AP disaster

[8filltheheart]

there should be more of these "private test sites" or maybe CCs test centers stepping up since the public high school thing is such a crap shoot

 

the CB could contact some of the CCs to see if they would be willing to host AP exam testing

CB already uses CCs/ universities for testing. CLEPs are offered through them. My kids have been going to the local uni's testing center for the past few yrs.

[counselinggirl]

I am so sorry this happen to you, Yvonne, but I am so glad it worked out! :) Good luck to your sons on the makeup date! :) 

[StephanieZ]

I know some kids take the AP exam a year later than the class. I know of one kid who got a 3 or 4 on the AP Lang exam his 10th grade year, so he retook it in 11th grade (along with AP Lit, which he took in 11th) and got 5s. (He was applying to Ivies, so he wanted top scores.) 

 

Assuming your kids are not seniors this year, I'd have them test next year. With a few hours of targeting prep leading up to the exam, they'll likely nail the exam, especially if they take any decent english course next year. 

 

I'm so sorry this happened!

[yvonne]

Thank you for the suggestion, Stephanie!  They're juniors this year, so we wanted the score for their college apps in the fall. Fortunately, we were able to find a private test center that would let the boys take the AP Lit exam on the make-up date, this Friday. Can't wait for it to be over, but so relieved that they'll be able to take it at all!

 

A quick update on the original situation.... The assistant principal/counselor person to whom I had talked the day of the exam, who had told me that there was no way she could let them take the exam on the make-up date since they were "late," called the next afternoon to say that, after thinking about it, she was willing to let the boys take the exam on the make-up date since there had obviously been a miscommunication and since the boys were not students with access to the school's online test info. She was gracious about it. We had already registered w/ the private site, so we didn't take her up on her offer. I wouldn't have, anyway. I'd be afraid something else could go wrong.

 

My dd took the AP Lang exam there last week. We were sure to get there by 7:05 am for the 7:15 am start time. I hung out at a distance to watch for a while. They spent 20 mins out in the courtyard, lining up alphabetically, listening to the organizer w/ her bullhorn directing students to put away their back packs, take out their photo id and hold it in their hand, etc etc etc. 

 

Every.single.time I have any direct interaction/contact w/ the school, I leave feeling so glad we home school. After a few months, I forget and start worrying that maybe my kids are missing something by home schooling. But, then, as soon as I have another contact w/ the school, those worries completely evaporate.

 

If you're worried about whether your kids are missing anything by not being at your "very good" public high school, go visit it! :)

 

 

Edited May 16, 2017 by yvonne

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Thank you for the suggestion, Stephanie!  They're juniors this year, so we wanted the score for their college apps in the fall. Fortunately, we were able to find a private test center that would let the boys take the AP Lit exam on the make-up date, this Friday. Can't wait for it to be over, but so relieved that they'll be able to take it at all!

 

A quick update on the original situation.... The assistant principal/counselor person to whom I had talked the day of the exam, who had told me that there was no way she could let them take the exam on the make-up date since they were "late," said that, after thinking about it, she was willing to let the boys take the exam on the make-up date since there had obviously been a miscommunication and since the boys were not students with access to the school's online test info. She was gracious about it. We had already registered w/ the private site, so we didn't take her up on her offer. I wouldn't have, anyway. I'd be afraid something else could go wrong.

 

My dd took the AP Lang exam there last week. We were sure to get there by 7:05 am for the 7:15 am start time. I hung out at a distance to watch for a while. They spent 20 mins out in the courtyard, lining up alphabetically, listening to the organizer w/ her bullhorn directing students to put away their back packs, take out their photo id and hold it in their hand, etc etc etc. 

 

Every.single.time I have any direct interaction/contact w/ the school, I leave feeling so glad we home school. After a few months, I forget and start worrying that maybe my kids are missing something by home schooling. But, then, as soon as I have another contact w/ the school, those worries completely evaporate.

 

If you're worried about whether your kids are missing anything by not being at your "very good" public high school, go visit it! :)

 

I can't imagine why you would need to use a bullhorn for this sort of thing.  I think they do have to fill out a seating chart, but I think that could be done without too much ado.  

 

I took my youngest for his first SAT about a week ago.  I stayed to make sure he got into the room and didn't have any issues with ID.  I was so impressed by the organization the school had.  There were large A Frame boards with the room assignments.  The proctor room and testing rooms were all in the same general area.  Staff were walking around to make sure that people were headed to the right room.  There was even a special desk for students in a special outreach program to check in and get any additional help in getting to their rooms (this is for high potential students at the public schools neighboring this expensive private school).  All very efficient and calm.  No reason it can't be like this at other sites.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Every.single.time I have any direct interaction/contact w/ the school, I leave feeling so glad we home school. After a few months, I forget and start worrying that maybe my kids are missing something by home schooling. But, then, as soon as I have another contact w/ the school, those worries completely evaporate.

 

If you're worried about whether your kids are missing anything by not being at your "very good" public high school, go visit it! :)

 

Excellent advice. Our experience mirrors yours.

