Does anyone have a 9th grader taking AP Human Geography?

[allison443]

At my DD's high school - only juniors and seniors can take AP classes.

I know at some other schools - sophomores can take AP classes, but they can't earn the college credit (I'm not sure if they even take the AP exam in as a sophomore. They can take different AP classes in Junior and Senior years with the AP exams.

My DD is very bright, and as a junior next year, she will be taking 2 AP classes and 1 honors class. She took 3 honors classes as a freshman, and 3 honors classes this year.

I would not have wanted her to take an AP class either freshman or sophomore year. In our high school - it seems like EVERY class has a big project every quarter, my DD isn't lacking for things to do.

At my dd's high school, they can start taking APs as sophomores. If they take the AP class they MUST take the AP exam. (school policy).

Some of the AP classes are also dual enrollment classes, for example, AP US History gives you three college credits from a local college (for a fee of $200-it's optional, you don't have to dual enroll). So if my dd got a 4 on the exam, she could ask for her AP score to be considered or transfer the three credits from the local university.

 

[taximomfor4]

So many of you have said that. You are REQUIRED to take the AP exam here, the school even pays for it. Part of your grade too! Of course our HS tries to (and does) get National ranking for AP every year. AP is really pushed down the kids throats.

AP classes are also in place of the regular or honors class here too. AP English counts as an English.

Ours, since they won't pay for it, they can't make you take it. HOWEVER it is common for the student to get an old copy of the AP exam as their final exam, that only the kids who skip the AP exam have to take.

I am very glad dd was able to participate in these classes without taking the exams. For a couple of years there, I didn't have extra money to pay for those tests. DD just really enjoys being challenged, so begged to take the highest level classes she could get in her areas of interest.

Now, if her school had been footing the bill for the exams, of COURSE she would have taken them.

 

[allison443]

Ours, since they won't pay for it, they can't make you take it. HOWEVER it is common for the student to get an old copy of the AP exam as their final exam, that only the kids who skip the AP exam have to take.

I am very glad dd was able to participate in these classes without taking the exams. For a couple of years there, I didn't have extra money to pay for those tests. DD just really enjoys being challenged, so begged to take the highest level classes she could get in her areas of interest.

Now, if her school had been footing the bill for the exams, of COURSE she would have taken them.

There are fee waivers and fee assistance programs for the AP exams that the school could have looked into for your dd.
I have also heard of schools paying for the tests (public schools). My dd's school is not a public school and I don't recall if we paid the fee for the AP tests as a separate fee or if it was included in the tuition.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

My dd's school is not a public school and I don't recall if we paid the fee for the AP tests as a separate fee or if it was included in the tuition.

My kids school is public, and it is paid for. Our HS also pays for 9th (honors kids) and 10th (all) grade students to take the PSAT too. I was surprised they did this. I think they really want the rankings and the awards.

 

[taximomfor4]

There are fee waivers and fee assistance programs for the AP exams that the school could have looked into for your dd.
I have also heard of schools paying for the tests (public schools). My dd's school is not a public school and I don't recall if we paid the fee for the AP tests as a separate fee or if it was included in the tuition.

We just barely miss the waivers/assistance...it goes hand in hand with the other aid the schools offer, which we jumped back and forth between meeting and not meeting (by $8-10 each payday).

DD already had planned her path, starting at a local community college, so a lot of the merit stuff wasn't going to help her. PSAT would have been nice, but was not very useful to us so she skipped it. She took the ACT because I figured it was basic, and who knows -- it might help after she transfers out of community college (I was wrong, apparently. They aren't going to care about it????) But that was the ONLY testing I had her do.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My kids school is public, and it is paid for. Our HS also pays for 9th (honors kids) and 10th (all) grade students to take the PSAT too. I was surprised they did this. I think they really want the rankings and the awards.

Nice setup. Here is our criteria.

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses are expected (but not required) to take the
AP Exam in the appropriate subject area. There is a fee of approximately $83.00 (subject to
change) to take each exam. A fee reduction is available for students who qualify based on​

family income.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

She took the ACT because I figured it was basic, and who knows -- it might help after she transfers out of community college (I was wrong, apparently. They aren't going to care about it????) But that was the ONLY testing I had her do.

