DD just found out that she will still get the quality credits for her AP and IB classes without having to take the exams.
She’s debating whether to take the AP Gov exam. She’s not sure if it will look bad if she doesn’t take it. What is worse - getting a low score on the exam, or not taking it at all?

Colleges use AP exam scores either for giving credit for introductory classes or for placement purposes. Colleges do not care about AP exam scores and do not take them into account when it comes to admissions. They only care that you're actually taking AP classes if they're offered at your school and doing well in them. Remember that most students will be taking half of their AP classes or more as seniors, and won't be taking the exams until they've already been admitted to colleges.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you can also request that the score be withheld from any report sending out your AP test scores - but there is a deadline and it is pretty soon after taking the test and could possibly be before you get the result.

So you can’t select which specific exam scores you’d like your college to consider for credit? This is OP again and DC has several 5s and 4s that they will be submitting for credit in college. But they don’t want to submit 3s

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/score-reporting-services/withhold-scores


https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/score-reporting-services/cancel-scores

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you can also request that the score be withheld from any report sending out your AP test scores - but there is a deadline and it is pretty soon after taking the test and could possibly be before you get the result.

So you can’t select which specific exam scores you’d like your college to consider for credit? This is OP again and DC has several 5s and 4s that they will be submitting for credit in college. But they don’t want to submit 3s

If your child already listed colleges on the AP exam that they should be sent to - then you need to pay a fee for each test you don't want sent (to those schools) and the deadline to do that is June 15ish? If you didn't list schools then you can decide later. You can choose to cancel any score you like (but again - if you already listed colleges to send to - it must be done before June 15ish).

I just checked because my child chose to take an exam as a sophomore with hopes it would lighten the load in Jr year - but it is a class they will continue in future years and therefore could do better later. We double checked and we can cancel the score (and they can take it again if they want) if it turns out to be lower than desired.

FWIW, my kid learned yesterday that this year, the online tests (at least in the subject they're taking, which does not include physics) they will NOT be allowed to go back to review and/or change answers this year. Which makes time management, as well as general test-taking strategy, really difficult. My kid is distressed about it. Apparently this was news to the teachers, as well.

Just take the AP. You lose nothing but a few hours of your life and maybe kid will actually score higher than he thinks. It’s not like AP scores are released to colleges until you send them in once admitted.

Anonymous wrote:If you are in MCPS you can get a refund.

In our MD school district as well. I was under the impression that College Board is offering refunds for everyone.

If you are in MCPS you can get a refund.

Anonymous wrote:I think you can also request that the score be withheld from any report sending out your AP test scores - but there is a deadline and it is pretty soon after taking the test and could possibly be before you get the result.

So you can’t select which specific exam scores you’d like your college to consider for credit? This is OP again and DC has several 5s and 4s that they will be submitting for credit in college. But they don’t want to submit 3s

I think you can also request that the score be withheld from any report sending out your AP test scores - but there is a deadline and it is pretty soon after taking the test and could possibly be before you get the result.

It is not unusual for a student to score higher (or lower) than their class grade would indicate, for any number of reasons, not the least of which is that some teachers are stricter on grading than the actual AP exam and of course the class may include additional things in the grade like homework.

For AP calc, knowing the score might be helpful for placement purposes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is a senior who is happy with their college choice. I’ll let them know that it is up to them as to whether or not they want to take the test. Personally, I wouldn’t want to waste a morning taking a test just to fail it but maybe they think differently.

As for it effecting the teacher- good. It was a class taken during first semester due to block schedule. Teacher checked out during second semester and didn’t provide any review or additional assignments to keep the students fresh while
Waiting to take the test. Average result of the mock exam was apparently a 1.8.

I think they should take the test to spite the teacher. But they may be a better person than I am.

Most people are if this is how you think in general. Have you considered therapy for your character defect? Wow.

Seriously. Some of you people are petty and loathsome af.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain how the AP exams work, what is their purpose and advantage to the student if the score is not counted towards the GPA? Do colleges care?

Some do, some give college credit if you pass with a certain score determined by the college.

And some use it to place you out of intro level classes or required core classes, so although you don't get credit, you et into the classes you want to take for you major faster. This is especially useful for colleges that have a large number of 'core' course requirements.

Also, for the small number of students applying to UK schools, Oxford requires 5s on 3 AP exams for admission and Cambridge requires 5s on 5 AP exams, both expect some/most those to be related to the subject matter the student intends to study.

My junior is taking four AP classes including physics and decided not to even sign up for the AP physics exam. She is getting an A in the class but it's really challenging for her, and she does not plan to be a STEM major. She decided she'd rather focus her studying for the exams in the other three subjects. She is also taking the ACT for the second time shortly after the APs and just decided that not taking the physics test would remove some of the stress, which I supported. For your senior, I think not taking the test makes perfect sense. Too bad you can't get a refund, though.

Many schools that offer AP classes require the students to sit for the exam.