High Schools Shouldn't Put AP Scores on H.S. Transcripts, Says College Board

Parent Cafe
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<p>I just learned something interesting on an AP teacher email list. </p>

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<p>AP</a> Ordering Help</p>

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Not to mention loss of income to College Board!</p>

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<p>Same reasoning goes for SAT and ACT scores, I’m sure. Our local high school has quit putting them on the transcript.</p>

<p>I don’t see much loss of income for College Board when it comes to the sending of AP scores. None of the applications that my D sent out required that AP scores be sent to each college, even though the applications asked for AP scores. Unlike SAT scores, no official confirmation was required at the application stage.</p>

<p>When it came to trying to get college credit for AP classes taken in high school, then an official report from the College Board was required–a transcript from the high school wouldn’t suffice. But that is only one report that needs to be sent to only one school.</p>

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<p>I think the discovery that some schools are reporting AP exam scores on transcripts will come as a big surprise to many student, judging by the number of cc posts agonizing about whether or not to self-report low scores on applications (that is, pick and choose which scores to include with the application).</p>

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<p>Hi Tokenadult,</p>

<p>Xiggi has long advocated that students have the right to protect their transcripts from test reporting: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/155385-college-has-all-her-act-scores-but-we-requested-only-1-a.html?highlight=Scores+transcript#post1918834[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/155385-college-has-all-her-act-scores-but-we-requested-only-1-a.html?highlight=Scores+transcript#post1918834&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I know our school puts all testing on the transcript, completely eliminating the ACT and AP score choice option. It’s a typed entry item. Not a label affixed to front or back. I imagine it’s only a matter of time that a savvy parent or student will call them on this practice. We never cared, but I understand why someone might.</p>

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<p>My d’s high school gave the kids a choice for SAT and ACT scores (AP scores aren’t on the transcript at all), and it was on the form that they had to submit to the guidance office to have the transcripts sent anywhere. It was also in big, bold letters.</p>

<p>Now, I do in fact think that it’s a good idea not to put the scores on the transcripts; I think only that information that comes from the school should be on the transcript.</p>

<p>I just think it’s humorous that the “suggestion” comes from the College Board.</p>

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<p>I would like to see the specific “law” to which the article is referring. Every school board should be sent a copy of that law.</p>

<p>The Counselor’s part of an application often asks the counselor to put in SAT scores. I wonder if that is legal.</p>

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<p>Our school gives the kids a choice on affixing both AP and SAT scores. I appreciate it. I’ve seen at least one school that will accept AP scores off of the transcript (U of Ct). I do think it’s about $. Most kids don’t pay to send out AP scores. (I called. It’s $15/ school!) but I’m sure some do and that’s good $ for the CB.</p>

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<p>Well, yes, they do stand to profit by being the conduit. However, they do suggest that HS’s can have the students sign a release to send the scores with the transcript, which would not be a gain for them. I think, knowing the law, they are well-placed to publicize it.</p>

<p>My S did not want to send his AP scores, and was under the impression he didn’t. It sure would be surprising to find out that they were sent, at this point! I certainly do concur that it is the student’s right to send them or not, and any announcement that affirms this can only be good for the student.</p>

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<p>shouldn’t be much money. Most AP kids take an AP class (or two or three) senior year, in May. CB allows one free score report for the simple reason that most students will have already accepted their place in a college (except those on a wait list) by May 1. Since the AP tests are after that date, the one free, senior score report can be sent to the chosen college and it will include all AP scores taken.</p>

<p>But, surprised that they haven’t made a big deal out of SAT scores. THAT could be some serious bucks for CB.</p>

<p>fwiw: I can’t understand at all why a school would use resources to put outside test scores on individual transcripts – just seems like a waste of time and money.</p>

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<p>There should also be a policy of not including SAT scores on transcripts.</p>

<p>This has nothing to do with making money for the College Board. It has to do with giving students who take both the SAT and the ACT the freedom to report scores from only one of these tests, without revealing the other.</p>

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<p>Thank you all for the interesting replies. As a homeschooling parent, whose oldest will likely still be a minor when he applies to college as a senior, I guess I have power as his guardian and as his “high school counselor” to decide this issue however it appears to be best for him. (My son will also be submitting external transcripts from two face-to-face, brick-and-mortar college-based programs and at least three distance learning programs.) Somehow it doesn’t surprise me [sigh] that a lot of high schools are doing something that is said to be illegal. I too would like to know the citation for whatever law College Board is talking about.</p>

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<p>The law being referred to has to do with student privacy (FERPA, I suspect). </p>

<p>Our high school used to put PSAT scores on transcripts. I was upset by this, and mentioned it to my lawyer friend who was so upset she called the principal. She reminded the school that this is private information that should only be made public with the student’s permission. The principal immediately went to the guidance department and told it to stop the practice. </p>

<p>So, I suggest that you find a lawyer to call the school district if you want this information kept off of transcripts.</p>

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<p>token:</p>

<p>CB is prolly claiming its a privacy issue, protected by the federal privacy laws and those of many states. (I think California’s privacy law is even more strict than the feds).</p>

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<p>I think there is the additional issue of providing guidance counselors more opportunities to make mistakes if they are expected to transcribe multiple test scores from other sources, or affix stickers to the proper transcript. A friend of mine discovered quite by accident that her son’s counselor had switched activity/award lists for two students when assembling NMSF packets. Many public hs counselors are shuffling a lot of papers, and mistakes are easy to make.</p>

<p>I suppose all parents should review the transcript that is being sent. I was naive and didn’t do that, but I should have.</p>

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<p>Then maybe College Board should stop selling the score labels to schools?</p>

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<p>All I can say is that it is about time! </p>

<p>The issue is very clear; the scores never belonged to the high school and the information they copy/paste and retransmit is not official. In addition to violating privacy rights, the high school cannot be held liable for errors or omissions. </p>

<p>I hope this is a first step towards getting universal policies that clearly mandate the schools to act in the best interest of the students and acknowledge that student records are exactly that … the record of students! IMHO, violations should be subject to stiff financial penalties. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, no penalties could ever be imposed on sheer stupidity, incompetence, and obnoxious behavior.</p>

<p>It would be wonderful if high school did report their own grades correctly. Why in the world did anyone ever think it was a good idea for the high school to report outside test scores?</p>

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<p>Our High School (rightly so) has never put SAT or AP scores on the school transcript. Why should they? The test was not administered nor graded by the H.S. They should only be reporting what the student has received for at that H.S.<br>
If a student takes classes at their Community College, the HS does not report that.</p>

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<p>Our district is the same as chocoholic. The only thing that is reported on the transcript are grades that were earned at that school.</p>

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<p>I believe for SAT scores your highschool will only get the score if you have it sent to them. My son’s scores were not reported to his school, I know. Most colleges want the scores sent directly from College Board even if they are on the transcript.</p>