Did she not have to have the ACT or SAT for community college? I know it is required at the local comm. college here. Minimal scores, like 18 or 19 for ACT and 440 or so on each SAT portion. But it is required to pass to take college classes there. It is also required for Bright Futures Scholarships, which 50% of the school will get (3.0 GPA and certain SAT or ACT score)

It may be the PTA that pays for the PSAT for all Honors 9th graders. ?? Can't really remember. I do know I was surprised they did this.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Nice setup. Here is our criteria.

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses are expected (but not required) to take the
AP Exam in the appropriate subject area. There is a fee of approximately $83.00 (subject to
change) to take each exam. A fee reduction is available for students who qualify based on​

family income.

It is good! You have to take it, it counts towards your grade, and it does prepare you for taking college exams.

It may be set up where you have to pay the school back if you get a 0 or 1? I don't really remember as that did not happen to DS. I'll pay attention when DD takes one next year.

 

[taximomfor4]

Did she not have to have the ACT or SAT for community college? I know it is required at the local comm. college here. Minimal scores, like 18 or 19 for ACT and 440 or so on each SAT portion. But it is required to pass to take college classes there. It is also required for Bright Futures Scholarships, which 50% of the school will get (3.0 GPA and certain SAT or ACT score)

It may be the PTA that pays for the PSAT for all Honors 9th graders. ?? Can't really remember. I do know I was surprised they did this.

She sent her application in already, and it says she'll have to send high school transcripts. Doesn't even mention ACT/SAT. I know she has to take a placement test for English and Math, but that's it.

The AP exams probably woudn't do a thing for her there, but for a child who really likes the challenge and would enjoy the course, AP classes might still be worth it IMO. So OP, talk to your child.

 

[ctinct]

Our high school only began offering AP Human Geography this year, and ONLY freshmen may take it. My daughter is a jr., and I was a little miffed at first that upper classmen were excluded, until I did a little research. Many, many colleges do not accept this course for credit, even if you get a 5. I suppose it is good for getting used to the rigor of an AP class, and for class rank (AP courses are weighted more here), but as far as receiving college credit, not going to happen at the vast majority of schools I checked, including our state flagship, I believe.

 

[missypie]

It's the one AP class that our freshmen can take. My son got a 4 on the exam and my daughter got a 3.

A couple of things:

1. It's a hard class for 9th graders because they just don't have the life experience to understand some of the subject matter. In regular geography they may learn about oceans and grasslands, etc. In AP Human they learn about things like human migration patterns and what causes some societies to have sweat shops instead of legitimate factories. Fascinating for an adult (or college student) but kind of deep for 14 year olds.

2. It's very unlikely that your child will get college credit for the class, even with a 4 or 5 on the exam. Very few colleges actually give credit for AP Human Geography.

 

[golfgal]

dd's school just substitues the AP class for the required class in the same area of study. So AP Human Geo would just replace whatever the social studies was in that grade.

DD carefully chose the AP courses she wanted, and took the ones that sounded really interesting to her. For the ones that were less interesting, she stayed in Honors instead. SHe hasn't chosen to take a single AP exam yet, by choice.

We have state requirements and they couldn't substitute another class--well they could substitute AP Civics for regular Civics. The kids would have to take it as an elective here.


You do realized that you can get college credit for the AP tests/classes, right? The $70 for the test could have saved you $1000+ later. Also, in your other posts by not having her take the PSAT you could have missed out on getting 100% of her college paid for. Same goes for ACT--my DS got a $2600 scholarship just for his ACT score, which was ok, not fantastic-for the $40 test fee.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

You do realized that you can get college credit for the AP tests/classes, right? The $70 for the test could have saved you $1000+ later. Also, in your other posts by not having her take the PSAT you could have missed out on getting 100% of her college paid for. Same goes for ACT--my DS got a $2600 scholarship just for his ACT score, which was ok, not fantastic-for the $40 test fee.

