senior daughter has 2 AP classes out of 5 at school ( AP art history & AP studio art) that will give her no credit at her intended college. She needs to sign up (and pay) for the tests soon. Any thoughts on pros/cons on taking AP tests just for the heck of it?
You shouldn’t take AP tests “just for the heck of it.” You should always have a reason whether you are interested in it or the course might be a better alternative. (for example, why would you take English Honors when you could take AP English?)
Pros:
- She’ll become more knowledgeable in the fields of whatever APs she will be studying for
Cons:
- Since she is a Senior, the exam scores will not appear on her transcript which make them almost pointless
- She will not be receiving credit at her intended college
- Studying for the exams will take up time that she could rather spend on extracurricular activities, applying for scholarships, and just relaxing!
I would certainly not self-study for AP exams “just for the heck of it” in her Senior year, especially if she had already been accepted. She will gain much more satisfactory knowledge in college! 
There’s no point for seniors to take AP exams for which their college will grant neither credit nor placement. However, some high schools do require all students enrolled in AP courses to take the corresponding AP exam, which leads to a lot of seniors doodling in their test booklets for 3 hours.
Agreed. Unless the HS requires the tests to be taken, if the college does not give credit for the exam, IMO it’s a waste of time and $ to take.
If in the future your daughter ends up transferring from her chosen school to another and that school accepts the AP credit, it might be worthwhile if the cost and time commitment are not a burden.