New College Focus on AP Tests and GDS

[Anonymous]

If you look at GDS 2024 college acceptznce instagram, the lack of APs isn’t exactly hurting GDS kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was a huge mistake to stop offering the exams on site. All it did was make it extremely difficult for those kids who were going to sit for an exam anyway (and their parents who had to waste time trying to find another school that would allow a non-student to sit). I can’t fathom why they would have a problem with continuing to offer this option for students who want to use it. Any purported equity rationale is ludicrous - just read the statement from Yale today (like others before it) explaining why requiring test scores actually promotes equity. To be fair, at the junior meeting this year, CCO did encourage taking SAT or ACT and acknowledged that colleges are now saying that test scores matter even under test optional. Not sure why CCO refuses to acknowledge that this applies to AP tests as well.

Did any parent screw their courage to the sticking point, raise their hand, and ask?

So that’s a “No”? All these parents complaining yet none of you has actually gone to the school and addressed it directly with admin? Don’t you all care about all those poor kids on FA being disadvantaged? Not enough to speak up, apparently.

Multiple parents have asked. Me included. CCO continue to cite their "data" that tells them that AP's dont matter. We have tried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look at GDS 2024 college acceptznce instagram, the lack of APs isn’t exactly hurting GDS kids.

Entirely irrelevant. Yes the senior class is amazing. And it has nothing to do w/ the CCO and its policies. Just like last year was a pretty off year for admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yale said in new podcast today, they only expect to see AP scores IF your school offers the class and even then, you can still choose to submit them or not, as long as you submit a score. Negative is that if you take an AP class, and are submitting AP as your test requirement, you must submit all APs and if you take AP, and choose another test requirement instead and don’t submit APs, they recommend you provide explanation. Personally, I think this benefits GDS and schools without AP because then you can choose what test or tests to submit whereas if you take AP class you almost have to submit the scores and all of them, and you don’t get option for your ‘best 3’ like NYU.

That's useful for the kid who will go to Yale, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at GDS 2024 college acceptznce instagram, the lack of APs isn’t exactly hurting GDS kids.

Entirely irrelevant. Yes the senior class is amazing. And it has nothing to do w/ the CCO and its policies. Just like last year was a pretty off year for admissions.

😂
How is that irrelevant ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look at GDS 2024 college acceptznce instagram, the lack of APs isn’t exactly hurting GDS kids.

Do you know which of them managed to find a place to take AP tests and submit scores? No, huh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look at GDS 2024 college acceptznce instagram, the lack of APs isn’t exactly hurting GDS kids.

Do you know which of them managed to find a place to take AP tests and submit scores? No, huh.

Such adversity!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP classes matter if you are applying to UC schools. Impossible to get in OOS without any AP classes. Maybe GDS kids don’t want to go to UCLA, Cal, UCSD, etc.?!?

My private in a different metro (outside California) continues to have have matriculations to UC schools - and the matriculation rate to UC schools has not recently changed. It does not have any classes labeled AP. It also does not (and never did) weight GPAs.

[Anonymous]

GDS is having an amazing year so far for college admissions. They know what they are doing. Have a little faith!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS is having an amazing year so far for college admissions. They know what they are doing. Have a little faith!

Again, this is true and unrelated. The current seniors took their AP tests on campus in 2023 and 2022. The policy this thread is about has nothing to do w/ the current seniors.

And secondly, this crop of seniors at GDS is a special class. Not every class has as many superstars. Let's not ascribe that to some special GDS magic.

Just trying to call out a bad decision by the CCO.

Posts like the above are akin to - the weather was cold today, climate change isnt real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of the AP industrial complex generally, but having said that, isn't it the case that you would not be expected to take APs if your school does not offer AP classes? My kids went to a BIg 3 school with only one or two AP classes. They took several more exams but only reported the results if they did well. Seemed to work out fine.

This is how the NE boarding schools work. No APs and students who choose to self study and test hand pick what they report. It’s the trend at selective private schools in general because teachers despised the rigid AP curriculum. I imagine it would be hard to switch back.

