STA is keeping AP classes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to the GDS poster . .you seem to have a complex. Perhaps your child is a great test taker and got 5s, but but many of my daughter's classmates from GDS completely bombed the AP exams and will not be taking any others.That may be part of why so many people are leaving the school.

GDS messaging about APs has been atrocious for years. Only this year did they even put out a FAQ as to who should consider signing up to take the tests and why. In classic GDS fashion, they think they are avoiding hurting people's feelings by being oblique about the AP test.

Meanwhile, I heard from some parents after all these years of de-emphasizing the AP test that the profile thing that GDS sends to all universities again for 2022-2023 application cycle puts front and center - as in top of the main page - how many kids at GDS took AP tests and that 90% or something scored 4 or more.

Long time parent and GDS inability to be direct with kids and parents on who should and shouldn't do things because they want to protect people from having their feelings hurt is maddening - or maybe they dont believe in testing. Much better to be upfront.

It took them 3 years to put out a FAQ around who should even take the tests instead of saying blanket "you dont need to take the tests". Meanwhile the UL teachers in some classes do side tutoring (for free) of their classes for 6 weeks prior to AP tests.

Top of page two on the 21-22 “ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS:
In May 2021, 114 GDS high school students sat for 174 Advanced Placement examinations; 41% earned scores of 5, 73% earned scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.”
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1636400955/gdsorg/ciq4lvx8wbgfzccyswox/2021-22GDSHSProfile.pdf

Exactly - what's inexcusable is that the 2022-23 college profile also highlights APs despite 3 years of telling the kids that they should not take them. Why?

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS
In May 2022, 80 GDS high school students sat for 113 Advanced
Placement examinations; 38% earned scores of 5, 80% earned
scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.

It does seem unfair to de-emphasize the test but then publish results to the colleges. The messaging here is wrong. The schools should be saying to the kids, we don’t call it an AP class but you should be taking the AP exams if you are striving to get into the most competitive colleges. It has nothing to do with getting college credit.

Is that really the case? 80 kids sitting for 113 AP exams is not even two exams per student. So if you extrapolate that, each student is taking, maybe 4-6 AP exams total. Compare that to the 10-15 AP exams that public school kids take. It doesn't appear that GDS students are being hampered in college admissions, so it seems the upshot is that competitive colleges don't care whether you take the AP exams - at least if you're at GDS.

The college profile says GDS doesn’t rank. It doesn’t compute a GPA. Rather, GDS tells the colleges that 40% of the kids that took an AP get a 5. If APs don’t matter, why lead with that?

Precisely - college office not practicing what they preach. Parents need to send emails about this (probably after the Jan 1 due dates for RD). Inconsistent doubletalk. Take the AP scores off of the profile then!!

You really think any selective college still looks at this? They’ve been seeing a dozen GDS applicants a year for years. To assume this matter is completely speculative.

What is interesting is that the number of students taking AP exams and the overall number of exams dropped by 1/3 from the prior year. If your theory is correct we should see that number go up as students realize that the number of AP exams you take matters. It sure seems like the lesson people are learning is that it doesn’t.

Sure I follow your logic...but why would GDS post these stats on APs to colleges if they spent the last 3 years decidedly arguing to students that AP tests should not be taken. It certainly does not help clarify anything to admission officers, right? So why post it? If the intent is for the UK schools, then create a unique UK version of the profile - that is very easy to do. It's either incompetence or malice, right? Why else would they not remove the AP stats from 2023 college profile?

Exactly. It’s the only thing on the GDS college profile that is useful in distinguishing one kid’s application from another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to the GDS poster . .you seem to have a complex. Perhaps your child is a great test taker and got 5s, but but many of my daughter's classmates from GDS completely bombed the AP exams and will not be taking any others.That may be part of why so many people are leaving the school.

GDS messaging about APs has been atrocious for years. Only this year did they even put out a FAQ as to who should consider signing up to take the tests and why. In classic GDS fashion, they think they are avoiding hurting people's feelings by being oblique about the AP test.

Meanwhile, I heard from some parents after all these years of de-emphasizing the AP test that the profile thing that GDS sends to all universities again for 2022-2023 application cycle puts front and center - as in top of the main page - how many kids at GDS took AP tests and that 90% or something scored 4 or more.

Long time parent and GDS inability to be direct with kids and parents on who should and shouldn't do things because they want to protect people from having their feelings hurt is maddening - or maybe they dont believe in testing. Much better to be upfront.

