What happens if DCPS highschool senior does NOT take the AP exams this May

[Anonymous]

OP, I don’t have the answer. But congratulations to your DC for being both accomplished and rational.

I hope the AP exam doesn’t matter for HS purposes and that your DC has an enjoyable Spring.

[Anonymous]

Your DC should contact their advisor, not admit rep. Some schools might not accept AP Calc scores of 4-5 to get out of calc requirement. However, AP calc scores of 4-5 will count as an elective. In this case, it might be worth it.

[Anonymous]

It is required at our school, but I can't imagine letting a kid blow off something he's already put in all the work for, even if it's not about the credit or scores or getting out of college courses. It is about finishing what you start. And since none of the above are adding pressure to the performance, it isn't as if it is burden anyway.

You can also consider the greater good -- it reflects well on your child's high school and the students coming up after him to see that your school does teach these courses well enough for students to score well on the tests. That will help other with college admissions down the road. To have obviously bright kids just blow it off actually does hurt the school somewhat.

[Anonymous]

Nothing at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is required at our school, but I can't imagine letting a kid blow off something he's already put in all the work for, even if it's not about the credit or scores or getting out of college courses. It is about finishing what you start. And since none of the above are adding pressure to the performance, it isn't as if it is burden anyway.

You can also consider the greater good -- it reflects well on your child's high school and the students coming up after him to see that your school does teach these courses well enough for students to score well on the tests. That will help other with college admissions down the road. To have obviously bright kids just blow it off actually does hurt the school somewhat.

OP here. I am talking to DC about all the points you bring up, which are fair points. It's not that I'm "letting or not letting" said kid do anything. Kid is 18 years old and headed to college in a huge city and almost 100% independent as it is. I am simply gathering information to help with the weighing of pros and cons. I do think that after sitting for 6 AP courses/exams , several SATs and several ACTs in addition to all the regular school hoops, it's not a character flaw if child decides not to sit for these at the end of senior year. But it's not really my decision.

[Anonymous]

Nothing happens if your kid decides to skip the exams. I would encourage kid to take at least a few of the exams but there really are no consequences. It can be helpful for college though. My daughter got a 5 in AP Calculus BC and her college insisted she skip calculus and enroll in Calc 2 instead. Not a big deal either way I guess. She also got credit for getting a 4 on AP Chemistry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is required at our school, but I can't imagine letting a kid blow off something he's already put in all the work for, even if it's not about the credit or scores or getting out of college courses. It is about finishing what you start. And since none of the above are adding pressure to the performance, it isn't as if it is burden anyway.

You can also consider the greater good -- it reflects well on your child's high school and the students coming up after him to see that your school does teach these courses well enough for students to score well on the tests. That will help other with college admissions down the road. To have obviously bright kids just blow it off actually does hurt the school somewhat.

OP here. I am talking to DC about all the points you bring up, which are fair points. It's not that I'm "letting or not letting" said kid do anything. Kid is 18 years old and headed to college in a huge city and almost 100% independent as it is. I am simply gathering information to help with the weighing of pros and cons. I do think that after sitting for 6 AP courses/exams , several SATs and several ACTs in addition to all the regular school hoops, it's not a character flaw if child decides not to sit for these at the end of senior year. But it's not really my decision.

Agree I should not have used the word "letting."

[Anonymous]

My kid’s school requires them for course credit. I think they do so so they can brag about scores and percentages of kids taking the exam (especially since it’s the best students most likely to skip as seniors since the more elite the school, the less likely to offer course credit in general). So I’d be sure to confirm specifically with your school. Frankly I assume they require it because there otherwise are no consequences.

[Anonymous]

What if your kid "got a terrible stomach virus" the week of the exams?

[Anonymous]

I am a HS teacher and I can tell you nothing will happen. I have kids who have told me they aren’t taking the AP because their university doesn’t accept the credit. No big deal, your kid is a senior and taking a little time to relax at the end of senior year is no big deal. AP exams are useful for two things: college admissions and getting out of college credit.

[Anonymous]

The only "consequence" is more abstract--DCPS pays for all of its students (regardless of income) to take the AP exams in the courses that they're enrolled in. They don't survey the students to ask if they'll be taking the exams as it's expected that they will--so basically the main consequence is that you're wasting tax pay dollars. They should--but won't--make you pay back the $ you're wasting them.

[Anonymous]

If your kid is just going to sit for the exam and not actually take it seriously it’s better if they don’t take it. AP scores are looked at district wide , school wide and for individual teachers in some cases. It’s better for that teacher if your kid just doesn’t take it than if they sit for the exam and get a 1 because they don’t care or want to try. That reflects poorly on the teacher even though there is nothing they can do about it.

[Anonymous]

Nothing. I took all AP classes in HS and couldn’t afford any of the exams.

[Anonymous]

How does this play into the new Wilson HS AP for All policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does this play into the new Wilson HS AP for All policy?

It might increase the number of students taking the exam and exposing the process to students who might not have thought it was an option. The college credits are largely trivial, many colleges don’t give much for high AP exam scores.