benefit to taking AP or SAT subject test after completion of comm. college course

[teeterbunch]

My son will take Microeconomics at our local community college in the fall.  Is there any benefit to him taking the SAT subject test or AP test in order to get credit in college?  Thanks so much!

 

Ashley

[Elisabet1]

The SAT 2 subject test will not give college credit. You take the SAT 2 when the college requires it for admission. The AP test might be a complete waste if the school takes dual credit.

[Muttichen]

We often had our kids do AP tests and subject tests after CC classes.  The CC class shows a college they can handle a classroom situation, it gives them experience handling deadlines, etc. for themselves, it gives them lab experience, and it gives them a great source for teacher recommendations.

 

Unfortunately, though, the quality of CC courses varies greatly and ours is just not that great.  So our kids go beyond what is covered and prep for AP and subject tests. This shows colleges that they have truly mastered  the subject.

 

So far, our four oldest have gone to schools that give NO credit for APs or CC classes, but I doubt they would have gotten into these schools without them.  In some cases, they have been able to place out of intro courses.

[Lori D.]

There is no SAT Subject test for Economics. Also: SAT Subject tests do not grant college credit. Instead, SAT Subject tests show mastery of high school level material and are for the subject areas of: Literature, Math, Science, History, and Foreign Language. (see here for list of specific classes tested). The benefits to SAT Subject tests are "proof" of homeschool grades/transcripts, and, about 30 colleges require a few SAT Subject tests for admission. (see here for the list).

 

As far as taking the AP test after completing the dual enrollment course… as previous poster mentioned, if your student's choice of 4-year university accepts the dual enrollment class for credit, then also doing AP would be a wasted duplication of money and effort.

 

JMO: I would only think of doing the AP test for Microeconomics if I knew for sure that my student was going to a specific 4-year university, and that the school did NOT accept the dual enrollment for credit, AND that the school WOULD grant credit for the AP test.

 

Each AP test costs approximately $100, and must be set up about a year in advance with a high school administering that particular test; this is a problem if your student is just now finishing up the dual enrollment and you were considering having your student also take the AP this May — very unlikely you would be able to arrange it at this late date, and waiting a year to take it next May would likely result in a lower score as the test would be taken so long after the dual enrollment class.

 

Also, not all schools offer all tests, or offer the same AP tests each year, so there may be no school offering the AP for Microeconomics in your area the year that your student takes the dual enrollment course. This would be a problem if your student was a senior at the time of taking the dual enrollment class, and the corresponding AP test was not offered in your area that year.

 

As far as using AP tests to boost college admissions: Microeconomics (along with Government, History, Art History, and Psychology), are typically seen as "soft" AP tests, so colleges tend to not give as much weight to these AP tests. MUCH more weight is given to students who score high for the math, science, English, and Foreign Language AP exams. That being the case, if taking AP tests to boost college admission acceptance, it would be better to take Microeconomics as one of several AP tests, with two of the other exams being from the "weightier" subject areas. JMO!

 

ETA:

NOT at all meaning to discourage anyone from taking the Social Science types of AP tests by the paragraph above! Any AP, even if just one, shows seriousness and ability to work at a college level, and so will definitely boost a student's admission acceptance. But, if possible, it is even better to take 2-4 APs, and in several areas to show general academic rigor and ability, rather than just ability to work well in a single subject, as colleges are looking for well-rounded students -- as well as, seemingly paradoxically, students who excel in their specific area of interest/passion.

 

So in the OP's case, if taking the Microeconomics AP, it would be even more beneficial if able to also take several other tests in other subject areas. For example, if the student is not a STEM student, but had a high interest in the Social Studies areas, then also taking the APs for Government, both Histories, and either the English or a Foreign Language AP would show both strength in the student's area of interest, and would be supported by APs in related areas.

 

But if all the student can manage, for whatever reason (time, money, ability, etc.) is just one AP -- then go for it!

 

Hope that added clarity, and not "murk" ;) (LOL). BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[G5052]

For us, there is no benefit.  The community college classes here are excellent and many use the same basic syllabus that the selective 4-year state schools do.  They transfer just fine as-is if you pick ones on the transfer list and get an "A" or "B."

 

For whatever reason the local high school has in-house dual enrollment classes and then those kids take the corresponding AP.  I can't figure out why other than it boosts their statistics and helps those who plan to go to school out-of-state (but most stay in-state from what I've read).