AP Courses

COLLEGE BOARD - Makes big announcement on Jan 19, 2021

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  • discontinue Subject Exams & SAT Essay

  • ensure MAY 2021 AP Exams FULL LENGTH

  • rollout digital SAT fall 2021


  • SAT Subject Tests (will still be offered internationally May & June 2021)

    • U.S. existing registrations will automatically be canceled and student fees will be reimbursed

    • Discontinuing Subject Exams frees up seating capacity for SAT testers, and offers students more time to focus on AP Exams

    • Students with Subject Exam Scores will still be able to submit their scores to colleges through the College Board; however colleges may vary in how they select to use these exams for admission purposes (Subject Exams have been useful in determining course level placement, highlight mastery in a subject, and support student applications from Homeschool, Private and Virtual Schools)


  • SAT Essay (after June 2021, the essay portion will only be available in states that require it for accountability)

    • Most colleges were currently not requiring the SAT Essay (CB stresses that its AP English Language & Comp and AP English Lit & Comp Exams require essays, and that the Reading, Writing & Language portions of the SAT highlight predictive parts of the SAT)


  • CB is investing in a more flexible SAT — a streamlined, digitally-delivered exam that meets the evolving needs of the students and higher education (keeping in step with ACT)


IMPACT ON THE COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS

  • While ‘test optional’ is certainly going to continue with many colleges, college admission exams also will continue, and will morph to accommodate the growing complexities of an ever changing environment—perhaps right into the student’s home.


  • Although rigor of course work and grades remain most important, standardizing testing will still play a part in admissions, and especially STEM / Math related type majors.

  • There continue to be several state / public university grant and scholarship programs that are tied to college entrance exams. Some honors programs consider test scores. In the past, test scores have impacted many admission and scholarship decisions — it will be interesting to examine admission data later in the summer.

  • AP Course Exams will be full length (paper-and-pencil) this May (regardless of COVID-19), and teachers now have more freedom in determining contingency testing in late May and June. Coordinators will have the ability to authorize at-home, full-length digital contingency testing during specific testing windows.



    IMPACT ON HOME SCHOOL, PRIVATE & VIRTUAL SCHOOLS


  • Pivot to alternative testing such as AP Exams - Update for 2020-21: The deadline for exam ordering will be extended to March 12 for homeschooled students, independent study students, virtual school students, or students from other schools who were unable to find a school to order an AP Exam for them by November 13. In early 2021, CB will provide guidance about how to support students who cannot test in schools.


    • CB is providing resources for AP Exam prep - see myap.collegeboard.org • AP Classroom is an online resource that helps students improve their performance all year long. • It’s mobile friendly, so students can access it anytime, anywhere, once they’ve joined the class online. • AP Classroom includes: ▪ AP Daily Videos ▪ Practice Questions ▪ Personal Progress Checks ▪ Progress Dashboard






PATRICIA NEHME, CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL PLANNER

Sources - College Board announcement January 19, 2021

College Board Counselor Presentation - January 21, 2021



Accredited Course Providers - by Patricia Nehme, CEP

Students taking courses outside of their school environment, or as an independent learner / homeschooled student, should be very careful about selecting your coursework providers – with some universities, obtaining non-accredited coursework can impact the student’s admission process and, even limit the particular majors in which you can apply to.

While we know this already, what may need to be stressed is that this is true even for AP coursework, approved by College Board, if the course is taken from a non-accredited (or not recognized accreditation) provider.

We know homeschoolers will usually need to take more tests like the APs and Subject Exams, but for a senior taking an AP Course from a non-accredited provider, they will not have the benefit of the AP Exam Score prior to applying for admissions.

As more providers crop up initially without preferred accreditations, they may think and tell their students / families that because the coursework is AP - College Board approved, the accreditation does not matter. But, in fact, students need to know that recognizable accreditations or lack of them, can impact their college lists and they should plan accordingly.

If a school is awarded accreditation, it means that the institution meets certain standards of educational quality. The most widely accepted institutional accrediting bodies in the United States are six regional agencies:

  1. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
  2. Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  3. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
  4. North Central Association (NCA)
  5. Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
  6. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

 

College Board AP Exams - First two weeks of May

Good luck to the many Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors taking COLLEGE BOARD AP Exams for the next two weeks.

Here in Texas, you have reason to be even more hopeful in gaining college credit - In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed a law (HB 1992) that affects the way that public colleges and universities award credit for AP tests. The intent was to increase access to college credit and improve retention and graduation rates for students across the state by requiring credit for AP scores of 3 or higher.

Find colleges and universities that offer credit or placement for AP scores. Begin your search by entering the name of the institution - Search Credit Policies

AP Exams not only offer possible opportunities to strength your college application and gain college credit, but to also receive special recognition such as AP Scholar - see AP Scholar Awards for more information.

College Board does provide a means to cancel and even delete a score - see Other AP Score Report Services

“Your AP Exam Score Reports will be online in July - check your College Board Account. ”
— College Board