Does Everyone Take AP Classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whitman parent here. Wish my kid had taken a full boat of AP classes each semester starting freshman year. DD is now a junior and we will be lucky if she can even get into a place like Georgetown because she does not have a rigorous course load the first two years of at least 4 AP classes per semester. Don't make my mistake, folks. I'm disgusted with myself (and don't get me started on her - separate thread).

I was told by someone well connected to the Georgetown interviewing process that local public school kids rarely make it in, but it is due more to "poise" issues and writing skills. Most of the local kids accepted at Georgetown are from the top tier Catholic schools (Gonzaga, Georgetown Prep, Visitation, Stone Ridge plus other good Catholic schools). I have never heard that taking AP classes freshman year is a "must." In fact, many of the top privates DO NOT offer APs because they think they needlessly cause stress and are too surface-level (not deep enough). FWIW, I have one kid in MCPS and one kid in private, and I'm a Georgetown grad, so I have an interest in this!

"Poise" issues? Would you mind clarifying? Honestly this seems a little odd.

My kid got into an Ivy from MCPS, a great ivy but I still have another kid to go....

[Anonymous]

Why would they cause stress if they were thin? Why would colleges offer credit for them if they were thin.

signed public hs and Georgetown grad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 16:20 - my former babysitter also pointed out: why would you want your kid to graduate from college a year early?

Hmm, perhaps to save upwards of $20k?? Not everyone is rolling in money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whitman parent here. Wish my kid had taken a full boat of AP classes each semester starting freshman year. DD is now a junior and we will be lucky if she can even get into a place like Georgetown because she does not have a rigorous course load the first two years of at least 4 AP classes per semester. Don't make my mistake, folks. I'm disgusted with myself (and don't get me started on her - separate thread).

I was told by someone well connected to the Georgetown interviewing process that local public school kids rarely make it in, but it is due more to "poise" issues and writing skills. Most of the local kids accepted at Georgetown are from the top tier Catholic schools (Gonzaga, Georgetown Prep, Visitation, Stone Ridge plus other good Catholic schools). I have never heard that taking AP classes freshman year is a "must." In fact, many of the top privates DO NOT offer APs because they think they needlessly cause stress and are too surface-level (not deep enough). FWIW, I have one kid in MCPS and one kid in private, and I'm a Georgetown grad, so I have an interest in this!

Georgetown grad here -- public school, no APs. I did get a perfect score on the verbal SAT though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 16:20 - my former babysitter also pointed out: why would you want your kid to graduate from college a year early?

Hmm, perhaps to save upwards of $20k?? Not everyone is rolling in money.

For us it's $60k. But my DC plans to stay 4 years. The AP credits allow DC to start in higher level classes, which has been useful. It also provides flexibilty to take a lighter load when writing a thesis, study abroad without worrying about credits, even take a semester off to intern or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whitman parent here. Wish my kid had taken a full boat of AP classes each semester starting freshman year. DD is now a junior and we will be lucky if she can even get into a place like Georgetown because she does not have a rigorous course load the first two years of at least 4 AP classes per semester. Don't make my mistake, folks. I'm disgusted with myself (and don't get me started on her - separate thread).

I was told by someone well connected to the Georgetown interviewing process that local public school kids rarely make it in, but it is due more to "poise" issues and writing skills. Most of the local kids accepted at Georgetown are from the top tier Catholic schools (Gonzaga, Georgetown Prep, Visitation, Stone Ridge plus other good Catholic schools). I have never heard that taking AP classes freshman year is a "must." In fact, many of the top privates DO NOT offer APs because they think they needlessly cause stress and are too surface-level (not deep enough). FWIW, I have one kid in MCPS and one kid in private, and I'm a Georgetown grad, so I have an interest in this!

"Poise" issues? Would you mind clarifying? Honestly this seems a little odd.

My kid got into an Ivy from MCPS, a great ivy but I still have another kid to go....

This is just someone justifying the cost of private school. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was told by someone well connected to the Georgetown interviewing process that local public school kids rarely make it in, but it is due more to "poise" issues and writing skills. Most of the local kids accepted at Georgetown are from the top tier Catholic schools (Gonzaga, Georgetown Prep, Visitation, Stone Ridge plus other good Catholic schools). I have never heard that taking AP classes freshman year is a "must." In fact, many of the top privates DO NOT offer APs because they think they needlessly cause stress and are too surface-level (not deep enough). FWIW, I have one kid in MCPS and one kid in private, and I'm a Georgetown grad, so I have an interest in this!

This is BS and I have proof.

Here is acceptance data for Georgetown from Naviance from our high school (Churchill):



If 20% is "rarely" making it in, I don't know what to tell you.

To OP: At Churchill some Freshman take AP US in 9th and AP NSL in 10th. Every year the number of people taking AP US expands...when my older son took it (now a senior) there were 2 small classes. My younger son is taking it now and there are 3 large classes. Everyone wants to keep up...

[Anonymous]

Larger version of that picture, in case you can't read it: http://i.imgur.com/SJZbGo6.png

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Larger version of that picture, in case you can't read it: http://i.imgur.com/SJZbGo6.png

Looks like Georgetown only flat-out rejected/denied 60% of Churchill applicants. In addition to the 20% who were accepted, Georgetown waitlisted 9% and another 19% was deferred (I assume after an EA application). Then a very small percentage withdrew their applications (presumably after getting in ED somewhere else, which is what you're supposed to do).

Agree, there's a private school parent who is always justifying $35K/year for teaching his kid how to shake hands. Whatever, ignore that poster.

[Anonymous]

APs and IBs are signalling devices to elite colleges. Kids from highly ranked HS are not doing it to get credits but rather get admission.

Nowadays, even the most average student will take at least 1 AP in freshman year, and 1 in Sophomore, and around a couple in junior year. So, having 4-5 APs on your transcript is no big deal.

[Anonymous]

I posted earlier that my he does not even offer them to 9th graders. I assume it is not the only one in MoCo. I am glad we did not have to make that choice at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier that my he does not even offer them to 9th graders. I assume it is not the only one in MoCo. I am glad we did not have to make that choice at this point.

We encountered that. I just encouraged my kids to pick 1-2 AP courses in their areas of strength that would be relatively easy and self study for the exams. We got them registered to test as independent students at another school. It was a fairly straightforward process.

[Anonymous]

Interesting option. My point was that I think it is an exaggeration to say most average freshman take AP classes. I have never heard of any freshman self prepping to get AP credits without taking the classes..and my child is in all honors classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APs and IBs are signalling devices to elite colleges. Kids from highly ranked HS are not doing it to get credits but rather get admission.

Nowadays, even the most average student will take at least 1 AP in freshman year, and 1 in Sophomore, and around a couple in junior year. So, having 4-5 APs on your transcript is no big deal.

Agree that having 4-5 APs is no big deal but most average students are NOT taking APs freshman year. and possibly not sophomore year either. The top 20% are, and more as sophomores. OP there is data on schools at a glance that will tell you how many kids are taking various AP classes and what their scores are. For Whitman NSL will be 9th and 10th graders, APUSH will be mostly 10th graders with a few 11th graders.

[Anonymous]

@RM/IB magnet it's usually 1 @9th, 2-3 @10th, 4-6 AP plus 1-3 IB @11th and 3-5 AP and 3-5 IB at 12th.