Here’s the issue:
I was accepted EA to Caltech back in December, and on my Common Application, I noted that I was taking 5 AP classes senior year. I did NOT, however, add these classes in the section where the app asked for exams already taken/will be taken. BUT, a few weeks ago, I received this email from Caltech:
"As you are making your final academic plans for the year, I would like to remind you that the Admissions Committee expects that all classes and exams will be completed as stated in your admission application.
This expectation includes AP and/or IB exams; you should follow through with these exams even if Caltech does not award you course credit for them. The completion of these exams represents the culmination of your work in these courses, and the material will help you prepare for your placement exams. Those who decide to enroll this fall should have an official score report sent to Caltech.
Please contact your Regional Admissions Counselor by email before you make any changes to your academic program, since changes to your academic plan may affect our initial offer of admission. Your Regional Admissions Counselor can also address any questions you might have about enrolling at Caltech."
Now I’m confused as to whether I am required to take exams for the classes I mentioned that I’m taking senior year even though I did not list them on the scores section of the Common App. Anybody have anything to clarify this email? I am really trying to avoid shelling out another $600 for these exams, and I REALLY do not want to take the 2 Physics AP exams.
P.S.: I’m not planning on dropping any of the classes I’m barring any kind of extremely strenuous circumstance.
P.P.S.: If anyone has information on this topic for other schools including MIT, Stanford, and Rice, that would be greatly appreciated.
I have no experience with Caltech, but I do have experience with the situation. Your best bet is to contact the school directly and ask. FWIW, when I contacted my college to ask this question, the woman in admissions laughed in my face and said they don’t care. YMMV. I will also tell you that if any college ever told me that I had to take the AP exam, particularly in a case where no credit was awarded, I would be sure to let them know that the cost of the exam wiould be deducted from future annual giving donations. Good luck.
At my child’s high school, if you don’t take the AP exam your grade goes down to unweighted and you’ll probably be shut out of graduating with highest honors. So find out about that as well.
@theRealMesutOzil I’m curious to hear what they say. My son says this is a topic of discussion on the accepted students’ Facebook group, and his understanding is that he needs to take the tests he listed, even though they won’t count for credit or placement. Your situation is a little different, since you didn’t list the AP tests as planned.
Our HS has no requirements to take the AP tests associated with classes, so there is wide variation in this area.
Why not just write you name on the test and fall asleep? Or just not study and give the exam a shot with no outside effort? To me, I see no downside to the second option. Best case scenario, you end up doing well and get credit with minimal effort.
Is cost an issue/barrier to enrolling in the exams? Do you have to pay for them or does your high school?
@Ynotgo My admissions representative contacted me and said that if I did not list the AP classes/exams in the Testing section of the Common App (which I didn’t), then I did not have to take the exams even if I listed them on the classes I was taking senior year
@pacepea Well the cost to me for taking all my exams would end up being about $700, which is a lot of money that I would rather not spend on taking even more standardized tests, and Caltech doesn’t accept AP credit, so there’s no real incentive for me to take the exams.
@redpoodles My school doesn’t do anything like that, so I’m good on that end.
Good luck.