It took them 3 years to put out a FAQ around who should even take the tests instead of saying blanket "you dont need to take the tests". Meanwhile the UL teachers in some classes do side tutoring (for free) of their classes for 6 weeks prior to AP tests.

Top of page two on the 21-22 “ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS:
In May 2021, 114 GDS high school students sat for 174 Advanced Placement examinations; 41% earned scores of 5, 73% earned scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.”
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1636400955/gdsorg/ciq4lvx8wbgfzccyswox/2021-22GDSHSProfile.pdf

Exactly - what's inexcusable is that the 2022-23 college profile also highlights APs despite 3 years of telling the kids that they should not take them. Why?

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS
In May 2022, 80 GDS high school students sat for 113 Advanced
Placement examinations; 38% earned scores of 5, 80% earned
scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.

It does seem unfair to de-emphasize the test but then publish results to the colleges. The messaging here is wrong. The schools should be saying to the kids, we don’t call it an AP class but you should be taking the AP exams if you are striving to get into the most competitive colleges. It has nothing to do with getting college credit.

Is that really the case? 80 kids sitting for 113 AP exams is not even two exams per student. So if you extrapolate that, each student is taking, maybe 4-6 AP exams total. Compare that to the 10-15 AP exams that public school kids take. It doesn't appear that GDS students are being hampered in college admissions, so it seems the upshot is that competitive colleges don't care whether you take the AP exams - at least if you're at GDS.

The college profile says GDS doesn’t rank. It doesn’t compute a GPA. Rather, GDS tells the colleges that 40% of the kids that took an AP get a 5. If APs don’t matter, why lead with that?

Precisely - college office not practicing what they preach. Parents need to send emails about this (probably after the Jan 1 due dates for RD). Inconsistent doubletalk. Take the AP scores off of the profile then!!

You really think any selective college still looks at this? They’ve been seeing a dozen GDS applicants a year for years. To assume this matter is completely speculative.

What is interesting is that the number of students taking AP exams and the overall number of exams dropped by 1/3 from the prior year. If your theory is correct we should see that number go up as students realize that the number of AP exams you take matters. It sure seems like the lesson people are learning is that it doesn’t.

It’s not that GDS kids don’t get in. It’s which kids will get in. And the kid who is showing 5s in science math and English APs will likely have edge over the kid who doesn’t, everything else equal. If it didn’t matter, GDS wouldn’t include it in the little space it has to showcase the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to the GDS poster . .you seem to have a complex. Perhaps your child is a great test taker and got 5s, but but many of my daughter's classmates from GDS completely bombed the AP exams and will not be taking any others.That may be part of why so many people are leaving the school.

GDS messaging about APs has been atrocious for years. Only this year did they even put out a FAQ as to who should consider signing up to take the tests and why. In classic GDS fashion, they think they are avoiding hurting people's feelings by being oblique about the AP test.

Meanwhile, I heard from some parents after all these years of de-emphasizing the AP test that the profile thing that GDS sends to all universities again for 2022-2023 application cycle puts front and center - as in top of the main page - how many kids at GDS took AP tests and that 90% or something scored 4 or more.

Long time parent and GDS inability to be direct with kids and parents on who should and shouldn't do things because they want to protect people from having their feelings hurt is maddening - or maybe they dont believe in testing. Much better to be upfront.

It took them 3 years to put out a FAQ around who should even take the tests instead of saying blanket "you dont need to take the tests". Meanwhile the UL teachers in some classes do side tutoring (for free) of their classes for 6 weeks prior to AP tests.

Top of page two on the 21-22 “ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS:
In May 2021, 114 GDS high school students sat for 174 Advanced Placement examinations; 41% earned scores of 5, 73% earned scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.”
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1636400955/gdsorg/ciq4lvx8wbgfzccyswox/2021-22GDSHSProfile.pdf

Exactly - what's inexcusable is that the 2022-23 college profile also highlights APs despite 3 years of telling the kids that they should not take them. Why?

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS
In May 2022, 80 GDS high school students sat for 113 Advanced
Placement examinations; 38% earned scores of 5, 80% earned
scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.

It does seem unfair to de-emphasize the test but then publish results to the colleges. The messaging here is wrong. The schools should be saying to the kids, we don’t call it an AP class but you should be taking the AP exams if you are striving to get into the most competitive colleges. It has nothing to do with getting college credit.

