A ONE Institute
Mar 9, 2024
We'll show you how to prepare.
Should You Take the May AP Exam? Find Your Answer!
Today’s post is about the May AP Test, specifically the AP exams that take place in May. If you’re wondering whether you should take the AP exam after completing an AP course, or if you can simply rely on your GPA from AP classes, this discussion will help you find the answer.
Background on the Decline of AP (Advanced Placement) Courses in U.S. Private High Schools
Recently, there has been a trend in U.S. private high schools to reduce the number of AP courses offered. Naturally, this has led to many questions about whether students really need to take the AP exams. Let’s explore some tips for making the right decision based on various scenarios.
Now, let’s delve into whether you should take the AP exam:
The purpose of introducing AP was to provide academically talented high school students with college-level coursework equivalent to that of a freshman year at university. Initially, only a small number of students had the opportunity to experience AP programs.
However, over time, AP courses became accessible to a larger group of students, leading to some challenges. Starting around 2002, issues related to AP began to arise. These included curriculum constraints and scheduling pressures due to AP exams, making it difficult to manage various classes. Consequently, there has been a trend in private high schools to eliminate AP courses.
In 2018, an article reported that some private high schools in the Washington area planned to phase out AP programs by 2022. The rationale behind this decision was that with approximately 40% of high school students taking AP courses, AP no longer seemed exceptional. Additionally, students from non-privileged backgrounds faced inequality due to the pressure of AP coursework. As a result, some private schools are moving away from offering AP classes.
In a survey conducted among 150 admissions officers, the focus shifted from whether applicants took AP courses to whether they tackled the most challenging subjects offered by their high schools.
A Closer Look at Advanced Placement (AP) in Light of the Trend Toward Elimination
Having explored the background behind the trend of AP courses being phased out, let’s now delve into AP more pragmatically.
High School Profile
While I won’t mention specific high schools, let’s examine the profiles of the top two high schools according to the US News rankings. If you search for “OOO High School Profile,” you’ll find results similar to the image above. These profiles provide an overview of the school, including overall information, demographic details, and lists of colleges attended by graduates.
Similarly, profiles for other high schools follow a similar format, offering comprehensive information and showcasing the colleges where their alumni have matriculated. However, if you search for your own high school’s profile and find no results, it’s essential to consider that colleges may not perceive your school as highly rigorous.
The sudden mention of high school profiles relates to the point raised by the 150 admissions officers—the importance of students having completed the most challenging coursework offered by their high schools. When evaluating applicants, colleges often consider whether students have taken the most demanding courses available at their school.
Evaluating Course Rigor and Objective Data in College Admissions
Even for admissions officers, assessing whether a school’s rigorous courses are genuinely challenging can be somewhat ambiguous. Let’s discuss each of the four key evaluation factors for college admissions, focusing on specific aspects:
Standardized Tests:
The current trend toward optional policies makes direct comparisons more challenging. However, personally, I believe this category will become even more critical.
Extracurricular Activities (EC):
While ECs are evaluated, no university considers them the sole factor.
The broad range of ECs, coupled with potential socioeconomic disparities, raises concerns.
Essays:
Comparing essays objectively is difficult.
Essays inherently involve subjective perspectives from admissions officers.
GPA:
Consequently, GPA often becomes the most crucial factor.
Assessing Course Rigor: The Role of School Legacy
When evaluating applicants, admissions officers consider the rigor of their coursework.
School legacy plays a significant role:
If a student’s course rigor is relatively low (i.e., they haven’t taken challenging courses), it may lead to rejection.
Conversely, if a student has demonstrated high course rigor, the question arises: Can we trust the difficulty level of those courses and the associated grades?
Due to grade inflation in high school GPAs, admissions officers engage in additional scrutiny. Ultimately, school legacy—the colleges attended by a high school’s graduates—becomes crucial.
If a college applicant hails from a school where rigorous courses are offered, and a student who took those challenging courses excels in college, the school’s course rigor gains recognition, bringing the applicant closer to acceptance.
However, consistently selecting graduates from specific high schools can lead to diversity issues.
Objective Data: The Need for Objective Assessment
Even without school legacy, admissions officers reevaluate students. Here, they rely on objective data.
This data includes:
GPA
Standardized test scores
When assessing GPA objectively, admissions officers categorize applicants based on whether their high school has a school legacy.
AP Test Advice Based on School Legacy
For objective data, particularly GPA, admissions officers divide applicants into two groups:
With School Legacy (Legacy Schools):
If a student attends a school with a legacy, admissions officers scrutinize the rigor of their coursework.
Without School Legacy (Non-Legacy Schools):
Even without a legacy, admissions officers engage in further assessment.
Objective data, such as GPA and standardized test scores, play a pivotal role.
AP Test Advice
Whether you’ve taken external courses or not, it’s essential to engage with AP courses and aim for high scores. Although some private high schools are eliminating AP programs, demonstrating strong performance in numerous AP exams sends a positive signal to colleges.
Standardized Test Based on School Legacy
Legacy Schools:
If your school has a legacy, you can skip submitting standardized test scores.
Non-Legacy Schools:
If your school lacks a legacy but offers AP courses:
We recommend submitting standardized test scores.
While other objective data can demonstrate academic abilities, non-legacy schools benefit from AP exam scores as additional evidence.
Conclusion:
If you attend a high-performing high school, not submitting AP exam scores is acceptable.
Conversely, if your situation differs, actively challenge yourself and submit AP exam scores!
Consider your current high school context when planning for the May AP exams.
I hope this advice helps you plan effectively for the May AP exams. Thank you!