NE boarding schools have luxuries that even top DMV schools do not. I bet they have direct contacts at Oxford/Cambridge so those schools may accept an A at Andover as the equivalent of a 5 on an AP test or whatever equivalent of Eton in the UK. They also probably have a small army communicating with all the top 20 schools on a regular basis.

I think what is odd about GDS is that when all the schools announced they would drop the AP curriculum, they simultaneously agreed they would still offer the AP tests. It is strange that STA/NCS backtracked even more and actually reinstated some AP classes. GDS is the only school to drop both the AP curriculum and the tests.

No. That is not how it works. For Oxford & Cambridge you will need 5 actual AP exams at level 5 in the relevant subjects, SAT scores over 1480 (varies but depends on AP scores and subject), an interview and sometimes additional testing. If someone from Eton is applying to these universities they are taking A levels or IB in the UK, not AP tests. You only need look at the university websites for "admissions requirements" to know this. Please don't make up crap and then try to sell it as truths.

Do you work for Oxford or Cambridge? How do you know?

Because as I say in my post, I read what the "admissions requirements" are on their websites. Could you BE any more stupid?

Actually, I didn't want to highlight your stupidity...but if you pay close attention to the Oxford requirements and understand what AAA vs. AA*A or AAB mean...there are in fact certain areas of study that don't require AP test scores...however, even Boarding school kids still take the AP tests because it makes the application easier.

I am sure if the Andover headmaster picked up the phone and called their contact at Oxford, explained the kid's situation for that field of study, and produced documentation that their abilities were sufficient...that the Oxford person would accept it.

Honestly that isn’t how it works and it doesn’t work like that for Eton either. An Etonian may well have admissions advantages but they will still need A levels in the relevant subjects. It may be that they’ll get away with a lower offer, like BBB not AAA, but unlikely. The problem with the US system, from the perspective of UK universities, is that subjects aren’t standardized at all. A levels are a much higher level than most APs anyway (because you study fewer A levels over a 2 year period) so APs are already not equivalent, but then having to understand from each school in the US what “their” version of a top grade in advanced biology looks like, or whatever, is not the same.

Of course most kids at private schools in the US aren’t applying to UK universities so what UK universities want shouldn’t be the determining factor, but for those that do want to apply internationally, not having APs is a huge disadvantage

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of the AP industrial complex generally, but having said that, isn't it the case that you would not be expected to take APs if your school does not offer AP classes? My kids went to a BIg 3 school with only one or two AP classes. They took several more exams but only reported the results if they did well. Seemed to work out fine.

This is how the NE boarding schools work. No APs and students who choose to self study and test hand pick what they report. It’s the trend at selective private schools in general because teachers despised the rigid AP curriculum. I imagine it would be hard to switch back.

NE boarding schools have luxuries that even top DMV schools do not. I bet they have direct contacts at Oxford/Cambridge so those schools may accept an A at Andover as the equivalent of a 5 on an AP test or whatever equivalent of Eton in the UK. They also probably have a small army communicating with all the top 20 schools on a regular basis.

I think what is odd about GDS is that when all the schools announced they would drop the AP curriculum, they simultaneously agreed they would still offer the AP tests. It is strange that STA/NCS backtracked even more and actually reinstated some AP classes. GDS is the only school to drop both the AP curriculum and the tests.

No. That is not how it works. For Oxford & Cambridge you will need 5 actual AP exams at level 5 in the relevant subjects, SAT scores over 1480 (varies but depends on AP scores and subject), an interview and sometimes additional testing. If someone from Eton is applying to these universities they are taking A levels or IB in the UK, not AP tests. You only need look at the university websites for "admissions requirements" to know this. Please don't make up crap and then try to sell it as truths.

Do you work for Oxford or Cambridge? How do you know?

Because as I say in my post, I read what the "admissions requirements" are on their websites. Could you BE any more stupid?

Actually, I didn't want to highlight your stupidity...but if you pay close attention to the Oxford requirements and understand what AAA vs. AA*A or AAB mean...there are in fact certain areas of study that don't require AP test scores...however, even Boarding school kids still take the AP tests because it makes the application easier.

I am sure if the Andover headmaster picked up the phone and called their contact at Oxford, explained the kid's situation for that field of study, and produced documentation that their abilities were sufficient...that the Oxford person would accept it.

