AP Test Results

[Anonymous]

This thread is hysterical! I

I have NEVER logged into my own kids' accounts to even check grades. So I can't imagine the hysteria that swirls around your kids each night! How many of them are on anti-anxiety drugs?

The fact that MCPS pushes AP on 9th and 10th graders is madness. It only benefits the "equity enrollment" regarding rigorous courses; it doesn't benefit most of the kids.

And the fact that you have fallen into this trap says more about your parenting than it says about MCPS.

no emoticon from me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hysterical! I

I have NEVER logged into my own kids' accounts to even check grades. So I can't imagine the hysteria that swirls around your kids each night! How many of them are on anti-anxiety drugs?

The fact that MCPS pushes AP on 9th and 10th graders is madness. It only benefits the "equity enrollment" regarding rigorous courses; it doesn't benefit most of the kids.

And the fact that you have fallen into this trap says more about your parenting than it says about MCPS.

no emoticon from me

Did any parents here say they logged on to their kids' accounts?

However, I do agree with you on the fact that MCPS is over the top with AP offerings. Two in 9th grade? Why put your kid through this...well the fact is, you really have no choice if you are in one of the higher performing MCPS schools. If you want your kid to be competitive in college admissions, he/she will need to compete against his/her fellow students...and that means taking as many APs as possible. So if your school starts offering APs in 9th grade and there are two available, well, your off to the races!!

So glad we pulled DS out after middle school to go to a more sane environment for high school. He didn't have an AP course until his junior year and took six in all. He got into a very good top 20 university. He would have had to take at least four additional APs to get admission to this school had he been enrolled in MCPS. So sad your kids have to suffer so.

[Anonymous]

Right..my kid came down in the morning and said..I got my AP scores..they were...

I don't check my kids grades either but that does not mean that I don't hear about them.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We are surprised too about the 3. We thought she’s score a 4/5 based on prep tests. Anyways, I’ve always told DD study first for school (get As) next is prepare for SAT and third priority is APs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are surprised too about the 3. We thought she’s score a 4/5 based on prep tests. Anyways, I’ve always told DD study first for school (get As) next is prepare for SAT and third priority is APs.

These are probably the best priorities for most kids. Doing well in school is probably the most important task. There is no need to take too many AP courses. You can signal academic rigor and ability to handle AP exams without taking tons of APs. A couple in sophomore year and three or four per year in 11th and 12th should be plenty for a high achieving kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hysterical! I

I have NEVER logged into my own kids' accounts to even check grades. So I can't imagine the hysteria that swirls around your kids each night! How many of them are on anti-anxiety drugs?

The fact that MCPS pushes AP on 9th and 10th graders is madness. It only benefits the "equity enrollment" regarding rigorous courses; it doesn't benefit most of the kids.

And the fact that you have fallen into this trap says more about your parenting than it says about MCPS.

no emoticon from me

Did any parents here say they logged on to their kids' accounts?

However, I do agree with you on the fact that MCPS is over the top with AP offerings. Two in 9th grade? Why put your kid through this...well the fact is, you really have no choice if you are in one of the higher performing MCPS schools. If you want your kid to be competitive in college admissions, he/she will need to compete against his/her fellow students...and that means taking as many APs as possible. So if your school starts offering APs in 9th grade and there are two available, well, your off to the races!!

So glad we pulled DS out after middle school to go to a more sane environment for high school. He didn't have an AP course until his junior year and took six in all. He got into a very good top 20 university. He would have had to take at least four additional APs to get admission to this school had he been enrolled in MCPS. So sad your kids have to suffer so.

For those against underclassmen taking AP classes, my son made the decision himself to take two AP courses freshman year and is completely self-motivated. In fact, he at first wasn't allowed to take the second, but asked me to help him push for it because he was that passionate in taking the class. While this may not be good for all, my son thrived in this environment and had very high A's, 95%+, every single quarter while still managing to balance extracurriculars and sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are the AP score distributions for 2018. They don’t tell the whole story of course. In some cases (for example AP Calculus BC) you have to take self selection into account. Only the top Math students take this exam and they tend to do well

https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2018/Student-Score-Distributions-2018.pdf

How is looking at 2018 helpful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Did any parents here say they logged on to their kids' accounts?

