PSA - AP Exam Online Registration Process

[alewife]

 The College Board instruction for homeschoolers:

"If you’re homeschooled and want to take an AP Exam, you’ll need to arrange to take the exam at a local school that administers them. To register for an AP Exam, you’ll have to enroll in an “exam only” section in My AP. Here’s how.

Your first step is to contact AP Services for Students at 888-225-5427 (toll free in the United States and Canada) or +1-212-632-1780 or apstudents@info.collegeboard.org. That office can give you contact information for local AP coordinators who may be willing to test outside students. We recommend you do this no later than September 4.

You are then responsible for contacting coordinators on that list to see if one of them can arrange testing for you. You should do this no later than October 4. Note that schools may have their own local deadlines for receiving requests from outside students to test at their school.

The AP coordinator who agrees to help you will provide a join code for an “exam only” section in My AP. You’ll use the join code to join the section so that the AP coordinator can order your exam."

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/join-your-class-online?fbclid=IwAR0toSc2ZFEmCpjHP4fHgY7m7EQ6q9b66Kc9vs_AttWg6olDwFEHR_qBN7E

[fourisenough]

Oh, this is so helpful. Thanks!

[jplain]

Thanks for posting this!  I wonder if my having gone through Course Audit changes anything . . .

Hopefully all will become clear after August 1, when the new teacher resources are supposed to be made available.

Edited July 27, 2019 by jplain

[daijobu]

Thank you for posting this.  I imagine many AP coordinators will be unaware of this "join code" and the idea of an "exam only" section, especially this first year.  I predict it will be rough to get this sorted out come October, but hopefully subsequent years will be easier.  Brace yourselves...

[TCB]

Oh my, hope this doesn't make it more complicated. We have had it pretty easy here because the school is really co-operative and has always been really easy to work with.

[Roadrunner]

As if it wasn’t a nightmare already.

 

so this join code will be different than the one they provide their own students?

Edited July 29, 2019 by Roadrunner

[jplain]

So far so good.  I just logged in to my teacher account and created my class.  That generated a join code that my daughter will have to use when she logs on to join my class.  She’s outta town at the moment, so I’m still not sure if she’ll use my join code or her exam site’s “exam only” code to register for the actual exam.  

[Brigid in NC]

On 7/29/2019 at 1:25 AM, Roadrunner said:

so this join code will be different than the one they provide their own students?

Yes, that is correct. Students who are taking an AP class in a classroom or online will be given a code by their teacher for their class. There will be a separate "exam only" code given to students who are not part of a school's student body by the AP Coordinator. So homeschoolers will have two codes if they are taking an AP class from an AP instructor who has gone through the course audit.

Here are a couple College Board links that might be helpful:

• "What Homeschooling Families Need to Know"
• Ordering exams

I know that there are a number of us on this forum who have approved syllabuses and already have our class codes. FYI: this is an easy year to get an AP Lit or AP Lang syllabus approved if you want to do that--since you will have the option to simply "adopt" (if you want to) a syllabus template/example that is on the College Board website rather than submitting your own custom syllabus. The idea behind this is that the College Board has made some significant recommended changes to the two courses, so they are giving teachers a "grace" year to modify their syllabi. If you choose to adopt the CB syllabus this year, it is my understanding that you will need to submit your own syllabus next year if you wish to renew the approval of your syllabus.

An important heads up. You will see "November 15th" as the exam ordering deadline in some Facebook and other forum posts. Keep in mind that that is not OUR deadline. Midnight on November 15th is the drop-dead date for AP Coordinators to submit their exam orders without having to pay a late fee of $40 per exam. So be sure not to treat November 15th as your deadline. The College Board has encouraged AP Coordinators to get their orders in well before that November 15th date, so it will be important for homeschooling families to contact the AP Coordinator at local schools soon after classes start to begin the process of securing an exam seat.

Hope this helps. ☀️

Edited August 7, 2019 by Brigid in NC

[Roadrunner]

5 minutes ago, Brigid in NC said:

Yes, that is correct. Students who are taking an AP class in a classroom or online will be given a code for their class. There will be a separate "exam only" code given to students who are not part of a school's student body--and that is for exam ordering purposes.  So homeschoolers will have two codes if they are taking an AP class from an AP instructor who has gone through the course audit.

Here are a couple College Board links that might be helpful:

• "What Homeschooling Families Need to Know"
• Ordering exams

I know that there are a number of us on this forum who have approved syllabuses and already have our class codes. FYI: this is an easy year to get an AP Lit or AP Lang syllabus approved if you want to do that--since you can will have the option to simply "adopt" (if you want to) a syllabus template/example that is on the College Board website rather than submitting your own custom syllabus. If you choose to adopt the CB syllabus this year, it is my understanding that you will need to submit your own syllabus next year if you wish to renew the approval of your syllabus.

