Where can DS take AP Music Theory test?

[stupidusername]

DS11 plans to take the Advanced Placement Music Theory exam in May 2016. I called the College Board and asked where this test is offered. They told me to call around to local schools. I have reached out to our local high school, but have not heard back yet.

 

Can anyone help? We live in Colorado Springs. I doubt any of the schools here will offer the test. We're willing to travel in order to take the test.

[Angie in VA]

Yeah, you might need to travel. My dd called around and found a school in another district that was not too far away that gave it. If you are not getting answers about that AP exam, try asking if they teach an AP music class.

 

Once dd found that school, we went and registered her and I kept every paper so we had proof should there be any problems. (There were no problems.)

 

Plan on a long day as everyone taking it had to stay in the room and wait until each student had finished the singing portion. Some kids had a second AP exam that day.

 

A friend of mine had the hardest time finding a school that gave the AP Italian exam.

[Luckymama]

According to the AP Course Ledger https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/ledger/search.phpPine Creek High School offered the course this last year. Caveat---that just means that the school re-upped their approved syllabus, not necessarily that they actually had students take the course and then take the exam, but it's a start :)

 

We have threads each year on the high school board about contacting schools to find seats for AP exams. I think the 2014-15 main thread was titled something like 'annual commiseration thread'.

 

I found a seat for dd for an uncommon exam by (1) checking the course ledger first (the course was listed for six schools in our state!), (2) finding guidance counselor (or AP coordinator) contact information on the schools' websites, and (3) emailing the personnel, asking if they (a) were actually giving the exam that year and (b) if they allowed outside students to test. I did not identify dd as a homeschooler at first because homeschooling is uncommon here, plus I was also looking for a seat for dnephew who is a public school student. In my email I also asked what the fee would be.

 

As it's still July, email the school (look for either the head guidance counselor or someone listed as the AP coordinator or such). They might not be in the building yet full-time, or they might be swamped with seniors talking about colleges (that's what's going on here now in most schools). I would axtually wait until late September once everything calms down a bit :)

[Dmmetler]

If you can't find a place to take the AP theory (or even if you can) contact colleges/universities and see if your DC can sit for a theory CBE. Many schools have an exam that will give placement in their theory sequence, from "needs to take basic music reading" to "you're ready for grad school theory/comp/analysis"- and most will give credit formally for a fee based on that exam-which often is a very cheap way of getting out of non-major theory (if you're a music major, I don't suggest getting placement or DE credit out of theory except by the exam given by the school the student is attending. Too much difference between sequences). music theory is one of the subjects where a transfer transcript, even CBE, from a solid university music department will be much better accepted than even a 5 on the AP exam (and the same applies to the music GRE-an 800 on the exam usually really doesn't mean much in getting into a grad program, although sometimes it can substitute for a weak math score).

[whitestavern]

Maybe you've already done this but check parochial schools and private schools as well.  My dd's Catholic high school offers this course.