Is that really the case? 80 kids sitting for 113 AP exams is not even two exams per student. So if you extrapolate that, each student is taking, maybe 4-6 AP exams total. Compare that to the 10-15 AP exams that public school kids take. It doesn't appear that GDS students are being hampered in college admissions, so it seems the upshot is that competitive colleges don't care whether you take the AP exams - at least if you're at GDS.

The college profile says GDS doesn’t rank. It doesn’t compute a GPA. Rather, GDS tells the colleges that 40% of the kids that took an AP get a 5. If APs don’t matter, why lead with that?

Precisely - college office not practicing what they preach. Parents need to send emails about this (probably after the Jan 1 due dates for RD). Inconsistent doubletalk. Take the AP scores off of the profile then!!

You really think any selective college still looks at this? They’ve been seeing a dozen GDS applicants a year for years. To assume this matter is completely speculative.

What is interesting is that the number of students taking AP exams and the overall number of exams dropped by 1/3 from the prior year. If your theory is correct we should see that number go up as students realize that the number of AP exams you take matters. It sure seems like the lesson people are learning is that it doesn’t.

It’s not that GDS kids don’t get in. It’s which kids will get in. And the kid who is nshowing 5s in science math and English APs will likely have edge over the kid who doesn’t, everything else equal. If it didn’t matter, GDS wouldn’t include it in the little space it has to showcase the school.

And my point is that was the case then people would realize that and take more APs. People mimic what they think works. The fact that it’s gone down suggests that people have seen that it doesn’t bear any relationship to who gets in.

Gds doesn’t need to showcase the school to colleges it has been sending students to for thirty years. You are assuming that college profile is some be all end all publication. There is no evidence it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to the GDS poster . .you seem to have a complex. Perhaps your child is a great test taker and got 5s, but but many of my daughter's classmates from GDS completely bombed the AP exams and will not be taking any others.That may be part of why so many people are leaving the school.

GDS messaging about APs has been atrocious for years. Only this year did they even put out a FAQ as to who should consider signing up to take the tests and why. In classic GDS fashion, they think they are avoiding hurting people's feelings by being oblique about the AP test.

Meanwhile, I heard from some parents after all these years of de-emphasizing the AP test that the profile thing that GDS sends to all universities again for 2022-2023 application cycle puts front and center - as in top of the main page - how many kids at GDS took AP tests and that 90% or something scored 4 or more.

Long time parent and GDS inability to be direct with kids and parents on who should and shouldn't do things because they want to protect people from having their feelings hurt is maddening - or maybe they dont believe in testing. Much better to be upfront.

It took them 3 years to put out a FAQ around who should even take the tests instead of saying blanket "you dont need to take the tests". Meanwhile the UL teachers in some classes do side tutoring (for free) of their classes for 6 weeks prior to AP tests.

Top of page two on the 21-22 “ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS:
In May 2021, 114 GDS high school students sat for 174 Advanced Placement examinations; 41% earned scores of 5, 73% earned scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.”
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1636400955/gdsorg/ciq4lvx8wbgfzccyswox/2021-22GDSHSProfile.pdf

Exactly - what's inexcusable is that the 2022-23 college profile also highlights APs despite 3 years of telling the kids that they should not take them. Why?

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS
In May 2022, 80 GDS high school students sat for 113 Advanced
Placement examinations; 38% earned scores of 5, 80% earned
scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.

It does seem unfair to de-emphasize the test but then publish results to the colleges. The messaging here is wrong. The schools should be saying to the kids, we don’t call it an AP class but you should be taking the AP exams if you are striving to get into the most competitive colleges. It has nothing to do with getting college credit.

Is that really the case? 80 kids sitting for 113 AP exams is not even two exams per student. So if you extrapolate that, each student is taking, maybe 4-6 AP exams total. Compare that to the 10-15 AP exams that public school kids take. It doesn't appear that GDS students are being hampered in college admissions, so it seems the upshot is that competitive colleges don't care whether you take the AP exams - at least if you're at GDS.

The college profile says GDS doesn’t rank. It doesn’t compute a GPA. Rather, GDS tells the colleges that 40% of the kids that took an AP get a 5. If APs don’t matter, why lead with that?

Precisely - college office not practicing what they preach. Parents need to send emails about this (probably after the Jan 1 due dates for RD). Inconsistent doubletalk. Take the AP scores off of the profile then!!

You really think any selective college still looks at this? They’ve been seeing a dozen GDS applicants a year for years. To assume this matter is completely speculative.

What is interesting is that the number of students taking AP exams and the overall number of exams dropped by 1/3 from the prior year. If your theory is correct we should see that number go up as students realize that the number of AP exams you take matters. It sure seems like the lesson people are learning is that it doesn’t.