An important heads up. You will see "November 15th" as the exam ordering deadline in some Facebook and other forum posts. Keep in mind that that is not OUR deadline. Midnight on November 15th is the drop-dead date for AP Coordinators to submit their exam orders without having to pay a late fee of $40 per exam. So be sure not to treat November 15th as your deadline. The College Board has encouraged AP Coordinators to get their orders in well before that November 15th date, so it will be important for homeschooling families to contact the AP Coordinator at local schools soon after classes start to begin the process of securing an exam seat.

Hope this helps. ☀️

 

So every AP coordinator has been already given two codes - one for their class and one for outsiders? I can see trouble ahead and confusion.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Roadrunner

[Brigid in NC]

8 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

So every AP coordinator has been already given two codes - one for their class and one for outsiders? I can see trouble ahead and confusion.

No, every AP Coordinator has been given their school's exam-only code (for those students who are not part of their student body).

Every AP teacher (whether online or in a brick and mortar school) has his/her own code for each class taught. So for example, I teach Lit and Lang, so I have two codes--one for each class. When classes start, I will give the Lit code to my Lit students so that they can "join" my class online through the "My AP" website, and they will be able to take AP "progress tests" or multiple choice practice tests during the year there if and when I choose to open those up for them.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Brigid in NC

[Roadrunner]

6 minutes ago, Brigid in NC said:

No, every AP Coordinator has been given their school's exam-only code (for those students who are not part of their student body).

Every AP teacher (whether online or in a brick and mortar school) has his/her own code for each class taught. So for example, I teach Lit and Lang, so I have two codes--one for each class. When classes start, I will give the Lit code to my Lit students so that they can "join" my class online through the "My AP" website, and they will be able to take AP "progress tests" or multiple choice practice tests during the year there if and when I choose to open those up for them.

 

So who is going to know a code for my student who isn’t part of the class? Is it given to homeschoolers separately? This is our first year with AP.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Roadrunner

[Brigid in NC]

16 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

So who is going to know a code for my student who isn’t part of the class? Is it given to homeschoolers separately? This is our first year with AP.

If your student is self-studying for an AP exam and you do not have an approved syllabus, then your student will only get an "exam only" code from the AP Coordinator at the school where your student is taking the AP test. Your student will not have a separate class code. Those are assigned to--and then given out by--teachers who have an approved syllabus.

If you DO have an approved syllabus, when you sign in to AP Central, there will be a process where you can "name" your class and you will be assigned a code that will show up on your AP Central page in the future. I can't remember the exact process, but I remember it was very straight forward when I did it--and the code just appeared on my AP Central teacher page. Sorry I can't be more specific about that part. If you have an approved syllabus, the process to obtain your code should be clear cut.  Perhaps someone else who has an approved syllabus as a homeschool teacher could chime in. I think the process is the same for me (as a teacher who is part of a CB approved "online provider") as it will be for individual homeschool teachers, but I am not 100% certain if that's the case.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Brigid in NC

[Roadrunner]

26 minutes ago, Brigid in NC said:

If your student is self-studying for an AP exam and you do not have an approved syllabus, then your student will only get an "exam only" code from the AP Coordinator at the school where your student is taking the AP test. Your student will not have a separate class code. Those are assigned to--and then given out by--teachers who have an approved syllabus.

If you DO have an approved syllabus, when you sign in to AP Central, there will be a process where you can "name" your class and you will be assigned a code that will show up on your AP Central page in the future. I can't remember the exact process, but I remember it was very straight forward when I did it--and the code just appeared on my AP Central teacher page. Sorry I can't be more specific about that part. If you have an approved syllabus, the process to obtain your code should be clear cut.  Perhaps someone else who has an approved syllabus as a homeschool teacher could chime in. I think the process is the same for me (as a teacher who is part of a CB approved "online provider") as it will be for individual homeschool teachers, but I am not 100% certain if that's the case.

 

He is taking the class at AoPS, which is approved but has no code.

So I  am going to guess that school AP coordinator knows what an exam only code is.

[Brigid in NC]

2 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

 

He is taking the class at AoPS, which is approved but has no code.

So I  am going to guess that school AP coordinator knows what an exam only code is.

All AP Coordinators should definitely know what an exam-only code is. It will be the only way for them to order exams for students who are not part of their student body.

