<p>I have been looking over the tests for which Stanford gives actual credit (Calc AB-BC, Physics ABC, Chem, languages) and obviously, I'm finding that a good deal of my AP test scores won't mean anything i.e. APUSH, Euro, Psych, Bio, English. What really worries me though, are my senior year APs, namely Gov, Econ, Stats, Lit which also have seemingly no impact. Essentially, I'm wondering what the point is of even taking the AP tests in these classes (besides Chem and Calc) and what the impact would be should I not take them. If I do opt to take these tests, I naturally question the impact low scores could possibly have. I appreciate any help on this matter.</p>
<p>Although the school gives you no “credit” for the courses, the courses make your application strong. It shows that you are willing to challenge yourself rather than take the easy way out…</p>
<p>I’m not taking my AP classes this year (also an accepted senior). Make sure that your high school doesn’t require them. My old high school required that you took the test to even get credit for the high school class. If that’s not the case, save yourself a few hundred dollars. I’m going to call Stanford to double check, but I doubt it will be a problem.</p>
<p>I’m not taking any AP tests, either. The only benefit I could possibly get at this point is from the tests I was self-studying for (Calculus BC and German). But even those are essentially pointless, since they would just qualify me for classes I don’t want to take (Honors Multivariable Calculus and advanced German). I think I’ll just going to save the $602 and actually enjoy my last month of high school. :P</p>
<p>I said on my application that I plan to take 6 APs this yr because Im taking 6 APs but I dont know if I actually will. I will know if Im rejected or denied by then anyway so it won’t really matter.</p>
<p>If you can get out of taking the tests, do it. Its a waste of money if you dont get credit for them here.</p>
<p>i’m taking them just to measure myself how well i learned the material.
i’m taking English Lit, Calc BC, Bio, Spanish, and World Hist, of which only Calc BC and Spanish have any impact.</p>
<p>it sux that my APUSH and English Lang 5s wont matter but watever</p>
<p>I was in a similar position senior year–decided to go to Stanford, and my U.S. Gov’t and English Comp tests wouldn’t count. I wanted to forgo the tests as a waste of time, but my parents had me take them anyway. Their advice, which in retrospect was probably good, was that there were completely feasible situations in which I would want to transfer out of Stanford–for example, homesickness, poor fit, or if one of them became seriously ill and I needed to be close to home. In any of these situations, I’d end up transferring to another school, where it’s likely those exams would give me significant credit.</p>
<p>If paying for the exams is a problem (which it wasn’t for us; I think the school subsidized them), this consideration may not carry much weight. But if not, then it’s something you might consider.</p>
<p>You make a valid point Sly Si, and suddenly I’m fearing the worst (growing to somehow hate Stanford and heaven forbid, wanting to leave). Considering the expense, I wouldn’t qualify for the aid and when it boils down to it, the fees for these tests do amount to a considerable sum of money, money that I would not be too thrilled to pay. If we were to exclude that remote(I hope) possibility that you mentioned, are there any “official” reasons to take the AP tests? </p>
<p>@NJDS - I’m surprised that senioritis hasn’t hit you yet and that you’re willing to fork over that kind of cash for mere self-assessment. If you wanted to test yourself, wouldn’t practice tests suffice?</p>
<p>I heard that colleges will know whether you actually take the AP exam or not…
if I indicated on my application that i’d be taking them, but come May I actually didn’t, would that reflect poorly? Perhaps if I get put on the waiting list, I’ll be a weaker candidate for acceptance than another person who actually took the exams? </p>
<p>Or… actually… AP exam registration is March (at least in my school), that might mean that colleges will know as early as March whether you’ll take the exams. So would that somehow influence their admission decision? (Although i guess march would be a little late to make up decisions that will be released in April…)</p>
<p>Colleges won’t know until you send them your scores; your guidance counselor doesn’t sit downstairs with all of your checks and notify every school you applied to. I’m fairly certain that as long as you’re accepted (i.e., an EA or QB admitted student), it doesn’t matter whether you take the AP exam. I’ll email the QB contact and see what she says. However, if you are waitlisted, I can see how not taking the exams could hurt, but I don’t know the level of influence. </p>
<p>I’m one of the people who just can’t afford it, so I’m not borrowing almost $500 to go take tests I don’t need (my school doesn’t give out waivers). Not to mention I’m a homeschool student, so I’d have to drive for hours to find a school that offers the AP Economics tests.</p>
<p>I asked the woman at Stanford in charge of contact with QB students and she responded like this:</p>
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</p>
<p>The reasons I listed were cost and hassle related (finding a school that offers to exam since I am a homeschooler, missing classes for regular schoolers, etc.).</p>
<p>We just had the same discussion on our house. None of the AP’s my daughter is taking this year would count for credit or placement at Stanford. Our only concern is that over the years at our high school, taking the tests has definitely become the expected norm. Consequently, some teachers seem to view a failure to register for the exam as a lack of seriousness about their class, a lack of interest in the subject matter, or plain laziness. My daughter is worried about negative repercussions of not taking them in the form of a lowering of her esteem in the eyes of the teachers and resulting worse grades on subjectively graded assignments. Her biggest concern is for AP English, since the teacher kind of hinted he doesn’t think much of kids who don’t take the exam. However, we don’t feel it’s responsible to just spend that money for no other reason than to achieve a higher level AP scholar designation.</p>
<p>Well if your daughter is a senior, that means she is a 2nd semester senior. High school is almost over and the final grades don’t count for much unless there is a significant drop in them (which I doubt a teacher would do just because your daughter doesn’t take the AP). If you don’t feel that you want to pay the expenses, don’t take them, and if the teacher honestly feels that way, maybe your daughter should talk to him and explain the situation. Still if the teacher does decide to be that rude and subjectively change your daughter’s grade because of it, I’m sure it will not have a big impact on her GPA/ college admissions. But if she is a junior she should definitely consider taking the exams which boost your application/resume.</p>
<p>@applicannot:
I didn’t know you were a homeschooled student. What’s interesting is that I just graduated high school this January(according to how my counselor assigned me) and now with 6 months of no school, I find myself in a situation similar to a homeschooled student’s. I plan to use this free time to read more books, self-study for the AP exam(which i’m still considering), do well in my online course, and anything else I could not do otherwise because of school to improve myself. I’d say I’m off to an average start, not keeping to my schedule as much as I would like to…do you have any advice or info that will help me make the most out of my time? </p>
<p>Btw, thanks for your post. I guess in my case, it will be more advantageous to just take the exams, since I qualify for reduced fees, schools other than Stanford offer credit, and to prepare for if I get waitlisted. The only question though, is whether it is worth taking an AP exam for a subject that I know will not major in.</p>
<p>I take classes through a distance learning program and am not technically a homeschooler. I describe myself that way because it’s easier without launching into a huge discussion. I have a set schedule of assignments and the like, so I’m not sure I can help you. I usually regiment my summers and free time by making a schedule for SAT study, reading comprehensive, argument/debate, writing skills, or public speaking. I create a schedule and stick to it, but not so harshly that I punish myself for heading to the mail on a Tuesday afternoon once or twice a month.</p>
<p>If you guys can reasonably afford the tests, take them. First tests are fun! second you may transfer. third, although I haven’t heard anything for or against this, I’m guessing you can probably petition out of some intro classes. A 5 would help your petition somewhat I think. Any upperclassmen feel free to validate or shut down my guess.</p>