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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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.[/quote]

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.

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I agree that the GDS messaging is terrible and misleading.  They say that the only reason to take an AP test is if the student is applying to overseas colleges or if the student wants to get credit or place out of requirements in order to graduate early.  They don't say that it's beneficial to many students to place out of basic requirements even if they don't want to graduate early because it frees up time to take other courses.  And despite what some posters on this board say, many, many top colleges award credit or allow higher placement for 4s and 5s on many AP tests.  GDS's messaging doesn't explain any of this.[/quote]

Totally agree - also a GDS HS parent. Their current messaging (after 2-3 years of no messaging at all other than AP test should not be taken") actually disadvantages the kids. Other than the Ivies and perhaps a few others, almost every school in Top 50/100 takes AP credit. So what, my kid now has to take Spanish or Calc 101 even though they took UL class at GDS - which was taught AP level and decided to actually listen to the college office and not take the AP test.

It's ridiculous and actually for a school that cares so much about equity...this is non-equitable. Kids are actually disadvantaged entering college by not having taken the tests because many families I know in the last years did not take the AP tests despite having kids in language, math and history UL classes because GDS said to not bother unless applying to UK[/quote]

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