What happens if DCPS highschool senior does NOT take the AP exams this May

[Anonymous]

My DC is in four AP classes as a high school senior and is getting marks in the low-mid 90s. They don't want to sit for the AP exam in 3 out of 4 of these classes because they see it as a waste of time/effort because their chosen college does not award credit for AP courses. What are the consequences in DCPS for this decision? Is the AP exam generally considered compulsory? Do the teachers factor the exam results into grades for the course?

[Anonymous]

Don't quit before the finish line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't quit before the finish line.

DC is weighing pros / cons. Not about quitting. It's about allocating time and energy.

[Anonymous]

A high school senior should be able to contact their teachers and school counselor to have this conversation.

[Anonymous]

I would call the school for this one. I don’t recall AP exams being mandatory unless you wanted the college credit, but I graduated 20 plus years ago so things may have changed.

[Anonymous]

🙄OP here. I am asking in this forum first precisely because I don’t want the run-around from the school admin. Of course they want students to take the AP exams. It’s even written in the school academic info as required. What happens in DCPS if one doesn’t take it. That’s my question here.

[Anonymous]

Your kid is being lazy. High APs are attractive for admissions purposes as well (4s and 5s).

[Anonymous]

I'm curious to see what the answer to this is for DCPS. My child is in MCPS, and the AP exams are encouraged but certainly not required. If no college credit is to be gained for the student, I would agree that the stress and cost of a test doesn't serve a necessary purpose.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Kid may be being a bit lazy. But kid already committed to highly selective college and getting As in all classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Kid may be being a bit lazy. But kid already committed to highly selective college and getting As in all classes.

And the highly selective college may be unhappy with this choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Kid may be being a bit lazy. But kid already committed to highly selective college and getting As in all classes.

And the highly selective college may be unhappy with this choice.

Again. Do you know that? Is that one of the consequences—would a college revoke an acceptance for not taking AP exam? Looking for experience / evidence.

[Anonymous]

This is a very reasonable question, and the idea that not taking the exam constitutes quitting or some character flaw is ridiculous. The point of the AP exam is to demonstrate mastery for college credit. If your child’s college isn’t going to provide that credit, why take the exam? The AP system is broken, or at least breaking. No need to perpetuate the fiction.

But you’ll get a better answer if you name the high school so people can provide prior experience. I am pretty sure DCPS doesn’t require it, so I suspect any pushback you get will be school-specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Kid may be being a bit lazy. But kid already committed to highly selective college and getting As in all classes.

And the highly selective college may be unhappy with this choice.

A college is not going to rescind admission if a student decides not to take an expensive test that said college doesn't even give credit for.

OP, I'd contact the teacher directly and say that your kid won't get credit for AP scores at the college they've chosen, so your kid has decided not to sit for the AP exam. Let them know you support this decision. Then see what the teacher says. Present it as something you've decided, not as a question.

[Anonymous]

As an aside, beyond enjoying a challenge, I can’t imagine why any senior who is already accepted and committed to a school would take the AP test if there are no college credits involved. After the fiasco with testing last year, College Board deserves to be permanently punished.

I know some kids will enjoy the challenge and the closure and that’s a very valid reason to take the test. Aside from that unless your DC is getting a tangible benefit from the test, why reward the College Board with a dime of your or your school’s money?

[Anonymous]

At this point your school has already paid college board for the exams. I have no idea about DCPS but some charters would require the family to reimburse the exam fee of the kid backs out late.