<p>i kind of don't get it. it's $88 a test, and top colleges don't even give that much credit if any.</p>
<p>like, how is 5 APs a year going to help you? that's $440 right there. and chances are in 4 years you'll have taken even more.</p>
<p>Well, my school [or my parents' tax dollars] pays for the tests as long as you are passing the course. So I take them to get the highest level of education possible in high school. Because at my school, all of them are much harder than any other type of class, and I like the challenge.</p>
<p>Haha... I don't have to pay for my AP's this year! There was a ruling in my province that banned schools from charging students... it was stupid but I'm happy about this.</p>
<p>AP tests are symbols of my test taking skills. I also use them to prove my knowledge. It's like a challenge.</p>
<p>And actually, the top colleges I've looked at still give a substantial amount of credit for AP tests. And even if I can't use those credits, I can place into more advanced classes, which means less 100+ student introductory classes and less time spent on uninteresting crap. </p>
<p>Plus, they look damn good on the college app.</p>
<p>I think it comes down to colleges asking if you are taking the most demanding courses at your school. So you feel forced to take them to show that you are. I know many kids that get into MIT only have 4 or 5 AP's.</p>
<p>Meh. I'm signing up to take AP Psych and AP Lit, but I really am unsure what it's going to impact. I don't know if the colleges I applied to take AP credit.</p>
<p>So mostly I'm taking them... not just for fun, but really just to see how well I can do. Although a friend of mine is taking five AP classes, but only planning on taking two AP tests (it's too much money for her to take all five, in addition to being too stressful).</p>
<p>And oh yeah, our school makes us pay the full price.</p>
<p>Yep... I have to pay for them too. And I'm taking 4 this year - I'll have taken 9 by the time high school's over. That's actually fewer than many of my classmates, since I didn't take sciences or foreign languages AP.</p>
<p>Why do it?
1. At my school (public magnet school) we don't have a choice - everyone in our program takes AP Euro, APUSH, AP Macroeconomics, AP Gov, AP English Lang. and Lit., and AP Stat at the very least.<br>
2. Colleges want to see a challenging schedule.
3. You do get some credit for them, and it's a good way to take care of any obnoxious gen. ed. requirements.
4. This is sort of a unique situation, but I think my AP scores are a better reflector of my achievement than my grades - I got 5's in APUSH and AP Calc AB, but I still got C's in the classes, because my teachers are insane.</p>
<p>And...that's pretty much it. I could say I do it for the challenge, but my school is pretty challenging regardless of what level you're at - all the classes I didn't take AP, I had to take Honors.</p>
<p>My school also pays for ours, which is nice since I will have taken 15 AP exams by the end of senior year (this year). I know if they didn't pay for it, many students wouldn't be taking the exams that are (most classes require you to take the exam, since it's payed for). Plus, while my parents probably would have payed for all of theses endeavors, I doubt many people at my school could afford the price tag for multiple exams. I originally only planned on taking a few, but loved them and loved my teachers (most of them) so I kept going. </p>
<ol>
<li>I like to challenge mysellf. I got stuck in a regular elective I thought I would enjoy, and ended up practically beating my brain out because it was so boring and frustrating. I decided I would rather challenge myself and put in a little more work than sit in a class with people who don't care about their future while at the same time not learning anything worthwhile. </li>
<li>It's free at my school. </li>
<li>It shows colleges I'm challenging myself. </li>
<li>I get college credit. Yes, some top schools expect 5's to get any credit, but even if you have to take a course over again, it is soooo much easier. Many kids at my school have taken our amazing AP Art History class (teacher is the best at school), and went to schools that didn't take the credit, yet their introductory level course was much easier since they had already learned most of the material. On the other hand, you may not get credit but you get to take higher level classes and bypass lower-level introductory classes. </li>
<li>I love to learn, honestly. I want to get as much knowledge as I can. </li>
<li>It helps you figure out your strengths and weaknesses before you get to college. For instance, while I got A's in all my classes in high school, I got a 3 on the AP Chemistry test. I learned by taking that class that yeah, chemsitry is alright, but it's not one of my strengths. I'm much better in physics. Therefore, in college, I know to take physics to fulfill my science requirements and not chemistry.</li>
</ol>
<p>ITs a waste of money... Schools really don't give as much college credit due to AP exams than 15 years ago...</p>
<p>Yea, colleges are lowering the amount of credits they grant for AP exams. Usually they just place you in a higher class and don't give you the credit from the exams.</p>
<p>Still $88 is alot cheaper than in college.</p>
<p>You kids need to do your research. Plenty of schools do give AP credit. My son will be able to graduate a semester early from his college. Since its a private LAC thats a $20k savings. Much more than the $528 we paid for the AP exams.</p>
<p>hah ok, i'll take that. yeah i just checked Stanford, they give quite a bit AP credit.</p>
<p>but i think i was referring more to the 12-15 APs people take in total. if you take AP Euro, World History, Geography, USHistory, Psychology, that's like 5 Humanities & Social Sciences APs. colleges don't offer THAT much credit.</p>
<p>and then there's the other 10 that people take, of which maybe 4 or 5 they will actually have use for.</p>
<p>i dunno. my high school makes us pay full price, so it's a lot of money for that many APs.</p>
<p>yeah, I don't know what the OP is talking about. AP's are a fantastic deal. Not only do they exempt you from sitting in boring freshman gen ed courses, they also can jump start you on your major if you pass the exam in the test subject you plan on majoring in (ie, 5 on governemnt will allow you to skip one, or sometimes two, "intro" poli sci classes).</p>
<p>Furthermore, if you can rack up enough AP credit, you can theororetically alleviate your courseload for your entire undergrad career. For example, I got 10 AP credits upon my admission to college. This allows me to take an average of one or two less credits per semester for at least the first 2 years than I would normally have to take to take to graduate on time.</p>
<p>In short, AP's are a good VERY good if you pass them. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.</p>
<p>yes but i'm guessing you got AP credit for 2 APs?</p>
<p>so what about all those other ones?</p>
<p>i'm not against APs, i'm taking 5 (not the tests for 2 though) i'm just bewildered as to everyone's crazy schedules on cc with 6 APs or something like that with the plan on taking all the AP tests</p>
<p>Colleges are giving less credit for APs than before</p>
<p>Just to make you feel a little better about $88 per test: my school charges $100 each!
It's true that "$88 is alot cheaper than in college", iff the college gives you credits for them. Unfortunately, many top colleges have very short lists of AP courses that they will give some credits.</p>