It’s not that GDS kids don’t get in. It’s which kids will get in. And the kid who is nshowing 5s in science math and English APs will likely have edge over the kid who doesn’t, everything else equal. If it didn’t matter, GDS wouldn’t include it in the little space it has to showcase the school.

And my point is that was the case then people would realize that and take more APs. People mimic what they think works. The fact that it’s gone down suggests that people have seen that it doesn’t bear any relationship to who gets in.

Gds doesn’t need to showcase the school to colleges it has been sending students to for thirty years. You are assuming that college profile is some be all end all publication. There is no evidence it is.

you are missing the point entirely.

Your reply is that the profile PDF doesn't matter. So then why include it - it takes an **active** decision by college office to include AP stats in that PDF. It could be that AP doesn't matter to 50 or the 63 schools GDS kids apply to - but the 13 that look at that AP stat use that fact against the kids who didnt take APs because the test hating folks in the college office frankly lied to students for 3 years saying it didn't mater and actively discouraged kids and parents from taking AP tests. You are all about "so what GDS kids get in" and I'm saying "fine they do but why is college office hurting them in this realm even if 1 school cares"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because kids volunteer to take AP exam, they’re a self-selecting group of motivated students. These kids will score higher. Then GDS can turn around and report a bunch of high scores.

Like TO for colleges apps.

Basically, either you kid (or the parent) has to be the one pushing to be competitive--the school administrators and teachers are very much into student autonomy, so it's really on the the student (or the parents) to do things like sign up for AP exams, prep for standardized testing, apply for competitive extra-curricular programs, etc. GDS's attitude unfortunately puts kids whose parents are not "in the know" at a disadvantage. I would urge the school to re-think how "equitable" their attitude of putting the kids in the driver's seat really is. Because behind the scenes, there are parents who are paying outside consultants to give specific and actionable advice starting in their sophomore year--unlike the GDS college counseling office, which seems to be prioritizing lowering the stress levels over actual truth about things like PSATs and AP exams. I was astonished to see that the GDS college counseling office didn't discuss PSATs and National Merit, for example. Instead, the GDS college counseling office emphasized that the PSAT was mostly practice for the SATs. Some kids didn't even bother to show up for the PSAT!
Also, APs can be really beneficial for students once they're in college - getting a 4 or 5 on an AP exam, for example, could get you access into special freshmen seminars, which is an amazing way to start one's college career. Not to mention that for students who aren't "full pay," the ability to shave off a semester's worth of tuition and graduate early is a very big deal - but maybe GDS's college counselors are so used to working with wealthy families that they don't even bother to mention these things?
It's just really unfortunate. The college counseling process at GDS, by withholding information under the guise of reducing anxiety over the process, is actually causing more stress when parents find out what other parents, who are more experienced, are doing for their own children. They should send an anonymous survey out to gauge parent satisfaction with the office.

Agree
It’s like this in all divisions of the school. The only lifers I know that can compete academically or in an EC had math tutoring or supplementing in lower and middle school, and parents pushing ECs and practicing and studying.
The school and teachers are lazy; they won’t lift a finger or flag an issue unless the kid highlights it. And that’s asking a lot from an embarrassed or struggling or hurt pre-teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because kids volunteer to take AP exam, they’re a self-selecting group of motivated students. These kids will score higher. Then GDS can turn around and report a bunch of high scores.

Like TO for colleges apps.

Basically, either you kid (or the parent) has to be the one pushing to be competitive--the school administrators and teachers are very much into student autonomy, so it's really on the the student (or the parents) to do things like sign up for AP exams, prep for standardized testing, apply for competitive extra-curricular programs, etc. GDS's attitude unfortunately puts kids whose parents are not "in the know" at a disadvantage. I would urge the school to re-think how "equitable" their attitude of putting the kids in the driver's seat really is. Because behind the scenes, there are parents who are paying outside consultants to give specific and actionable advice starting in their sophomore year--unlike the GDS college counseling office, which seems to be prioritizing lowering the stress levels over actual truth about things like PSATs and AP exams. I was astonished to see that the GDS college counseling office didn't discuss PSATs and National Merit, for example. Instead, the GDS college counseling office emphasized that the PSAT was mostly practice for the SATs. Some kids didn't even bother to show up for the PSAT!
Also, APs can be really beneficial for students once they're in college - getting a 4 or 5 on an AP exam, for example, could get you access into special freshmen seminars, which is an amazing way to start one's college career. Not to mention that for students who aren't "full pay," the ability to shave off a semester's worth of tuition and graduate early is a very big deal - but maybe GDS's college counselors are so used to working with wealthy families that they don't even bother to mention these things?
It's just really unfortunate. The college counseling process at GDS, by withholding information under the guise of reducing anxiety over the process, is actually causing more stress when parents find out what other parents, who are more experienced, are doing for their own children. They should send an anonymous survey out to gauge parent satisfaction with the office.

