true top ones take APUSH in person