AP Exams?

[Anonymous]

My senior has already applied to colleges. We do not plan to use AP scores to get out of classes. Is there any reason to take the AP exam at the end of the year? Wondering if it is worth the money?

[Anonymous]

if you are certain you kid will NOT use AP to get out of classes (even Gen-Ed requirement courses) and if AP test is not required for HS final grades, then, no I don't think you have to take them. Having said that, if it were for my kid, I would have her take it because plans may change. Took the course already, why not take the test?? Hard work is done already.

[Anonymous]

Let your senior decide.

If it isn't a financial burden, I expect my child to take the exam. It is good practice for a college-length final exam and will help show if they actually learned what they were supposed to.

It is also good data for the school to have -- if a teacher fails to prepare students for the exam he/she needs that feedback to adjust and improve for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior has already applied to colleges. We do not plan to use AP scores to get out of classes. Is there any reason to take the AP exam at the end of the year? Wondering if it is worth the money?

Do not under estimate that. DC had a lot of AP/IB credits and it allowed DC to do other valuable things in college.

[Anonymous]

Love the use of we!

[Anonymous]

Since I would be paying for the eAP xam, and I have agreed to pay for the additional tuition this plan would incur...I an entitled to use the word "we."

Actually, since I am also the author of the post, I can use whatever pronoun I choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since I would be paying for the eAP xam, and I have agreed to pay for the additional tuition this plan would incur...I an entitled to use the word "we."

Actually, since I am also the author of the post, I can use whatever pronoun I choose.

totally useless post

- not op

[Anonymous]

Many colleges have math and language (even English) placement tests. These tests aren't only about getting out of classes but also about if you have to take remedial classes.

If you have AP scores for the subjects, sometimes they will use them instead.

[Anonymous]

It won't you get college credit for it? Isnt that supposed to be the big draw of AP's? Or is it now for just grade inflation

[Anonymous]

My DS missed almost three weeks of school her first semester with pneumonia. She was allowed to drop one class after the deadline and was happy that because of her AP credits she did not fall behind in credit hours. I have heard others say AP credits helped them stay on schedule for graduation when changing majors or allowed them flexibility to take fewer hours and participate in an internship senior year.

[Anonymous]

My child took AP because she was genuinely interested in the topic, she got practice handling higher level subject matter delivered in a less spoon-fed manner, and to demonstrate to colleges that she took advantage of her high school's most rigorous offerings.

We knew fewer and fewer colleges now offer AP credits and we had heard it is better if you are exposed to your university's spin on intro coursework. Plus, what is wrong with being somewhat familiar with what you are learning when you are first transitioning to college?

[Anonymous]

Not all colleges will except them for credit OR placement. Kids don't necessarily take an AP class for grade inflation as someone said but to take the most challenging classes a school offers.

AP tests are expensive, and you may feel like you are sick of giving the college board $, but it is good practice for your kid to take longer tests, and as others have said it is helpful for your high school - both as feedback for the teacher for future test takers - and it helps in marketing the school to prospective families.

Although at our school since kids are required to take the test if they took the AP class, some just put their heads on the desk for the entire test and take a nap. So in the end, I guess it doesn't even necessarily help the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child took AP because she was genuinely interested in the topic, she got practice handling higher level subject matter delivered in a less spoon-fed manner, and to demonstrate to colleges that she took advantage of her high school's most rigorous offerings.

We knew fewer and fewer colleges now offer AP credits and we had heard it is better if you are exposed to your university's spin on intro coursework. Plus, what is wrong with being somewhat familiar with what you are learning when you are first transitioning to college?

Nobody is questioning that. It's only a question of whether to take the AP tests in May of senior year. The number of schools who don't accept AP credits is still just a handful.

My DC took 5 tests senior year (and 4 before that). It was generally expected at his school that you would take the AP tests if you took the class, and pretty much everyone did including those kids going to schools where credits weren't accepted. You could get financial help for the test fees if needed. While he didn't use the credits to graduate early it did give him sophomore status as a freshman and earlier access to registration, plus being able to register for some higher level classes early on. It is also a nice cushion since DC has had some health issues during college so could drops classes is needed and still graduate on time (so far it hasn't been necessary).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not all colleges will except them for credit OR placement. Kids don't necessarily take an AP class for grade inflation as someone said but to take the most challenging classes a school offers.

AP tests are expensive, and you may feel like you are sick of giving the college board $, but it is good practice for your kid to take longer tests, and as others have said it is helpful for your high school - both as feedback for the teacher for future test takers - and it helps in marketing the school to prospective families.

Although at our school since kids are required to take the test if they took the AP class, some just put their heads on the desk for the entire test and take a nap. So in the end, I guess it doesn't even necessarily help the school.

And parents wonder why their kids high schools aren't so well ranked on the Washington Post or US News rankings, which factor in how many students pass AP exams.

[Anonymous]

When the school makes you take the AP exam, do they pay for it?