<p>I would second R124687's sentiment that AP Music Theory is its own reward. It's fundamental to your overall development as a musician. In fact, students at top-tier music schools with little to no knowledge of music theory are very rare exceptions. </p>
<p>Consequently this informs policies for waiving AP credit--if the incoming freshman all come with decent theory chops (gleaned from AP music theory or the solfege courses offered at prep divisions), the goalposts have been moved, and there's no logic to granting advanced standing for knowledge that is taken for granted among the student body as a whole. (This, along with the nomenclature issue mentioned earlier--some schools are very keen on their own traditions).</p>
<p>Another factor is the increasingly international composition of American music school student bodies, with many of those students bringing substantial training in solfege and analysis to the table. </p>
<p>My own feeling is that taking the AP Theory test is actually worth it, even if it gives you no credit in college. Taking the text will allow you to really assess your retention and understanding of the material. There are fee waivers/reductions in AP test fees for those who qualify. And, as BassDad mentioned earlier, if it does end up getting you out of a few college requirements, then that's great ROI. </p>
<p>My son did not take AP music theory, although he had loads of theory through music camps and a pre-college program. He did pass out of a year of theory, based on his school's placement test (not the one at audition, but the ones in the fall) as well as a year of ear training. Personally, I cannot imagine why some schools require kids to sit through material that they have already mastered, so I am glad for placement tests!</p>
<p>Our 2 kids have gone to music school after scoring either a 4 or 5 on the AP test. Son placed out of the 1st semester of theory because of the AP test. He had no trouble with the 2nd semester of theory at his school (Belmont), or theory in general. That was seven years ago. </p>
<p>Daughter was not allowed to get credit for her HS AP theory, and began in 1st semester theory. She says she is glad she did not get 1st semester credit, because she thinks the theory course is such that she would not have done well going straight into 2nd semester theory. But there is no question that her high school AP theory helped her greatly in college. She goes to Columbus State U. in Columbus, GA and is a freshman this year. My perception is that the theory training is more rigorous at CSU over Belmont, but I don't have any real basis for that opinion other than my kids discussing the programs. </p>
<p>But it appears that these two schools do a pretty good job of determining whether or not HS AP theory should be accepted as credit in their programs. I would recommend that you go by the recommendations or rules of the individual music school. They usually know what is best for their students in their music programs.</p>
<p>My husband has taught AP Music Theory as both a class and on-line. He teaches theory in the Preparatory department at Carnegie Mellon. Last year a student received a 5 overall, and fives on all sections. </p>
<p>He would be happy to discuss any related topics with those on the forum. He can be reached @ <a href="mailto:musictheory@cmu.edu">musictheory@cmu.edu</a>.</p>
<p>I'm a senior in HS who is taking AP Music Theory this year. Our school forces you to take the AP Exam if you're signed up for the AP class (the county foots the bill), as taking the test gives you your .5 GPA boost (yes, only .5, it's ridiculous). As for placing out of college level theory or not, I honestly don't care. I'm taking the class to strengthen my knowledge of music so that I get a better understanding of what I'm looking at when I play. Also, as a future Music Ed. major, theory is a crucial aspect that I must learn. It's my favorite class this year, and I actually look forward to learning new things. </p>
<p>Knowledge is Power...</p>
<p>PS- Musictheory.net is a great place for building ear-training skills, that's what we use for our aural homework.</p>
<p>I agree that your tutor should be very familiar with the exam. There are different ways to teach music theory. My D studied for years with a foreign-born piano teacher. She is now taking AP Theory and some of the methodology is different from what she learned before. She also has perfect pitch but it does not help as much as you would think.</p>
<p>How difficult will this class be for someone without perfect pitch and no prior theory exposure, just 7 years of music lessons (piano and guitar) and some choral experience?</p>
<p>I think it depends on how much theory was presented in the piano lessons. I managed to take 9 years of piano with no instruction in theory. I don't think perfect pitch matters - it's a nice thing to have but doesn't make theory a no brainer for those who have it.</p>
<p>Can he/she talk to the teacher? There are probably some things a teacher can do to get a sense of someone's affinity for it. Some people just seem to glide through theory - they just get it somehow. Others don't. How is he/she in math?</p>
<p>She is very good in Math. The school is not sure yet who is teaching the class, so she can't talk to the teacher. I will try to pry that info out of D's GC as soon as someone knows.</p>
<p>In addition to music theory she will be taking AP Euro, AP Eng, AP Calc BC, honors physics, honors French and one on level required class. I am afraid she'll be overwhelmed. She is not going to major in anything music related in college. She just wants to take the course.</p>
<p>That's a lot, but if she has a knack for theory, it may not be that difficult for her. As with any AP class, it's the pace of the class that is often the issue. There are some excellent online sites for theory that she could do this summer for the basics. She can get pretty far along online and might get a sense of whether she likes it or not - if not, she can drop it in the fall and pick up something else.</p>
<p>She should really talk to the teacher to see what the demands of the course will be. Different schools have vastly different expectations for this class. My kids already had a lot of theory in their pre-college programs, so they skipped the class and just took the exam. On the other hand, most of the kids who took the AP theory class at their school started with relatively little background and ended up doing fine on the exam after a year in the course. Most had the same kind of music background as your daughter. good luck!</p>
<p>i didnt have any prior theory experience, just did band and chorus and school same with my friend, managed a 4 and my friend a 5, just need to study the material well</p>
<p>What if the hs I go to doesn’t offer AP Music Theory? I know I can still take the test, but I don’t know how to apply for the AP Test when testing time rolls around…any advice?</p>