However, I do agree with you on the fact that MCPS is over the top with AP offerings. Two in 9th grade? Why put your kid through this...well the fact is, you really have no choice if you are in one of the higher performing MCPS schools. If you want your kid to be competitive in college admissions, he/she will need to compete against his/her fellow students...and that means taking as many APs as possible. So if your school starts offering APs in 9th grade and there are two available, well, your off to the races!!

So glad we pulled DS out after middle school to go to a more sane environment for high school. He didn't have an AP course until his junior year and took six in all. He got into a very good top 20 university. He would have had to take at least four additional APs to get admission to this school had he been enrolled in MCPS. So sad your kids have to suffer so.

They told you this? If not, how do you know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hysterical! I

I have NEVER logged into my own kids' accounts to even check grades. So I can't imagine the hysteria that swirls around your kids each night! How many of them are on anti-anxiety drugs?

The fact that MCPS pushes AP on 9th and 10th graders is madness. It only benefits the "equity enrollment" regarding rigorous courses; it doesn't benefit most of the kids.

And the fact that you have fallen into this trap says more about your parenting than it says about MCPS.

no emoticon from me

Pushes? Nobody has to do it. In fact, for AP in 9th grade, kids have to apply to a program, at my kid's high school.

I didn't check on my kid's AP scores. My kid said, "I got x on this, y on this, and z on this." And I said, "Great!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are the AP score distributions for 2018. They don’t tell the whole story of course. In some cases (for example AP Calculus BC) you have to take self selection into account. Only the top Math students take this exam and they tend to do well

https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2018/Student-Score-Distributions-2018.pdf

How is looking at 2018 helpful?

Typically the score distributions don't fluctuate too much, so they give you a good idea of what the 2019 score distributions may look like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are surprised too about the 3. We thought she’s score a 4/5 based on prep tests. Anyways, I’ve always told DD study first for school (get As) next is prepare for SAT and third priority is APs.

These are probably the best priorities for most kids. Doing well in school is probably the most important task. There is no need to take too many AP courses. You can signal academic rigor and ability to handle AP exams without taking tons of APs. A couple in sophomore year and three or four per year in 11th and 12th should be plenty for a high achieving kid.

You are kidding, right? That is 10 APs!! Is that a normal average amount?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is there is no other info than the number..which is frustrating. In the end it does not matter. The 3 will be accepted at some school and not at others. My Blair magnet junior get a 4 on the AP Calc exam which was very unexpected but life goes on. One test score is just that.

OP here. Thank you for that too. It is frustrating because it would have been nice to know for the exam, where DD was on the 3 curve which I think is quite large.

nice to know in what way? curious to know, yes. but i don't see how having this info will help your DC moving forward. what are your thoughts op?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are surprised too about the 3. We thought she’s score a 4/5 based on prep tests. Anyways, I’ve always told DD study first for school (get As) next is prepare for SAT and third priority is APs.

These are probably the best priorities for most kids. Doing well in school is probably the most important task. There is no need to take too many AP courses. You can signal academic rigor and ability to handle AP exams without taking tons of APs. A couple in sophomore year and three or four per year in 11th and 12th should be plenty for a high achieving kid.

You are kidding, right? That is 10 APs!! Is that a normal average amount?

high performing kids (like magnet kids) take ~16 or more APs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are surprised too about the 3. We thought she’s score a 4/5 based on prep tests. Anyways, I’ve always told DD study first for school (get As) next is prepare for SAT and third priority is APs.

These are probably the best priorities for most kids. Doing well in school is probably the most important task. There is no need to take too many AP courses. You can signal academic rigor and ability to handle AP exams without taking tons of APs. A couple in sophomore year and three or four per year in 11th and 12th should be plenty for a high achieving kid.

You are kidding, right? That is 10 APs!! Is that a normal average amount?

Exactly. This is MCPS hysteria.

[Anonymous]

Also do your kids always take the AP exam if they take the class? My DD will take 2 next year but maybe 4-5 the year after. I’m not sure she’ll be ready for that many tests. If she bombs a test will it impact college?