 Once students get an exam-only code from the AP Coordinator at the local school where they will be taking the exam, they will log in to "My AP" (that's where they will log in for everything that is AP/College Board related--including where they will see their scores), and they will enter lots of info that is normally filled out by hand on bubble sheets at the end of the year. At or close to exam time, students will be given their AP paperwork with their basic information already pre-printed on their forms.

If AOPS teachers have approved AP syllabi, then each instructor has access to class codes for each class they teach--if they want them. My impression is that AOPS teachers teach quite a few different sections and classes over the course of a year, so they may just choose not to use them. But every teacher who has an approved syllabus has access to a class code for every class they teach. 😉

[daijobu]

but but but...  AoPS doesn't host exams.  So do you take an exam-only code from AoPS over to your local high school?  

[RootAnn]

@daijobu Class code vs exam only code.

@Brigid in NC said AoPS would not have exam code. Sounds like they are different and have different uses. Homeschoolers would need to get an exam code from the school where they are taking the exam. Sounds like the class code is to access online AP resources only available when a syllabus has been approved by the CB.

[Brigid in NC]

Since this is all so new, I don't have rock-solid information that I can pass on with 100% certainty, but based on the AP Summer Institute I attended a week ago and what I have read, I think I understand what will happen. However once a WTM-er's student completes the process, perhaps s/he could share the exact details--since none of us will really know for certain until we go through this process together.

Keep in mind that AOPS doesn't have to host exams, just as I don't host exams, in order for an AP instructor to access class codes and the online classroom resources. A class code connects a student to a teacher (not necessarily to a school) so that that teacher can administer online  "progress check" tests and create multiple choice tests from a large question bank. Connecting a student to a teacher will also be a more reliable way for teachers to get more accurate analytic data on how their students scored and how they performed as a class as a whole on certain parameters. This is one of the few bright spots of the new process for me, since it's always the case that some of my students forget to enter my online provider code, so I have to contact students for scores and my class-wide data (which breaks down multiple choice and essay scoring by things such as "pre-20th century readings") is a bit skewed.

Since a class code connects a student to an AP teacher (who has an approved syllabus), I am not sure that the AP Coordinator needs to even know the class info for an outside student. It will already be in the system for that student if s/he has "joined" the class online. For example, in the first week of class, I am going to give the class code to my AP Lit students and request (require) that they all go to My AP online, set up a College Board account if they don't have one, and then "join" my class by entering the class code I give them. Once they have done that, that info is recorded in the system for that student (so the AP Coordinator does not need that). AP Coordinators--I believe (again, this is all new)--should really not need to know anything about my class (or my class code). All they need is for the student to go into "My AP" and with the exam-only code--enter that where that needs to go in order to sign up for the exam. The class information should already be in the CB database. I hope that makes sense.

Keep in mind that a class code is not needed. It is a way for an AP teacher to expose students to test prep resources and gain information about their progress during the year. If your student is self studying, it might be nice for him/her to have access to those resources, but there are plenty of other test prep resources available to students. So if your student is self studying, don't worry. There will be resources on the College Board site during the year that will help students familiarize themselves with the exams and get some practice. ☀️ And the test prep publishers must be in overdrive right now updating their test prep books!

Edited August 7, 2019 by Brigid in NC

[Roadrunner]

So what happens if I decide to get my syllabus approved in October after my kid has signed up with a local school? 

[Brigid in NC]

12 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

So what happens if I decide to get my syllabus approved in October after my kid has signed up with a local school? 

I have to believe that the exam only code and the class code are independent of one another I can't imagine that the two codes need to be entered in a particular order.  But again, this is all new. I really do not know the answer to your question. I think we will only know that once families begin getting in touch with AP Coordinators and begin securing exam seats. Or someone calls the College Board and asks (and even then I'm not sure I would rely 100% on the response). 😉

[Arcadia]

Just paid up for AP exams ($94 per exam) at the usual place my kids have been taking their exams. Will know the exam code that my kids have to use by the end of the month.

Edited August 9, 2019 by Arcadia
Typing errors

[jplain]

Pages 35-36 of this document detail the procedures for homeschoolers, independent learners, and students whose schools don’t offer AP exams:

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-coordinators-manual-part-1-2019-20.pdf

Because I went through Course Audit and was given a join code, my daughter has joined my class section in MyAP, the same way a virtual provider’s student would join the virtual school’s class section using the join code provided by the instructor.  

The AP coordinator at our test site will provide a second exam-only code for exam registration purposes, and my daughter will enroll in that class section in MyAP as well.  

