AP tests: For College Application or Skipping Classes

I’m a freshman in high school and I was wondering if APs are really worth it at all. I know some friends who plan on taking lots of APs just to flex for colleges, but I was skeptical because I thought that APs were just so that you don’t have to take the classes in college. I didn’t think that there would be a reason for me to take, for example, an AP test for Physics when my end career goal is to be a business professor. The reason I’m asking this is because I want to know if I should just take a bunch of tests for the college application or take the tests that actually fit my “spike” (which is business). I only have 8 APs that are actually somewhat related to my desired career path. Should you take AP tests for classes that you don’t even know you’re going to take in college or should you only take tests that will amount to your career.

(I don’t know if this is in the right thread. Was hoping somebody could move it for me.)

AP originally meant Advanced Placement, a way for strong high school students to show that they know advanced (for high school) material so that they could start college in courses more advanced than the usual frosh level courses. This can allow for more free electives later in college.

Over the years, there has a been a proliferation of somewhat less useful AP courses (e.g. human geography).

Of course, AP courses are a way to show academic strength in high school when chosen over regular level high school courses (or as an additional more advanced course in a given subject). Colleges often favor applicants who choose more demanding course work in high school, and many (though not all) high schools have AP courses as the most demanding courses.

For a business major in college, English, calculus, economics, and a foreign language are typically the most obviously applicable AP courses. However, you could easily change your mind between now and college. AP scores not directly applicable to your major may be allowed to fulfill other requirements, depending on the college.

But should I take the tests. I plan on substituting AP courses for as many classes that I can, especially with my cores, because the regular courses are too easy for me. But does that mean that I should take the tests for those classes?

No reason not to take the AP tests. Better to have possible AP credit that you may or may not use* rather than regret not having it when you get to college where you really would have wanted to use it.

*There are a few situations where you may choose not to send an AP score to a college you attend, but that is an option you may need or want to consider only when about to go to college, not when you are taking the AP courses and tests.

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Why would you not? As @ucbalumnus points out, it’s possible credit, and also possibly will let you into upper level (the more interesting ones) earlier.

If you want to apply to selective colleges, AP’s are a way of demonstrating that you are able for more challenging work, and that you are a motivated student who challenges themselves (btw, the colleges are more interested in your taking the class than the test itself). And, as you find regular classes boring, it increases the odds that your schoolwork will have some degree of interest/challenge.

Fwiw, a career objective is not a “spike”, and the whole “spike” thing is way overplayed.

Pro-tip: if your goal is to be a “business professor” you will need a PhD.

I mean, the tests cost money and my parents aren’t exactly loaded in any way. The fee for one AP test is around $100 and taking as many tests as possible for subjects you don’t even know you’re going to take seems like a pretty expensive gamble for me.

Even a business major may have a Natural Science requirement. If you get a high enough score you may satisfy that requirement with Bio, Chem or Physics.

The cost of a typical college course is typically much higher than $100, so even one course that you can take advanced placement out of to free schedule space for another more interesting course, or credits that help you graduate early or avoid graduating late, can make the AP test costs worth the gamble.

Granted, there are some colleges where AP scores give you nothing in either credit or placement (e.g. Caltech, St. John’s College), but you will not know until the end of 12th grade whether you will be attending such a college.

Don’t some colleges have a limit for AP credit? I think some UC colleges have a limit of 8 or something.

Yes, a lot have some limit. The issue is that you don’t know what college you will be attending until after you take/signup for the tests.

If you must ration AP tests, you may want to ensure taking those which are most likely to have subject credit or advanced placement value.

If you intend to be a business major, AP scores in calculus, economics, statistics, English, and foreign language are most likely to be of value for your major. Others could possibly be of value for general education requirements.

Of course, if you change your intended major, which AP scores will be of more value may change. English, calculus, and foreign language are typically the most broadly useful.

I am actually a fan of taking AP classes/exams in things that are not in your wheelhouse but are likely college requirements. Especially in your senior year. It is better to get a B in HS and a 3 on the AP test than a C in college.

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Yes, AP credit outside of your field of interest can clear out distribution requirements, allowing you to possibly double major, go deeper in to your major (or multiple subjects you are interested in) or finish a bachelors and masters in 4 years. It may also allow you to graduate early and thus save considerable money that way.

Or avoid graduating late, which can be particularly costly if an extra semester takes you beyond the limit of a scholarship (e.g. if a scholarship is good for 8 semesters, so a 9th semester could be considerably more expensive).

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If AP’s are a financial burden, see your GC as you may be eligible for a $33 rebate per test, as well as school or district financial aid.

The most likely to cover college graduation requirements are: AP World History or APUSH, AP Calculus (AB or BC), AP English Language, AP Foreign Language, an AP science (AP Bio would be OK, APES in some cases, AP Physics 1 if a non-STEM major).
In addition, as an economics major, taking AP Economics and AP Gov would make sense.
So, total, 7 AP tests to take over 3 years (soph, jr, sr). Do you think your family can handle this financially?