<p>Okay, no one has the same opinion on when to find out AP scores, but no one should criticize each other’s opinions. Let’s just do what we individually want.</p>
<p>Last year we were unable to get scores from S’s school. IIRC he got one from a teacher, but his other teachers did not have individual scores, nor did his guidance counselor.</p>
<p>@liv4physicz</p>
<p>Some of us are going to college and enrolling for courses. Vitally important to know AP scores to figure out which classes to enroll in/skip. The longer you wait to enroll, the worse times/professors you get.</p>
<p>Can someone please explain something to me? As I understand it AP scores are used by colleges primarily for placement, while SAT II subject test scores are the ones actually used for admission.</p>
<p>If that’s true, why is it that high schools spend a whole year training its college-bound AP students for the AP test while completely ignoring the SAT II?</p>
<p>In my child’s case the WH AP teacher encouraged the WH students to take the SAT II WH exam, but spent zero class time going over that test. I guess it was assumed that the two tests would mostly overlap, but that wasn’t the case. In fact, this fall a school counselor revealed that the HS was no longer recommending that AP WH students at the school take the SAT II WH exam because its AP WH course did not cover all the material tested in the WH SAT II. </p>
<p>Why exactly are schools so focused on the AP test? It’s great to get college credit and all, but that’s of little consequence if you don’t get into your preferred college in the first instance. The purpose of going to college is to take classes, not skip them.</p>
<p>AP tests are also considered in admissions.</p>
<p>Well a few things:</p>
<p>1) most schools don’t even request/look at SAT II scores for admission or anything else</p>
<p>2) if a class is offered as an “AP Class” it has to focus on the AP test. There are requirements to call the class an AP class in terms of content, teacher training, etc.</p>
<p>3) for schools that do require SAT II scores, I think they think it shows some initiative if the student takes the time to figure out what is on the exam and study on their own, rather than having a class focused on it.</p>
<p>AP Test are administered to take money from students and their parents. How is college board a non-profit organization when they charge $86 a test. </p>
<p>I agree with clapuma when I go to college I want to take classes and learn not just cram study for a test get a 3 and never see that material again.</p>
<p>@clapuma: Well, while most colleges look at SAT II, people have a bigger impression on APs because it gives them the bigger picture of skipping the intro classes they might have to take. People get impatient and see APs as a one way ticket to less classes and pride to show to people that they are smart. HS only sees APs as a way to show statistics that their school is getting smarter since they measure how many take the test, not pass the test. SAT II gets ignored because it’s considered the same as AP but easier.</p>
<p>The AP curriculum pretty much encompasses the SATII curriculum. It should for WH as well.</p>
<p>There advantages of AP performance far outweigh the advantages of SATII. SATII scores may help sliiightly with admissions, but taking AP courses is also very important for admission. AP scores and cirriculum have the advantage by offering college credit, saving students money, covering SATII material concurrently, etc. Why would any student choose to focus on the SATII instead of AP…?</p>
<p>Google “site:talk.collegeconfidential.com ap world vs sat subject world history”. The vast majority of students say their AP World knowledge was more than enough to ace the SATII, and in fact, the SATII was easier than AP World.</p>
<p>It’s more than “skipping classes.” Getting credit for a class without taking it in college can save you money, can allow you to graduate earlier, can get annoying prerequisites out of the way, lighten your overall course load, and can free up more time for electives you actually would WANT to take and are interested in. Remember, in college, every student will be required to take classes that may have nothing to do with their interests or intended major…</p>
<p>SAT II tests are required by colleges to determine a student’s academic accomplishments in certain areas at a high school level. The SAT tests do not cover college material. That being said, in my opinion the SAT IIs are harder than the APs because there’s very little room for error and the material must be fully mastered to earn an 800, whereas someone could earn a 5 on an AP with far less studying.</p>
<p>APs play a factor in college admissions. The Common App and other applications provide places for self-reporting scores, and schools have stated on the record that APs (as well as IBs and SAT IIs) provide adcoms with additional information about the breadth of a candidate’s academic requirements. </p>
<p>Of course, it’d be a lifesaver if teachers actually taught non-AP level courses to the standard of the SAT II.</p>
<hr>
<p>On a different note, scores should be available at every school unless staff have left for the summer. Below are some of the information that College Board provides every school free of charge.</p>
<p>AP Scholar roster (new this year)
This roster, previously only available in paper, will now be available online. It lists all 2011 AP students at your school who earned an AP Scholar Award, and their AP Exam scores. Paper Scholar rosters will no longer be mailed to schools.</p>
<p>Student datafile (new this year)
This downloadable .csv file contains student score report data for each AP student at your school who tested in 2011. This information can be uploaded to other systems, or used for internal analysis and planning. This is the same data previously available in the CD that schools could order for a fee. Scores on CD are no longer available.</p>
<p>If the school’s AP system doesn’t teach enough to cover SAT II, then the teacher must have done something wrong when teaching the course, or just hasn’t covered enough.</p>
<p>Actually, theres some stuff on subject tests that arent covered by ap tests, like relativity on the physics subject test</p>
<p>Ah, sorry. Well, I remember studying for APs last year and than studied out of both the AP and SAT II study guide books. I signed up for SAT II before the APs, so I studied for them separately.</p>
<p>Math II is unlike any AP Test</p>
<p>Math II covers high school level math up to Precalculus, and AP AB/BC are college level. Stat is introductory college statistics as well.</p>
<p>Well, I actually took Math II when I was in Algebra 2/Trig. It was self study and I turned out all right. You’re right, AP might not get you ready, but it helps you know how to use the fundamentals? SAT II doesn’t seem as specific as AP does, at least in my opinion. I guess hs doesn’t pay much attention to SAT II because they assume that AP are more important and are harder.</p>
<p>High schools overemphasize APs. Jay Mathews’ Challenge Index is solely based on APs/IBs, and 25% of the new Newsweek high school ranking system is based on APs/IBs. Another 10% is based on average AP/IB scores and 5% is based on AP courses offered.</p>
<p>AP courses/scores are thus seen as a way of measuring a school’s rigor and student achievement. SAT II scores aren’t used in nearly the same way; as far as I know, they’re solely used for admissions purposes. So when it comes down to it, AP is a far larger priority for school districts.</p>
<p>Has anyone tried calling today?</p>
<p>Didn’t Trevor say it would be tomorrow afternoon? I don’t think anyone has.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yeah, I called a few times this morning (PDT) before I turned on the computer and saw Trevor’s tweet. Of course, nothing.</p>