AP Exams - worthwhile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here—My daughter is planning an intense senior recital to showcase her main instrument towards the end of the year. She also wishes to continue her second extracurricular activity which takes between 10 and 15 hours a week. She has to take four international baccalaureate exams for her diploma and sitting for 3-4 additional AP exams without any reason seems silly. But posters have given several good reasons and I’m encouraging her to just sit for them regardless of the outcome. So far she has achieved a five on five AP exams and a four on two of them.

So, here is the problem as I see it…nobody wants to do poorly on a test, so by encouraging her to take them she is probably internalizing all the time and effort she will have to spend to do well on the test. Even though she knows her college may not accept the scores, it is still hard for a driven kid to just sit for the test without additional preparation…which is now stressing her out.

So…just saying “hey take the test and see what happens” doesn’t change her mindset. If the test doesn’t matter for college and there is no obligation from her HS to take it…I say just skip it. Will significantly reduce her stress in May (when it sounds like her recital will be a stressor).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here—My daughter is planning an intense senior recital to showcase her main instrument towards the end of the year. She also wishes to continue her second extracurricular activity which takes between 10 and 15 hours a week. She has to take four international baccalaureate exams for her diploma and sitting for 3-4 additional AP exams without any reason seems silly. But posters have given several good reasons and I’m encouraging her to just sit for them regardless of the outcome. So far she has achieved a five on five AP exams and a four on two of them.

Firstly, wow, she is a high achiever. Secondly it seems pointless to take AP exams when she is already doing the IB and has 5 AP exams to her name. Its almost like "lets see how far we can push the kid before she breaks" kind of mentality, which is obviously not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here—My daughter is planning an intense senior recital to showcase her main instrument towards the end of the year. She also wishes to continue her second extracurricular activity which takes between 10 and 15 hours a week. She has to take four international baccalaureate exams for her diploma and sitting for 3-4 additional AP exams without any reason seems silly. But posters have given several good reasons and I’m encouraging her to just sit for them regardless of the outcome. So far she has achieved a five on five AP exams and a four on two of them.

So, here is the problem as I see it…nobody wants to do poorly on a test, so by encouraging her to take them she is probably internalizing all the time and effort she will have to spend to do well on the test. Even though she knows her college may not accept the scores, it is still hard for a driven kid to just sit for the test without additional preparation…which is now stressing her out.

So…just saying “hey take the test and see what happens” doesn’t change her mindset. If the test doesn’t matter for college and there is no obligation from her HS to take it…I say just skip it. Will significantly reduce her stress in May (when it sounds like her recital will be a stressor).

Thank you for your perspective. This seems valid. I was initially very supportive of her skipping them but have been swayed by MCPS paying for them. It may allow her to, for example, focus on an ensemble one semester in college while taking a lighter course load. Lots to consider but I’ll let her guide the decision. There is no reason to pressure her as she does enough of that on her own! I appreciate the comments here so we can see the pros and cons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My HS senior is taking a handful of AP classes. Is there any point in taking the AP exams as a senior? She intends to go to a LAC with an open curriculum so there won't be any gen ed requirements. Part of me says to take it, what the harm? But another part says why bother? Any advice from recent new college student experiences?

Register for the exams in case she doesn't get in to the "LAC with an open curriculum." You can cancel later in the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our private requires all students to take the exam. You cannot take the course without taking the exam- you will get an incomplete.

Private school.

Do colleges expell student who don't finish their diploma? If so, will a GED suffice?

The kid hasn’t started college. So the college will withdraw acceptance. In the admissions letter, it says the offer is contingent on maintaining grades.

And no decent 4 year school with accept a kid doing well on vA diploma path and shrug and say okay if it ends up being a GED. Many colleges my kid applied to won’t consider GEDs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My HS senior is taking a handful of AP classes. Is there any point in taking the AP exams as a senior? She intends to go to a LAC with an open curriculum so there won't be any gen ed requirements. Part of me says to take it, what the harm? But another part says why bother? Any advice from recent new college student experiences?

This likely doesn’t apply to your daughter.

But a lot of English-language bachelor’s degree programs in Europe require U.S. applicants to have four 3’s on AP tests or three 4’s. So, AP classes could be helpful for students looking at programs in Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My HS senior is taking a handful of AP classes. Is there any point in taking the AP exams as a senior? She intends to go to a LAC with an open curriculum so there won't be any gen ed requirements. Part of me says to take it, what the harm? But another part says why bother? Any advice from recent new college student experiences?

This likely doesn’t apply to your daughter.

But a lot of English-language bachelor’s degree programs in Europe require U.S. applicants to have four 3’s on AP tests or three 4’s. So, AP classes could be helpful for students looking at programs in Europe.

I thought they required all 5s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My HS senior is taking a handful of AP classes. Is there any point in taking the AP exams as a senior? She intends to go to a LAC with an open curriculum so there won't be any gen ed requirements. Part of me says to take it, what the harm? But another part says why bother? Any advice from recent new college student experiences?

This likely doesn’t apply to your daughter.

But a lot of English-language bachelor’s degree programs in Europe require U.S. applicants to have four 3’s on AP tests or three 4’s. So, AP classes could be helpful for students looking at programs in Europe.

I thought they required all 5s

DP. Yes, correct. Cambridge requires 5 x 5's and Oxford requires 3 x 5's plus an SAT score over 1490