If your kids had does not offer AP classes

[Anonymous]

I thought it would be an issue at top state schools (including UCs) but it has not been this year.

[Anonymous]

I had posted earlier but I will add that I think it depends on the private school and the perception of rigor. One of mine went to a top private where we live (in CA). The schools, including the UCs, know it and not having APs does not seem to matter.

Our other kid went to a private that did not have the same reputation. They had only a couple APs for language (and my kid took a language without an AP available). That kid had a harder time with large state schools because I feel they were hoping for a high weighted GPA, which my kid did not have because no APs were available. Their school weighted honors classes but you had to test in and they did not start until junior year. My kid tested into a few but was not a perfect student so did not get enough of a bump up (but unweighted should have been good enough for the state schools that rejected). It all worked out for the best, but I do think it matter at large state schools.

[Anonymous]

I think that in general, kids are competing against others from their own school for admission, so the number of APs offered shouldn't make a difference in that regard.

I really wonder though, about things like Monroe Scholar at W&M, which is offered to the "top 10%" of applicants. How do they calculate that other than comparing WGPAs and test scores across schools? Seems like kids from schools with more APs or schools that give weighted credit for both honors and APs are at an advantage (as are kids from less rigorous schools). I suspect my W&M admit from APS was disadvantaged in this regard, as APS does not give weighted credit for honors (unlike FCPS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that in general, kids are competing against others from their own school for admission, so the number of APs offered shouldn't make a difference in that regard.

I really wonder though, about things like Monroe Scholar at W&M, which is offered to the "top 10%" of applicants. How do they calculate that other than comparing WGPAs and test scores across schools? Seems like kids from schools with more APs or schools that give weighted credit for both honors and APs are at an advantage (as are kids from less rigorous schools). I suspect my W&M admit from APS was disadvantaged in this regard, as APS does not give weighted credit for honors (unlike FCPS).

They don’t compare weighted GPAs across schools because schools weigh differently, and many privates do not weight at all. My W&M admit from a school that does not weight for honors (only AP and IB) was selected for Monroe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we're at a nyc private with no AP classes/tests and we regularly send 25% of the class to T10 colleges.

Which one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell doesn't have any APs and their admissions are arguably the best in the DMV this year. Some kids will take a dozen AP exams after just taking the regular classes.

STA offers APs in math, science and foreign language. My son took additional AP exams in English language, English Literature and US history after taking the regular on-level classes in these subjects. Received a 5 on all.

Can you link to the matriculation list?

[Anonymous]

It matters at small religious privates.

Coming from one of those acceptances to good schools is very hard.

The school is lying if they tell you otherwise

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell doesn't have any APs and their admissions are arguably the best in the DMV this year. Some kids will take a dozen AP exams after just taking the regular classes.

STA offers APs in math, science and foreign language. My son took additional AP exams in English language, English Literature and US history after taking the regular on-level classes in these subjects. Received a 5 on all.

They are reporting AP scores, so it's the same difference.

So if others at the school are reporting AP scores then that becomes the expectation for all students to be competitive? Even if the school doesn't offer AP classes? Seems like a crappy situation from the perspective of the students.

[Anonymous]

No our kids are at a top private in the Bay area. They have advanced "college equivalent" classes created by teachers and approved by the Head but not paid curriculum of the College Board so they are not AP. The schools that know our school or read our school profile know they are AP like. Eldest had a good mix of options (including UCLA) and is at Penn. Youngest is a junior now so we'll see. The UCs all certify our school's "advanced" college-level courses to be equivalent to "AP level" for grade calculation purposes.

[Anonymous]

I think the science and math APs are good to take and while both my kids attended top NYC privates, their school allowed them to sign up for AP exams at the school but did not teach for the AP exam so they brushed up on any topics that school did not cover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the science and math APs are good to take and while both my kids attended top NYC privates, their school allowed them to sign up for AP exams at the school but did not teach for the AP exam so they brushed up on any topics that school did not cover.

Is this true of DC area schools? Will they proctor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in 9th grade at one of the DC privates that doesn't have AP classes. In looking at the colleges that this year's seniors will be attending, it doesn't seem to be hurting them.

They might be taking the tests outside of school--mine is. The curriculums aren't that different between the highest level private offering and AP--many classes use the same text books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the science and math APs are good to take and while both my kids attended top NYC privates, their school allowed them to sign up for AP exams at the school but did not teach for the AP exam so they brushed up on any topics that school did not cover.

Is this true of DC area schools? Will they proctor?

Students at privates without APs can sign up to take the tests at several MoCo publics or Basis in VA and pay for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No our kids are at a top private in the Bay area. They have advanced "college equivalent" classes created by teachers and approved by the Head but not paid curriculum of the College Board so they are not AP. The schools that know our school or read our school profile know they are AP like. Eldest had a good mix of options (including UCLA) and is at Penn. Youngest is a junior now so we'll see. The UCs all certify our school's "advanced" college-level courses to be equivalent to "AP level" for grade calculation purposes.

The UCs unfortunately do not certify the Advanced/Upper-Level courses of the DMV privates (you can look on a UC website and see which schools classes are certified--think I remember the vast majority are CA schools). I do think it has to be somewhat of a disadvantage as with 150,000+ applications, they barely have time to read the schools data sheet let alone the application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the science and math APs are good to take and while both my kids attended top NYC privates, their school allowed them to sign up for AP exams at the school but did not teach for the AP exam so they brushed up on any topics that school did not cover.

Is this true of DC area schools? Will they proctor?

Students at privates without APs can sign up to take the tests at several MoCo publics or Basis in VA and pay for them.

This approach seems like a waste of time TBH. There seem to be two threads on this now, but AP count doesn’t directly correlate with admissions success. This is especially true when coming from a school that doesn’t offer AP courses.