Our younger child is at another private and two years younger. Her school has better assignments and transparency on course tracks, testing, tracking and recommendations than our older gds kid has ever seen. And wider breadth of targeted colleges and relationships.

As for AP tests, many kids still sit for the tests. Regardless of what nomenclature gds or sfs or Harvard westlake or dalton call the course. Show off what you know. Compete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to the GDS poster . .you seem to have a complex. Perhaps your child is a great test taker and got 5s, but but many of my daughter's classmates from GDS completely bombed the AP exams and will not be taking any others.That may be part of why so many people are leaving the school.

GDS messaging about APs has been atrocious for years. Only this year did they even put out a FAQ as to who should consider signing up to take the tests and why. In classic GDS fashion, they think they are avoiding hurting people's feelings by being oblique about the AP test.

Meanwhile, I heard from some parents after all these years of de-emphasizing the AP test that the profile thing that GDS sends to all universities again for 2022-2023 application cycle puts front and center - as in top of the main page - how many kids at GDS took AP tests and that 90% or something scored 4 or more.

Long time parent and GDS inability to be direct with kids and parents on who should and shouldn't do things because they want to protect people from having their feelings hurt is maddening - or maybe they dont believe in testing. Much better to be upfront.

It took them 3 years to put out a FAQ around who should even take the tests instead of saying blanket "you dont need to take the tests". Meanwhile the UL teachers in some classes do side tutoring (for free) of their classes for 6 weeks prior to AP tests.

Top of page two on the 21-22 “ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS:
In May 2021, 114 GDS high school students sat for 174 Advanced Placement examinations; 41% earned scores of 5, 73% earned scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.”
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1636400955/gdsorg/ciq4lvx8wbgfzccyswox/2021-22GDSHSProfile.pdf

Exactly - what's inexcusable is that the 2022-23 college profile also highlights APs despite 3 years of telling the kids that they should not take them. Why?

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS
In May 2022, 80 GDS high school students sat for 113 Advanced
Placement examinations; 38% earned scores of 5, 80% earned
scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.

It does seem unfair to de-emphasize the test but then publish results to the colleges. The messaging here is wrong. The schools should be saying to the kids, we don’t call it an AP class but you should be taking the AP exams if you are striving to get into the most competitive colleges. It has nothing to do with getting college credit.

Is that really the case? 80 kids sitting for 113 AP exams is not even two exams per student. So if you extrapolate that, each student is taking, maybe 4-6 AP exams total. Compare that to the 10-15 AP exams that public school kids take. It doesn't appear that GDS students are being hampered in college admissions, so it seems the upshot is that competitive colleges don't care whether you take the AP exams - at least if you're at GDS.

The college profile says GDS doesn’t rank. It doesn’t compute a GPA. Rather, GDS tells the colleges that 40% of the kids that took an AP get a 5. If APs don’t matter, why lead with that?

Precisely - college office not practicing what they preach. Parents need to send emails about this (probably after the Jan 1 due dates for RD). Inconsistent doubletalk. Take the AP scores off of the profile then!!

You really think any selective college still looks at this? They’ve been seeing a dozen GDS applicants a year for years. To assume this matter is completely speculative.

What is interesting is that the number of students taking AP exams and the overall number of exams dropped by 1/3 from the prior year. If your theory is correct we should see that number go up as students realize that the number of AP exams you take matters. It sure seems like the lesson people are learning is that it doesn’t.

It’s not that GDS kids don’t get in. It’s which kids will get in. And the kid who is showing 5s in science math and English APs will likely have edge over the kid who doesn’t, everything else equal. If it didn’t matter, GDS wouldn’t include it in the little space it has to showcase the school.

In countless other threads, folks have said scores don’t matter (only hooks or connections). Would be great if my kid who has good grades and test scores got into the school he wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to the GDS poster . .you seem to have a complex. Perhaps your child is a great test taker and got 5s, but but many of my daughter's classmates from GDS completely bombed the AP exams and will not be taking any others.That may be part of why so many people are leaving the school.

