<p>How does it look to colleges if a student audits an AP course (taught by a teacher from whom this student previously got low grades relative to those in all other courses), rather than take it for credit and a grade that would almost certainly lower his GPA and rank? Unfortunately the HS does not weight AP grades. He likes the course and teacher. My thought is that he could still sit for the AP exam and possibly still report a decent score. The student would still have more than the minimum credit load required in the HS, does not need the course to graduate, and has already taken 3 courses (two honors and 1 AP level) in the overall subject area.</p>
<p>My guess is that taking the course would be a better idea.</p>
<p>I see no reason not to do as you describe if that’s his preference and he’s interested in the material but don’t want to agonize over a possibly lowered grade. Would the transcript even list the audit (schools vary on their policies)? Otherwise, it would just look like your child took the AP exam thru self-studying. My S took 2 AP exams self-study; the HS registrar was surprised when he asked.</p>
<p>I would audit it if he’s interested but can’t see letting the school put it on the transcript as it would paint him as unwilling to take academic risks.</p>
<p>hmom5, this HS, per policy, lists any audited course on the transcript. But because this student is already taking a full load even without the course, including another AP in the general subject area, couldn’t it be viewed as ambitiousness or intellectual curiosity rather than risk-avoidance? I guess the overarching question is whether colleges view auditing as a negative or a positive. (This same student did well on a self-studied AP exam after only completing an honors level freshman course in the subject. I hope colleges don’t view that approach as unwilling to take academic risks.)</p>
<p>Or would it be best to take the course elsewhere, to avoid an audit on the transcript?</p>
<p>IMO, if this is an area he has not traditionally done well in, it would look like avoidance. Also, when you say full load, how full? At my children’s high schools 5 classes was a full load but some students took 7.</p>