Honestly that isn’t how it works and it doesn’t work like that for Eton either. An Etonian may well have admissions advantages but they will still need A levels in the relevant subjects. It may be that they’ll get away with a lower offer, like BBB not AAA, but unlikely. The problem with the US system, from the perspective of UK universities, is that subjects aren’t standardized at all. A levels are a much higher level than most APs anyway (because you study fewer A levels over a 2 year period) so APs are already not equivalent, but then having to understand from each school in the US what “their” version of a top grade in advanced biology looks like, or whatever, is not the same.

Of course most kids at private schools in the US aren’t applying to UK universities so what UK universities want shouldn’t be the determining factor, but for those that do want to apply internationally, not having APs is a huge disadvantage

I got that...I was just pointing out the obvious fact that elite NE Boarding schools have contacts that mere mortals do not. Even the NE Boarding kids that want to go to Oxford take the APs because it is not easy to get accepted otherwise...but anyone is crazy to think that a call from the Andover Headmaster is worth nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP classes matter if you are applying to UC schools. Impossible to get in OOS without any AP classes. Maybe GDS kids don’t want to go to UCLA, Cal, UCSD, etc.?!?

My private in a different metro (outside California) continues to have have matriculations to UC schools - and the matriculation rate to UC schools has not recently changed. It does not have any classes labeled AP. It also does not (and never did) weight GPAs.

It doesn't matter if the private weights the GPAs or not, the UC admissions offices put grades through their own matrix, for both OOS and in state applicants. It also doesn't matter that they have no "official" AP classes, there will be an obvious line of rigor versus remedial that the AO can follow. You act like it's some kind of golden school with special privileges for the UC and it is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP classes matter if you are applying to UC schools. Impossible to get in OOS without any AP classes. Maybe GDS kids don’t want to go to UCLA, Cal, UCSD, etc.?!?

My private in a different metro (outside California) continues to have have matriculations to UC schools - and the matriculation rate to UC schools has not recently changed. It does not have any classes labeled AP. It also does not (and never did) weight GPAs.

It doesn't matter if the private weights the GPAs or not, the UC admissions offices put grades through their own matrix, for both OOS and in state applicants. It also doesn't matter that they have no "official" AP classes, there will be an obvious line of rigor versus remedial that the AO can follow. You act like it's some kind of golden school with special privileges for the UC and it is not.

UC is very explicit - weighted credit ONLY given for AP/IB designated class. Honors or UL or any other designation does not count.

UC have a machine learning algo calculate the weighted GPA. They have no idea who GDS is

Good god the level of mis-information here is so distressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP classes matter if you are applying to UC schools. Impossible to get in OOS without any AP classes. Maybe GDS kids don’t want to go to UCLA, Cal, UCSD, etc.?!?

My private in a different metro (outside California) continues to have have matriculations to UC schools - and the matriculation rate to UC schools has not recently changed. It does not have any classes labeled AP. It also does not (and never did) weight GPAs.

It doesn't matter if the private weights the GPAs or not, the UC admissions offices put grades through their own matrix, for both OOS and in state applicants. It also doesn't matter that they have no "official" AP classes, there will be an obvious line of rigor versus remedial that the AO can follow. You act like it's some kind of golden school with special privileges for the UC and it is not.

And the class criteria for in state and out of state is different because the instate school have approved course lists.

"For California residents:

Honors courses are Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IB HL) and designated Standard Level (IB SL) courses, UC-transferable college courses and UC-certified honors courses that appear on your school's course list.
For 10th grade, you cannot use more than 4 honors points.
Grades of D or F in an honors course do not earn an extra point.
Grades of CR (credit) or P (pass) in an honors course do not earn an extra point.
Classes taken during the summer after 9th grade count as 10th grade; classes in summer after 10th grade count as 10th grade; classes in summer after 11th grade count as 11th grade.
One college course = one grade = one honors point.
Nonresidents:

In calculating an out-of-state student's GPA to determine if the 3.4 minimum has been met, UC will grant honors weight for AP or IB courses only, but not for school-designated honors courses. The weight is given to letter grades of A, B, or C. School-designated honors courses may be considered in the campus comprehensive review process."