GDS messaging about APs has been atrocious for years. Only this year did they even put out a FAQ as to who should consider signing up to take the tests and why. In classic GDS fashion, they think they are avoiding hurting people's feelings by being oblique about the AP test.

Meanwhile, I heard from some parents after all these years of de-emphasizing the AP test that the profile thing that GDS sends to all universities again for 2022-2023 application cycle puts front and center - as in top of the main page - how many kids at GDS took AP tests and that 90% or something scored 4 or more.

Long time parent and GDS inability to be direct with kids and parents on who should and shouldn't do things because they want to protect people from having their feelings hurt is maddening - or maybe they dont believe in testing. Much better to be upfront.

It took them 3 years to put out a FAQ around who should even take the tests instead of saying blanket "you dont need to take the tests". Meanwhile the UL teachers in some classes do side tutoring (for free) of their classes for 6 weeks prior to AP tests.

Top of page two on the 21-22 “ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS:
In May 2021, 114 GDS high school students sat for 174 Advanced Placement examinations; 41% earned scores of 5, 73% earned scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.”
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1636400955/gdsorg/ciq4lvx8wbgfzccyswox/2021-22GDSHSProfile.pdf

Exactly - what's inexcusable is that the 2022-23 college profile also highlights APs despite 3 years of telling the kids that they should not take them. Why?

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS
In May 2022, 80 GDS high school students sat for 113 Advanced
Placement examinations; 38% earned scores of 5, 80% earned
scores of 4 or above, and 91% earned scores of 3 or above.

It does seem unfair to de-emphasize the test but then publish results to the colleges. The messaging here is wrong. The schools should be saying to the kids, we don’t call it an AP class but you should be taking the AP exams if you are striving to get into the most competitive colleges. It has nothing to do with getting college credit.

Is that really the case? 80 kids sitting for 113 AP exams is not even two exams per student. So if you extrapolate that, each student is taking, maybe 4-6 AP exams total. Compare that to the 10-15 AP exams that public school kids take. It doesn't appear that GDS students are being hampered in college admissions, so it seems the upshot is that competitive colleges don't care whether you take the AP exams - at least if you're at GDS.

The college profile says GDS doesn’t rank. It doesn’t compute a GPA. Rather, GDS tells the colleges that 40% of the kids that took an AP get a 5. If APs don’t matter, why lead with that?

Precisely - college office not practicing what they preach. Parents need to send emails about this (probably after the Jan 1 due dates for RD). Inconsistent doubletalk. Take the AP scores off of the profile then!!

You really think any selective college still looks at this? They’ve been seeing a dozen GDS applicants a year for years. To assume this matter is completely speculative.

What is interesting is that the number of students taking AP exams and the overall number of exams dropped by 1/3 from the prior year. If your theory is correct we should see that number go up as students realize that the number of AP exams you take matters. It sure seems like the lesson people are learning is that it doesn’t.

It’s not that GDS kids don’t get in. It’s which kids will get in. And the kid who is nshowing 5s in science math and English APs will likely have edge over the kid who doesn’t, everything else equal. If it didn’t matter, GDS wouldn’t include it in the little space it has to showcase the school.

And my point is that was the case then people would realize that and take more APs. People mimic what they think works. The fact that it’s gone down suggests that people have seen that it doesn’t bear any relationship to who gets in.

It's gone down because the school discourages registering for AP exams, and many people follow their advice because they assume that everyone is doing the same. Most parents are not paying attention to what other people's kids are actually doing. I had no sense of how many kids were still taking the exams until someone posted the numbers from the college profile upthread. Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I don't think the profile has ever been shared with parents. I'm not saying this is a huge issue - maybe the exams really don't matter - but I think the messaging is poor in all the ways others have articulated and does nothing to build trust.

[Anonymous]

This is an interesting discussion, and having had kids graduate from GDS HS in the past, I agree with some of the criticisms posted above, particularly the point that less transparency increases stress, rather than decreasing it. The whole GDS process often felt very paternalistic and seemed to pit the student against the parent. But we always liked the people inthe office and thought they did a good job. I am curious, however, to hear what current parents think about the effectiveness of the process because GDS actually seems to do pretty well with college outcomes, even factoring in for legacies and hooks.

[Anonymous]

It is silly to take the advice of the GDS (or any other school) college counselors too seriously. Always do your own research.
They don’t particularly care about your kid. They are interested in the aggregate or big picture - what is best for GDS.
Sometimes that works in favor of your child but sometimes it doesn’t.