Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you can take the test without taking the class. I tutored several students for AP exams only with no class. I would put together a resource list (including study guides) and parents would choose what resources they wanted to buy (from amazon or bn or wherever) if any. Some wanted me to train to the test and work from only a study guide. Other families wanted me to teach the material in a selective or advanced pace from other texts.

It was fun and my students did very well on the test.

Really ? Do you think the students would really be learning or just preparing for a test to get a good score? I think taking the course and just preparing for a test will not be the same in getting and retaining the knowledge.

NP. My two oldest DDs self-studied for several AP tests (in addition to taking some AP classes at school). In their case, I know that they retained sufficient knowledge that they had no problem in college using the AP scores from the tests they studied for on their own to bypass intro level classes and go on to the next course in the series for a few classes each. Other than scores on assessments or performance in classes that build on the foundation of the previous class, I'm not entirely sure how to measure how much someone actually learned versus how much they prepared.

Interesting post. The only recent AP story I heard was a kid who got an A in the class and a 1 on the test.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you can take the test without taking the class. I tutored several students for AP exams only with no class. I would put together a resource list (including study guides) and parents would choose what resources they wanted to buy (from amazon or bn or wherever) if any. Some wanted me to train to the test and work from only a study guide. Other families wanted me to teach the material in a selective or advanced pace from other texts.

It was fun and my students did very well on the test.

Really ? Do you think the students would really be learning or just preparing for a test to get a good score? I think taking the course and just preparing for a test will not be the same in getting and retaining the knowledge.

Anonymous wrote:What about graduating seniors..how do they know who passed the class?

At the school where this happens most students have completed their graduation requirements by the end of junior year.

However you can opt to take a teacher developed final (graded in June) in addition to or instead of an AP exam if a class is needed for graduation.

What about graduating seniors..how do they know who passed the class?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this common?
My kid got an AP score of 4 in a class that he got a D in. This does not make any sense to me. He will be retaking the class in college.

Anyone have insight about this?

I my kid's school AP exams are figured into the final grade to a very large extent so if you got a 4 on the AP exam and a D average for class work, then you would end up with a B for the final grade. Alternatively if you had an A average for class work and got a 1 on the AP exam you final grade would be a C. I think this is a good policy.

So you don't get the final grade until late July?

Right. Not a big deal.

Anonymous wrote:Many top colleges don't give AP credit. For them seeing high scores just means the kid is doing well in a rigorous program of classes. The first year classes these colleges offer are at a higher level and go into more depth than AP. You would not want your student to miss them.

So far every school we have visited gives some sort of credit for APs, including the Ivies we visited. Some give credit for the intro classes, but you still have to take the same number of credits to graduate, but this allows the student to go further and more in depth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this common?
My kid got an AP score of 4 in a class that he got a D in. This does not make any sense to me. He will be retaking the class in college.

Anyone have insight about this?

I my kid's school AP exams are figured into the final grade to a very large extent so if you got a 4 on the AP exam and a D average for class work, then you would end up with a B for the final grade. Alternatively if you had an A average for class work and got a 1 on the AP exam you final grade would be a C. I think this is a good policy.

So you don't get the final grade until late July?

Anonymous wrote:How do they do that when scores don't come out until. July?

My kid's school does the same. Grades (and GPA) that are sent home in June are provisional. They are recalculated and re-distributed after the test scores are released by the College Board.

How do they do that when scores don't come out until. July?

Anonymous wrote:Is this common?
My kid got an AP score of 4 in a class that he got a D in. This does not make any sense to me. He will be retaking the class in college.

Anyone have insight about this?

I my kid's school AP exams are figured into the final grade to a very large extent so if you got a 4 on the AP exam and a D average for class work, then you would end up with a B for the final grade. Alternatively if you had an A average for class work and got a 1 on the AP exam you final grade would be a C. I think this is a good policy.

I agree that some tests are much harder than others. Also want to point out some independent schools offer few if any AP classes becuase they don't want their teachers to teach to a test, or be constrained by a certain curriculum. The kids can still take the AP if they like.

Many top colleges don't give AP credit. For them seeing high scores just means the kid is doing well in a rigorous program of classes. The first year classes these colleges offer are at a higher level and go into more depth than AP. You would not want your student to miss them.

Anonymous wrote:My kid got a five after self study for the US Government exam. He did not take the class. I think some tests are way harder than others.

College Board publishes the pass rate and grade distribution for each test.

For years AP Physics 1 has had the lowest pass rate and the fewest 5s and 4s. US Govt and Politics has one of the highest pass rates.

Some teachers also do a better job of preparing their students than others. And there is a reason many high schools start students with AP US History.

I wonder what colleges think of the test only method. I know they will give credit but do they value it as much as taking the class.