(Crossing fingers this goes smoothly.  We have the added complication of needing digital audio submission since she’s taking a foreign language AP exam.  Considering prayers to the patron saint of homeschoolers — we must have one, right?  The school seems confident, but they don’t normally offer foreign language AP exams.  I may have to scramble to find another site if the coordinator turns out to be clueless about proctoring and submitting the recording.  Eek!)

So to sum up, my daughter will be enrolled in two sections: my class and the exam-only section at her exam site.  The exam-only section will allow the AP coordinator to order her exam.  My class will give her access to the AP Classroom materials, and it will also direct the score report to me.

Edited August 11, 2019 by jplain

[daijobu]

2 hours ago, jplain said:

(Crossing fingers this goes smoothly.  We have the added complication of needing digital audio submission since she’s taking a foreign language AP exam.  Considering prayers to the patron saint of homeschoolers — we must have one, right?  The school seems confident, but they don’t normally offer foreign language AP exams.  I may have to scramble to find another site if the coordinator turns out to be clueless about proctoring and submitting the recording.  Eek!)

 

 

Saint SWB?  Saint John Holt?

While we're at it, we should also have some sort of mascot or spirit animal.  

[RootAnn]

@jplain Saint Catherine of Siena (according to one source) or Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (who started Catholic schools in America but who homeschooled her daughters for awhile), if you were actually serious.

Edited August 12, 2019 by RootAnn

[Arcadia]

Bumping. Received all the exam codes for my kids.  My test site coordinator wants the exam codes keyed in by this Friday, called me to nag so we did the keying in just now 😂 The information is showing up nicely on my kids accounts.

So if your kids haven’t keyed in the exam codes do so ASAP. If your kids haven’t received the exam codes, you better call and ask tomorrow. 

[Farrar]

We got ours a couple of weeks ago. The wildest thing was that I seemed to know more about the timeline than any of the AP coordinators I spoke with. One of them was downright snippy to me about how I would not need to have the code in October. She was all like, yes, it moved up, but I know what I'm doing and you won't need it that early. Then she sent it and was like, get it keyed in. Sigh.

[fourisenough]

5 hours ago, Farrar said:

We got ours a couple of weeks ago. The wildest thing was that I seemed to know more about the timeline than any of the AP coordinators I spoke with. One of them was downright snippy to me about how I would not need to have the code in October. She was all like, yes, it moved up, but I know what I'm doing and you won't need it that early. Then she sent it and was like, get it keyed in. Sigh.

Yep. I got the same shtick from my school. Sigh.

[Farrar]

Oh! I forgot the best part! She was also snippy to me about paying. I was like I heard this is the process to pay. She was like we won't take your money and you don't know what you're talking about - because it's a public school and the exams are free for students. So now apparently we got the exam for free. 🤣

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Farrar said:

 She was like we won't take your money and you don't know what you're talking about - because it's a public school and the exams are free for students. So now apparently we got the exam for free. 🤣

 

It might be free for all those taking at that school. My school district managed to get sponsorship for the AP exams so the students who don’t qualify for fee waivers also do not need to pay. 

[Farrar]

3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

It might be free for all those taking at that school. My school district managed to get sponsorship for the AP exams so the students who don’t qualify for fee waivers also do not need to pay. 

It is. But traditionally, I know for a fact that homeschoolers have had to pay. But whatever. When there's not a clear policy, having someone interpret it in your favor is fine.

[Roadrunner]

29 minutes ago, Farrar said:

It is. But traditionally, I know for a fact that homeschoolers have had to pay. But whatever. When there's not a clear policy, having someone interpret it in your favor is fine.

 

I am also waiting for the school to let me know when and how to pay. I have never been this eager to write a check. 🙂 

[chiguirre]

Our ISD uses APTSUSA to register homeschoolers and their own students. We'll get a bill in December according to both the APTSUSA instructions and our high school's test coordinator. I have to give our coordinator kudos for keeping on top of the process and being willing to answer questions about how things work this year.

[daijobu]

On 10/30/2019 at 4:41 AM, Farrar said:

We got ours a couple of weeks ago. The wildest thing was that I seemed to know more about the timeline than any of the AP coordinators I spoke with. One of them was downright snippy to me about how I would not need to have the code in October. She was all like, yes, it moved up, but I know what I'm doing and you won't need it that early. Then she sent it and was like, get it keyed in. Sigh.

 

So many times in my life I've wanted to say "I told you so" to someone who has power over me.  So I keep it to myself.  And I save it for the WTM forum!  😊

[Farrar]

I'm pretty sure I'm off the hook for the money. I think they just aren't charging me.

[mirabillis]

Not all do...