<p>does it have a huge impact on your college admissions (or colleges rescinding your admissions)?</p>
<p>w/the economy looking this way, I don't think I can take AP exams this year. it's $86 per exam at my school and I'm just above the income requirement for the reduced AP exam price. (our family income is ~50000 for 2008 I think. and the requirement was like 42000 or something) I feel bad asking my parents for the $86*4 to take tests when we can't even keep up w/our mortgage ):</p>
<p>would this have a huge impact?... should I write to the schools?... it's not even that I don't want to take the exams. I already have 5 AP exams under my belt and I don't mind then too much.</p>
<p>I'm taking 4 APs right now (AP English Lit, Statistics, Macroeconomics, Spanish)... and I've applied to 5 public and 6 private schools (3 ivy's).
I've looked up some of my schools' AP policy and apparently they don't even acknowledge for some of them. (i.e. Macroeconomics w/o microecon)</p>
<p>Colleges want to know that you are taking the AP level class. They won't ask about the AP test. What you want to consider is, will a good score on the AP test count as credit in the colleges you are considering? If you don't think you'll get a high enough score to get credit for the course in college, then it's probably not worth taking the test. Talk to your teacher to get an idea of what score you should expect. Take a good look at what your college/s of choice will accept, and then decide if it's worth the cost.</p>
<p>Take each AP that you're ready for: you'll never be as prepared as the end of this semester -- even if every college accepted you.</p>
<p>From experience: All colleges I applied accepted me, I was enrolled in 5 APs my Sr yr. Accepted my 1st choice college (an HYP), got burned out, didn't take a single AP. I regret it to this day (many years after graduation). Don't do what I did...</p>
<p>I am in the same position as you. I am taking six AP classes that have prepared me to take 8 exams theoretically. </p>
<p>Personally, I neither want nor need to take eight exams. I've taken 5 already and got all 5's. I am going to see what credit I can get based on the college that I end up going to and take exams accordingly.</p>
<p>
[quote]
From experience: All colleges I applied accepted me, I was enrolled in 5 APs my Sr yr. Accepted my 1st choice college (an HYP), got burned out, didn't take a single AP. I regret it to this day (many years after graduation). Don't do what I did...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>May I ask why you regret your decision many years later? After reading your post I'm a bit surprised that you consider it such a big decision. I only ask because I'm in the same position as the OP.</p>
<p>It can make a huge difference when you get to college. It's not just the credits that you may or may not get, but it can mean the difference between taking a lot of boring prereqs that you can avoid. For my kids it meant getting out of math and writing classes, foreign language requirements and a host of other classes freeing up time for double majors and more study abroad.</p>
<p>Most top schools don't really give you credit for the tests, well at least for more history/english motivated people. I am taking 4 APs this year and I am not going to take any tests.</p>
<p>I agree with HMom.. it may not get you credit for certain requirements but it could get you past entry level classes. Either way, it's an advantage to some degree. The trick is to know at all your schools how your AP exams and scores might figure into the equation. At some schools, they give their own placement tests and don't consider AP, however it would probably also be true that if you've taken AP (even if you didn't take the exam) you could place out of some beginning classes. Also, while AP exams are costly, college credits are far more so.</p>
<p>If your high school doesn't require the tests and the colleges aren't going to give you credit even if you achieve a high score on the AP test, I don't see the point of spending money to take the test, especially if the college administers its own tests to allow you to test out of entry level courses. No college is going to rescind your acceptance because you took an AP course but didn't take the test - they're more interested in the fact that you took the rigorous course, and they'll see how you did in the course because your HS will grade it. Now, if you can get college credits for a high score, and you think you can achieve the necessary score, then I'd find a way to scrape the money together (babysitting was always my choice for making money in high school).</p>
<p>Machiavelli, what modadunn said. I thought the same thing and was shocked that my three at an ivy, a top LAC and a top tech college all benefited.</p>
<p>DwightEisenhower: It's a huge regret because it tied my hands in terms of flexibility to study abroad (and take fewer credits). If I'd had the full suite of APs, I would have been more inclined to take a semester overseas. As it was, I didn't.</p>
<p>**Just to really hammer home the points in this thread.</p>
<p>1) take the AP classes</p>
<p>2) don't take the AP tests</p>
<p>Many colleges won't accept your AP scores unless they're
a 5 anyways, and you can take that opportunity to get
easy As in college for a nice head-start. </p>
<p>Take the classes regardless of the exams because
a) your financial situation may change
b) you may be able to void the exam given that acceptance is usually all done by exam time and I know some colleges/your school may care but if you can't afford it then you have a very good reason.
c) AP classes will always look better than regular or honors. </p>
<p>Luckily, I dont have this problem. Our county will pay for our exams even if we didn't take the class. Same with CC classes and books.</p>
<p>And I'm not sure if a couple of the posters above read the original post thoroughly. :( my problem wasn't that I don't want to take AP tests, it's that I can't AFFORD it... the deadline for my school to sign up for AP exams is March 20th. After that prices of exams go up 20 more dollars, which I REALLY can't afford; I'm already running on two part time jobs.</p>
<p>Anyone else in the same financial situation as me?... Thoughts?</p>
<p>The thing to keep in mind is that the $86 it costs for an AP test is WAY less than the cost of taking the actual class in college. If your prospective schools accept the AP credits for whatever tests you can take, by all means, take them.</p>
<p>monicaglee: I must admit I didn't notice your point about affordability. May I suggest this? Talk to your principal and guidance counselors. There may be little know pots of money around that can address situations just like yours. In my community there are several local scholarship/foundations that serve the families of the schools. A legitimate request like yours, in my town, would probably be able to scrounge up some funds. </p>
<p>It's definitely worth the effort to ask around. Good luck to you</p>