Is National AP Scholar impressive for top 20 schools? DS will have taken 17 APs by graduation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What was the motivation for taking 17 AP classes?

OP, so you are one of those “chosen” parents that was given a guarantee that at least one child would receive all 4’s and 5’s if you kept your daughters in the same charter until graduation. The institution gets to families like yours and the benefits you bring along. You are guaranteed the grades. Win -win in both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the motivation for taking 17 AP classes?

OP, so you are one of those “chosen” parents that was given a guarantee that at least one child would receive all 4’s and 5’s if you kept your daughters in the same charter until graduation. The institution gets to families like yours and the benefits you bring along. You are guaranteed the grades. Win -win in both sides.

What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the motivation for taking 17 AP classes?

OP, so you are one of those “chosen” parents that was given a guarantee that at least one child would receive all 4’s and 5’s if you kept your daughters in the same charter until graduation. The institution gets to families like yours and the benefits you bring along. You are guaranteed the grades. Win -win in both sides.

What is this babble?

[Anonymous]

If you score 4 and 5 on any AP test that IS impressive. If you take 7, 8, or 18 AP tests and only score 3 then meh, nothing to write about. You wasted a seat in a classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5 or 4 on all of them.

. It depends on which APs. Will he have taken both Physics C exams, AP Chem and AP BC Calculus?

Only matters if kid is STEM. Again, 3 score is very basic. 4 and 5 is a kid with talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD coming out of RMIB also had 17 aps (plus 6 IB exams) but I don’t think it helped her much from college admission standpoint. But she got the best HS education possible.

Same here. Child's friend at Sidwell got into better schools with zero AP's. It doesn't matter as most boarding schools and private schools don't even offer that many AP's. Sometimes none at all. Many are doing away with them.

That may be, but recent Sidwell grads I know took 6-7 AP tests, even though the class wasn’t labeled AP.

Anyone can “take” the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably more impressive to/useful for public flagships. T20 privates don’t think APs = college level work. In some ways and in some fields, they’re actually counter-productive because profs have to break kids of the bad habits AP rewards (eg trite, superficial, formulaic writing).

Get over yourself... how many AP essays have you read?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably more impressive to/useful for public flagships. T20 privates don’t think APs = college level work. In some ways and in some fields, they’re actually counter-productive because profs have to break kids of the bad habits AP rewards (eg trite, superficial, formulaic writing).

Get over yourself... how many AP essays have you read?

Lots. I’ve also taught at two t20 privates, was an undergrad at a 3rd, and have a kid at a fourth. So i’ve seen a lot of essays (and understand the grading standards) in that context as well. Also had a side gig teaching AP teachers (some of whom were also AP graders) and have discussed differing expectations between AP vs elite colleges with them.

[Anonymous]

Rather than maxing out the number of APs, my kid concentrated on taking interesting post-AP classes. Your 17 AP kid is competing with kids who did fewer APs but went deeper on the subjects that truly interested them like math, computer science or writing. Often these post AP classes have a similar gpa bump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the motivation for taking 17 AP classes?

Tiger Mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably more impressive to/useful for public flagships. T20 privates don’t think APs = college level work. In some ways and in some fields, they’re actually counter-productive because profs have to break kids of the bad habits AP rewards (eg trite, superficial, formulaic writing).

Get over yourself... how many AP essays have you read?

Lots. I’ve also taught at two t20 privates, was an undergrad at a 3rd, and have a kid at a fourth. So i’ve seen a lot of essays (and understand the grading standards) in that context as well. Also had a side gig teaching AP teachers (some of whom were also AP graders) and have discussed differing expectations between AP vs elite colleges with them.

So the kids in reg English staring at their phones or the ceiling are better prepared than kids taking more rigorous classes? Then tell us why all T20’s value rigor so highly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably more impressive to/useful for public flagships. T20 privates don’t think APs = college level work. In some ways and in some fields, they’re actually counter-productive because profs have to break kids of the bad habits AP rewards (eg trite, superficial, formulaic writing).

Get over yourself... how many AP essays have you read?

Lots. I’ve also taught at two t20 privates, was an undergrad at a 3rd, and have a kid at a fourth. So i’ve seen a lot of essays (and understand the grading standards) in that context as well. Also had a side gig teaching AP teachers (some of whom were also AP graders) and have discussed differing expectations between AP vs elite colleges with them.

So the kids in reg English staring at their phones or the ceiling are better prepared than kids taking more rigorous classes? Then tell us why all T20’s value rigor so highly.

What she is saying is that AP’s can be formulaic and superficial. There are private schools that teach non AP classes that actually go more in depth in their classes and some colleges prefer students who have taken those kinds of courses instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably more impressive to/useful for public flagships. T20 privates don’t think APs = college level work. In some ways and in some fields, they’re actually counter-productive because profs have to break kids of the bad habits AP rewards (eg trite, superficial, formulaic writing).

Get over yourself... how many AP essays have you read?

Lots. I’ve also taught at two t20 privates, was an undergrad at a 3rd, and have a kid at a fourth. So i’ve seen a lot of essays (and understand the grading standards) in that context as well. Also had a side gig teaching AP teachers (some of whom were also AP graders) and have discussed differing expectations between AP vs elite colleges with them.

So the kids in reg English staring at their phones or the ceiling are better prepared than kids taking more rigorous classes? Then tell us why all T20’s value rigor so highly.

What she is saying is that AP’s can be formulaic and superficial. There are private schools that teach non AP classes that actually go more in depth in their classes and some colleges prefer students who have taken those kinds of courses instead.

You may be right but her point is still incorrect. Schools prefer rigor of whatever available stripe, AP, IB, whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably more impressive to/useful for public flagships. T20 privates don’t think APs = college level work. In some ways and in some fields, they’re actually counter-productive because profs have to break kids of the bad habits AP rewards (eg trite, superficial, formulaic writing).

Get over yourself... how many AP essays have you read?

Lots. I’ve also taught at two t20 privates, was an undergrad at a 3rd, and have a kid at a fourth. So i’ve seen a lot of essays (and understand the grading standards) in that context as well. Also had a side gig teaching AP teachers (some of whom were also AP graders) and have discussed differing expectations between AP vs elite colleges with them.

So the kids in reg English staring at their phones or the ceiling are better prepared than kids taking more rigorous classes? Then tell us why all T20’s value rigor so highly.

What she is saying is that AP’s can be formulaic and superficial. There are private schools that teach non AP classes that actually go more in depth in their classes and some colleges prefer students who have taken those kinds of courses instead.

What an idiotic comment. Colleges look for applicants that have taken the most rigorous coursework available at their own school.

[Anonymous]

I know people who are in Harvard and they took 17 APS and were a National AP Scholar. Congratulations to your son because this is not an easy feat and shows his academic ability. It is not something that colleges expect students to achieve but will certainly look at with favor if this is in the student's resume. Please do not crowdsource from people whose kids will never be in a situation to achieve this milestone or apply to highly selective colleges.

This is a very impressive achievement. If he is solid with GPA, SAT scores, essays, recommendations, and EC, this will absolutely be a very big "YES" from the colleges. Contrary to what people would like you to believe, colleges are primarily looking for strong academic candidates who can take on the rigor of the college and finish it in a timely manner.