 

My teen has recently taken tests at three local schools. Interactions with the two public schools left us feeling grateful for homeschoooling. The private school testing experience led us to a discussion of whether or not to enroll...  ;)

[Arcadia]

If you're worried about whether your kids are missing anything by not being at your "very good" public high school, go visit it! :)

My kids took their ACT exams there but they don't host the Saturday SAT. The tables were close enough for kids to see another kid's bubble sheet actually.

 

Good luck to your kids this Friday!

 

The AP prep books are mostly back at the library so if you want to flip through them, now is a good time. The SAT subject tests prep books aren't back yet but the June date is popular for SAT.

[yvonne]

Good luck to your kids this Friday!

 

 

 

Thanks, Arcadia!

[swimmermom3]

Thank you for the suggestion, Stephanie!  They're juniors this year, so we wanted the score for their college apps in the fall. Fortunately, we were able to find a private test center that would let the boys take the AP Lit exam on the make-up date, this Friday. Can't wait for it to be over, but so relieved that they'll be able to take it at all!

 

A quick update on the original situation.... The assistant principal/counselor person to whom I had talked the day of the exam, who had told me that there was no way she could let them take the exam on the make-up date since they were "late," called the next afternoon to say that, after thinking about it, she was willing to let the boys take the exam on the make-up date since there had obviously been a miscommunication and since the boys were not students with access to the school's online test info. She was gracious about it. We had already registered w/ the private site, so we didn't take her up on her offer. I wouldn't have, anyway. I'd be afraid something else could go wrong.

 

My dd took the AP Lang exam there last week. We were sure to get there by 7:05 am for the 7:15 am start time. I hung out at a distance to watch for a while. They spent 20 mins out in the courtyard, lining up alphabetically, listening to the organizer w/ her bullhorn directing students to put away their back packs, take out their photo id and hold it in their hand, etc etc etc. 

 

Every.single.time I have any direct interaction/contact w/ the school, I leave feeling so glad we home school. After a few months, I forget and start worrying that maybe my kids are missing something by home schooling. But, then, as soon as I have another contact w/ the school, those worries completely evaporate.

 

If you're worried about whether your kids are missing anything by not being at your "very good" public high school, go visit it! :)

 

Yvonne, I am so glad it all worked out. I was going to tell you that if I read your original post right, and that your students took their classes from Maya Inspektor, that even if they didn't test and have a score for college admissions, the skills they have gained will have a significant payoff in their first year of college.

 

 

[yvonne]

Yvonne, I am so glad it all worked out. I was going to tell you that if I read your original post right, and that your students took their classes from Maya Inspektor, that even if they didn't test and have a score for college admissions, the skills they have gained will have a significant payoff in their first year of college.

 

 

 

Absolutely!  Maya's class was truly excellent. Definitely one of those classes and those instructors that shape a student's future studies and work! Thanks for talking about your son's experience with her on the boards! Your recommendation was key to our signing up!

 

My sons did take the AP Lit exam last Friday, on the late/make-up/whatever date at the private test center, so it did work out. (I must have checked the exam time and date stated in the email from the center a hundred times between the original test date and Friday morning. LITERALLY, hundreds of times.)  They came out of the center smiling, which makes me nervous. lol They usually think they didn't do too well, but end up doing very well. I hope the inverse isn't true!  I'm glad at least the exam itself wasn't a bad experience. :)

[swimmermom3]

Absolutely!  Maya's class was truly excellent. Definitely one of those classes and those instructors that shape a student's future studies and work! Thanks for talking about your son's experience with her on the boards! Your recommendation was key to our signing up!

 

My sons did take the AP Lit exam last Friday, on the late/make-up/whatever date at the private test center, so it did work out. (I must have checked the exam time and date stated in the email from the center a hundred times between the original test date and Friday morning. LITERALLY, hundreds of times.)  They came out of the center smiling, which makes me nervous. lol They usually think they didn't do too well, but end up doing very well. I hope the inverse isn't true!  I'm glad at least the exam itself wasn't a bad experience. :)

 

I am so glad it worked out for your sons and that they enjoyed Maya's class.  I really can't say enough good things about her as a writing instructor and as a genuine teacher.

 

Have them take the Lit Subject test too. It'll be a piece of cake.

 

About Maya, ds wrote on average, at least two papers a week for most of his first year of college. He never scored lower than a 90% on any of them, except for, get this, in the Advanced Writing class.  When I asked him why, he said the professor was no where near as good as Maya and that the professor's suggestions for improvement had more to do with creative writing than academic writing. We had to have the umpteenth discussion about doing your best no matter what you think of the assignment. :tongue_smilie:

 

Sailor Dude says Maya did a great job in preparing him for writing college papers.  His major requires that in addition to the university's standard writing requirements that he take two research methodology classes and he is actually looking forward to them.

 

[Grantmom]

I am so, so glad this has a happy ending!!!  As I read the beginning of this thread, my heart just sank for you.  I feel so lucky that we have a supportive school for AP exams.  In the beginning, I was worried, because I had heard people say that our district wasn't too supportive of homeschoolers.  And in fact, our superintendent is fairly outspoken that he does not agree with homeschooling.  However, our experiences with the folks at the main office handling all exams, like APs, PSAT, etc., have been so easy.  They have been kind, straightforward, and helpful and we haven't had a problem.   I am very grateful, after reading so many horror stories here, for the fact that they have worked with us so easily.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Grantmom