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it is primarily targeted at schools with low income kids - those who, otherwise, wouldn't have the opportunity offered by an AP program.
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This statement isn't related to paying them to take the AP. Kids at schools that offer AP classes already have the opportunity to take it and will generally have the cost of taking the tests subsidized. </p>
<p>I know some parents will resort to paying kids to receive certain grades - I'm not one of them. My kids wanted to receive A's and do well not because I'd pay them cash to do so and not just because they might earn a scholarship from it but because they knew they should do a great job in anything they do including school, volunteer activities, and everything else in life. </p>
<p>Will paying the kids $250 per AP increase the number of kids taking AP classes? I have no doubt that it will and if you pay them $1K each there'd be even more and if you up it to $5K per test practically the whole school would be there. </p>
<p>I'd rather see a program at the schools that explains the full benefits of taking rigorous course loads to both the kids and the parents and some of the reasons why they should strive to achieve their best whether they get paid for it or not.</p>
<p>Merit scholarships are great but I'm not convinced they should be viewed simply as a 'reward' for obtaining good grades. It's actually used as incentive to attract those high achievers to that particular school in an effort to pump up the calibre of the school.</p>
<p>Having the opportunity to take an AP class is not the same as being willing or motivated to accept that challenge. The program pays both students & teachers for passing scores - not just for taking the class. Teachers get additional professional development - also paid for. The combination of incentives for teachers & students is what works in this case. In addition, parents are informed & encouraged to support their students in the more rigourous program. It's great when students are intrinsically motivated, but many are not. I say do whatever works & this works!</p>
<p>I have had many conversations about this program with teachers who taught AP before and after the monetary incentives were in place. They all tell me that those students who would not have previously taken an AP class, but do now because of the incentive, are by far the hardest workers in their classes. As a result, my children, who are intrinsically motivated, also work harder. In our school, it's a win, win situation all around.</p>
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They all tell me that those students who would not have previously taken an AP class, but do now because of the incentive, are by far the hardest workers in their classes. As a result, my children, who are intrinsically motivated, also work harder. In our school, it's a win, win situation all around.
<p>For the first time this year, my school district is PAYING the AP fee for EVERY PERSON who is taking the test (any subject!) That was pretty surprising to me!</p>
<p>In my son's school district if you take an AP course you are required to take the AP test. In the county schools you do not have to take the test, but if you do and get at least a 3, you are reimbursed your AP fee. This is done at a school district level and the money is from the local budget.
All school districts like to look good. They are going for a high percentage of passing grades.
It appears as though more and more colleges are not giving credit for AP courses, instead they are letting you skip a certain course. I guess they are worried about losing tuition fees lol.</p>
<p>"In my son's school district if you take an AP course you are required to take the AP test. In the county schools you do not have to take the test, but if you do and get at least a 3, you are reimbursed your AP fee. This is done at a school district level and the money is from the local budget."</p>
<p>that's a good idea! I'll talk w/ my GC abt this!</p>
<p>randc - What happens in your kid's school if the student takes the AP class but doesn't take the AP test? How do they enforce this? </p>
<p>This kind of policy really doesn't make sense to me. In some cases the results of the AP test don't help the student at all depending on subject and the college they plan to attend. I think the student should be permitted to learn the material without the obligation to take the tests if they choose not to.</p>
<p>Disclaimer - My D took more AP classes than any other student at her large public HS and she took the tests for all of them. Even though the cost of the tests added up I don't see any reason why taxpayers should have been obliged to pay for them since the fact that she took the tests had no impact on what she learned.</p>
<p>I've heard like CollegeBoard is coming up w/ some standards which every AP classes in the school must meet to be declared as AP Class........now, I think this policy MIGHT encourage some students to get away w/o AP test since their 'oversmart' brain will be thinking that colleges will be able to judge them by that class!</p>
<p>At our school, highest rank points are earned in AP classes. If you take the class you are expected/required to take the test. If you choose not to take the test, the class will show as a regular class and you lose the extra rank points. All kids take the tests :-)</p>
<p>AP fees are collected early in the school year. If not paid, students can be removed from the class but more likely it shows up as an "obligation" at the end of the school year. Until all obligations are met, the student cannot graduate. I have never know it to be a problem though.</p>
<p>quote:
This kind of policy really doesn't make sense to me. In some cases the results of the AP test don't help the student at all depending on subject and the college they plan to attend. I think the student should be permitted to learn the material without the obligation to take the tests if they choose not to.</p>
<p>I agree with you. I think it's all politics. My son is only taking AP government because colleges want to see you take the most rigorous schedule you are offered. It won't get him credit in the major he has chosen in college.</p>
<p>asifkhan
I think there already are standards for the classes. If you dig deep enough into the college board website I think i remember actually seeing course outlines that are to be followed. Of course it's very early in the morning and I could still be dreaming :)</p>
<p>One of the reasons to take the AP classes aside from taking a test and making the school look good is to allow the student to take the most rigorous courses in those subjects the school has to offer. In addition to colleges considering the rigor of the course load, in some schools and for some students it's what they must take to remain challenged. In schools with a small percentage of high achievers, the 'normal' classes would present no challenge to them. For those expecting to continue on to rigorous course loads in college, such as engineering and sciences, the AP classes are a stepping stone. The AP classes have an intrinsic value on their own even if the tests are never taken.</p>
<p>randc...........VERY RECENTLY, I've read an article......(I just can't remember where!) But, I'm pretty sure that CB has come up w/ a new guideline which will be implemented from 2007-08 which will require evry AP class to submit their detailed plan and their approach.......</p>
<p>asifkhan - I think you can find the audit information on the CB website. I don't remember the particulars, but sounds like what you're talking about.</p>
<p>My son's school is very competitve in the top half. The difference between a student in the top six percent and the top 2 percent is .02 on their GPA. As was stated earlier by another poster, this competition may have the tendency to keep kids from taking electives that will not help their GPA because it may be worth less (not worthless).
I also believe that with all the competition, some teachers may be teaching for a test instead of covering the full content of a course. This happens in Virginia in regular classes where a teacher may teach a class so that students can pass an SOL (standards of learning) test. The school must have a certain percentage of passes to remain acredited with the state.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info on the CB website asifkhan ans lefthandofdog!</p>