AP tests - pros and cons?

[SKL]

Are there any downsides to taking an AP test?

My kids aren't stellar students, but they are taking some AP classes.  I really don't think they are going to learn enough to get advanced placement in college.  However, their school says they really want all students in AP classes to take the AP tests.

What happens if the student gets a low grade on an AP test?  Will this haunt their college application, class registrations, etc?

Right now we are just looking at state universities that aren't "selective."  However, it's possible that at least one of my kids may decide to try for a selective school or program.

[kokotg]

No one will see the scores unless they choose to submit them, so not much downside other than cost (if the school doesn't pay for them) or possibly test anxiety if that's an issue. Generally speaking, they might as well give the tests a try if they're taking the classes. 

[mlktwins]

No.

 

Edited November 9, 2022 by mlktwins

[teachermom2834]

One of my sons had a couple low AP scores. We just never reported them anywhere though the classes were on his transcript. It’s a pretty common scenario.

Downside is the cost if you are required to pay for the test yourself and any time studying if you would consider that wasted. I tend to chalk stuff like that up to “life experience” so to me the waste would just be the money. 
 

My dd is in an AP class now that I’m not confident about the outcome of the test and she is required by her school to take it. But I think she is learning alot more in the class than she would have in the alternative had she not taken the course and it is good for her that something is requiring a bit more struggle for her. I’m going to encourage her and support her studying to give it her best shot but nothing lost if she bombs (besides the $97 it is costing me).

[EKS]

We just didn't report any AP scores until my son registered.  

The upside is that my son went into college with a year's worth of credit.

[Beth S]

It depends on the student's goals.
Not all AP tests and/or CLEPs are accepted and/or awarded credit.
Some AP tests are very difficult---more difficult than the gen ed taken at a Community College.

We skipped APs due to the single-date pressure to perform.
APs can also give the top-tier university evidence that the homeschooler is able to handle college pressure.

[mathnerd]

On 11/9/2022 at 1:41 PM, SKL said:

Right now we are just looking at state universities that aren't "selective."  However, it's possible that at least one of my kids may decide to try for a selective school or program.

Go to the websites of the prospective colleges that they will apply to and check to see if they give credit for AP Scores (some universities require a 4 or 5 on AP test to skip some courses while others don't have that requirement). Depending on that, you can get an idea if it is worth taking the AP test or not for them.

[Storygirl]

Check your school's policy. Our school requires (not just suggests) that students in the AP courses take the AP exam.

There really is no downside, other than the anxiety of taking the test, if the student will be taking the AP class anyway. There can be an upside, if their college of choice gives them class credit for certain scores.

[katilac]

The school can want what they want, but AP exams are currently $100 per test and there's no reason to pay for that for a low score. If it's actually required, that should be a written policy. I think it's nuts that a public school can require this, but they can. 

AP classes will generally strengthen an application. 

High scores will generally strengthen an application. 

Low scores will weaken an application. 

If you have a mix of scores, it is true that you can report only the high ones, but admissions is going to assume that the unreported tests are low scores. This matters more at some schools than others, but I personally would be all or nothing for more selective schools. Two or three high AP scores is not noteworthy to these schools, so it's best to not get them wondering about why you didn't report them all. 

Some schools do prefer that you submit scores, even if they don't require it. 

This is dated information by at least 5 years, but  are here are a few of the schools that indicated at that time that they preferred to see scores:

Bard University said that, if you take AP classes, they hope that you also submit your scores. Not taking AP doesn't kill you here the way it does at some schools -  they have been test-optional forever and are pretty open to non-standard applications, but you get a bit of side-eye for taking the classes and not reporting the scores. At least a couple of other schools had similar wording. 

University of Georgia's written materials stated that they did not consider AP scores for admission but AP courses would be considered. The in-person rep said that they want to see applicants take every AP class possible and that people who don't report scores are losers (paraphrasing 🤣), so yeah, sometimes there's a disconnect. I tend to put weight on the verbal statements, bc they don't always want to be that bold in writing.

