AP Exams

• October 17th
• 5 years ago
• Admission Process, AP Test

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Are They In Vogue Or Out of Fashion?

As a parent, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest trend in the high-pressure culture of academics. AP classes were designed to give students the experience of an intro-level college class while in high school, and they can even earn college credit for the course if they pass the AP exam saving money and time. By the way, the AP program is run by the College Board (the makers of the SAT). AP classes have been in vogue for the last decade as a determining factor in college admissions.

These days, AP’s are considered helpful but not necessarily a determining factor anymore. There are even some highly elite private high schools in the Washington D.C. area that are doing away with them altogether because they believe they already have a rigorous course of study and don’t want to feel beholden to the specialized curriculum that is required by the AP standards.

The mindset has predominantly been – more is better. More applications, higher test scores, and as many AP classes as you can possibly sign up for. Sometimes, that can be bad advice. For example, if your student takes an AP class that is too much for them, it can tank their GPA, and there is no coming back from that. Your student will spend the rest of his or her high school career, trying to climb out of that GPA slump.

Colleges do want to see that your student is taking the most rigorous schedule that shows their academic strength, but they also want to see that students know how to have balanced, healthy lives. That’s the ultimate goal because it informs the college that your student will be able to handle the pressures of college life.

Yes, AP’s can be awesome, especially if your student has a passion for the subject. They can boost their GPA and strengthen their college application by showing the admission team they’re making an effort to take challenging classes. But the number of advanced courses they choose really should depend on those particular academic interests. You don’t want to overload your student with little or no time for extracurriculars, fun, and social activities. No parent wants their student to be running on empty during their freshman year in college!

AP classes and test prep are a ton of work. If you’re concerned about your student acing an advanced course, DON’T WAIT to get support for them! At Groza Learning Center, we’re experienced in Advanced Placement prep and are here help.

AP Test Dates and Registration

The best time to take an AP exam is after you have completed the class, and many students take 2 – 3 AP classes per year. However, you can take any AP exam you feel ready for. Know when your AP exam dates are, so you can get ready in time for Test Day.

Exam fee for on-time exam orders (November 15, 2019, for full-year and first-semester courses; March 13, 2020, for courses that start after November 15).

• $94 per exam
• $124 per exam at schools outside the U.S., U.S. territories, and Canada, with the exception of DoDDS schools (Note: Fees may vary for exams at College Board–authorized test centers outside the U.S.)
• $142 per exam for AP Capstone Exams (AP Seminar and Research)

Exam Dates

The 2020 AP Exams will be administered over two weeks in May: May 4 through 8 and May 11 through 15. Early testing or testing at times other than those published by the College Board is not permitted under any circumstances.