Duke said they value seeing the scores. 

Emory said they encourage it. 

I regard this type of wording the same as when a more selective school has a list of recommended high school courses; they are using the word recommended and not required, but it's a ding to not have it. If you have even a vague idea of which selective schools might be a consideration, it might be worth checking. 

There are definitely more selective schools that truly do not consider AP scores or the lack thereof, and this will be stated clearly. But most selective schools do want to see students taking the most rigorous curriculum available at their individual school, or close to it, which means taking a lot of AP classes if a lot of them are offered. The more selective the school, the more important this tends to be. 

I'm personally not a big fan of the AP system in general, but it is a consideration for many colleges. 

 

Edited November 11, 2022 by katilac

[sassenach]

The down side is wasted time and money. The upside is college credits that lighten the undergraduate load. My son did not apply himself to his AP tests and by his senior year, we opted out of spending the money on tests he was not willing to prepare for. Of the 4 AP classes he took, he took 2 tests and only got a helpful score on one. And no, the scores don’t harm college app chances. The GPA bump was still beneficial to him as he still managed to get decent grades in those classes. 
 

Dd also took 4 APs but she rocked the tests. Those have translated into class credits that have truly lightened her college load. Additionally, having those credits put her in a better registration position for her spring classes and she ended up with a much better schedule than some of her peers. 

 

[Farrar]

Agreeing with everyone else that the class matters more in admissions. So they've got that. Good. The test is what gets you college credit potentially. With more holistic admissions and the rise of test optional, more schools do like to see them, but it's not make or break. ETA: Except at a handful of tippy top rejective schools where everything is make or break.

Disagree that they assume unsubmitted scores are low in admissions. They don't know if you didn't take the exam or if you got a low score. You can cancel the scores so they don't see them.

 

Edited November 11, 2022 by Farrar

[Miss Tick]

4 hours ago, katilac said:

The school can want what they want, but AP exams are currently $100 per test

Some high schools subsidize the cost significantly if you are taking their AP class, like to the tune of costing $7 instead of $97.

[kokotg]

6 minutes ago, Miss Tick said:

Some high schools subsidize the cost significantly if you are taking their AP class, like to the tune of costing $7 instead of $97.

Our county covers the entire cost. Doesn't help my homeschooled kids, but it's nice for them to use my taxes for that and then not even let my kids sit for exams if we pay for them! (sorry--bitter)

[vonfirmath]

4 hours ago, katilac said:

The school can want what they want, but AP exams are currently $100 per test and there's no reason to pay for that for a low score. If it's actually required, that should be a written policy. I think it's nuts that a public school can require this, but they can. 

🤣

 

 

Woah. I had no idea our district subsidized. We pay $80 per test.

[Ali in OR]

I think less selective colleges are MORE likely to give credit for exams. My dd had AP scores that would have given her credit at many schools but Stanford only gave credit I think for 5's on AP Physics and Chem (soooo not my dd with her APUSH, Engiish, Spanish, and Government). And I would agree that a course taught in high school is not really the equivalent of what Stanford offers for most courses. At our local state schools, kids often brag about being "a junior in credits" in their second year because of all of the ways courses in high school can count for college credit (College Now credit as well as AP tests). That can be a big money saver if you graduate in 3 years. But I think the best reason to take AP classes is for the environment of serious students in a serious class and an ambitious syllabus. The test is less important than the class on the transcript.

[mlktwins]

Our county's PS has not required me to pay for my boys' AP exams.  They was no question last year, but this year I was initially told they were charging homeschoolers, but the counselor was checking into it.  She came back a day later and said my boys were no cost again this year (4 AP exams - 2 each).  This is at the AP Scholar school though 🤷‍♀️.

I think it is worth it take the exams to try and get college credit, if possible.  College credit was not our goal, we wanted to show that they were capable of not just doing well in the class, but also taking the tests.  Now that we are applying to colleges, college credit for a few classes is looking pretty good :-).