This is so true. I know kids who got full scholarships on their ACT score alone. My nephew got a 100% scholarship to his #1 choice, out of state, for his score. So many scholarships look at these.

 

[missypie]

I would advise parents with kids just starting high school to go onto the websites of maybe 5 colleges and universities...choose a large in state public or two, a selective private school, and a couple of non-selective private schools (or maybe only in-state publics if you know that that is where your child will go.)
Look at the AP tests and other things they give credit for.

The results are all over the board. One school will give credit for a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP Psych exam, another school will require a 5, while another will give no credit at all. Some schools will give you 8 hours of credit for a 5 on AP Biology while others give no credit at all.

At one state school, my son would have received 18 hours of credit for AP exams PLUS 3 hours for having a decent SAT verbal score. At another state school, which is actually a lower ranked school, he would have received only 9 hours. Many highly selective schools don't give AP credit at all. However, at some schools, a student can enter as a sophomore or higher due to AP credits.

Don't rely on your school guidance counselor to tell you all of this. Choose a few "sample" schools and do your own research.

Also, the College Board web site lists all the possible AP classes. There is no "AP Civics" class but there are two different AP government classes.

 

[SideshowBob]

SSB's 9th grader is taking this and finds challenging but interesting ... she knows literally all of the countries and capitals in the Middle East, Africa and others that I would have tough time with for sure. The subject matter can be a little intense but I think that overall she enjoys it.

 

[golfgal]

SSB's 9th grader is taking this and finds challenging but interesting ... she knows literally all of the countries and capitals in the Middle East, Africa and others that I would have tough time with for sure. The subject matter can be a little intense but I think that overall she enjoys it.

I used to know all of the countries and capitals and could find them on the map as I used to teach Geography. When I stopped teaching to stay home with the kids all the dang countries changed names, boundaries and capitals and now I don't know where anything is. Heck, half of the countries you only know about because of the opening ceremonies for the Olympics

 

[taximomfor4]

We have state requirements and they couldn't substitute another class--well they could substitute AP Civics for regular Civics. The kids would have to take it as an elective here.


You do realized that you can get college credit for the AP tests/classes, right? The $70 for the test could have saved you $1000+ later. Also, in your other posts by not having her take the PSAT you could have missed out on getting 100% of her college paid for. Same goes for ACT--my DS got a $2600 scholarship just for his ACT score, which was ok, not fantastic-for the $40 test fee.

we know, but she is NOT good at tests. She did take the ACT, but not the AP exams. Honestly, she did pretty well in each AP course she took, but not VERY well. I would bet dollars to donuts that she'd have only gotten 3's (and maybe only 2's) on the AP exams, regardless of which specific subject.

Anyway, her college choices were going to be severely limited based on age alone.Community college in our county for 1-2 yrs, and then we'll see. And that college won't take a 3 on an AP exam, and in some subjects won't accept AP exam for credit anyway. The English department informed us jsut this morning that they WILL accept a 4 or 5 on AP English exam, but only for the 1st English comp course (would cost us $83, on the of chance she did better than my predicted 3. To MAYBE save us the $279 that course will cost us.)

So we didn't spend the $83 per AP exam, and she will end up working to pay the class fees at community college instead. If she does very, very well in community college, perhaps she will earn some scholarships for when she transfers to university for Bachelors and Masters.

And now that we've gotten the AP English info from the college, she'll most likely skip that AP exam too.

 

[taximomfor4]

This is so true. I know kids who got full scholarships on their ACT score alone. My nephew got a 100% scholarship to his #1 choice, out of state, for his score. So many scholarships look at these.

DD did take the ACT. She skipped the PSAT. NO scholarships so far for her at all. Now that the application is done for her community college, though, she can fill out THEIR scholarship application (it gets submitted to a bunch of different scholarships). Not holding my breath, though.

 

[Longsx3]

Thanks everyone for all of the insight, because we have lived in both Asia and Japan DD would really like the subject however I am going to see if our State Universities take it for credit.

It's the one AP class that our freshmen can take. My son got a 4 on the exam and my daughter got a 3.

A couple of things:

1. It's a hard class for 9th graders because they just don't have the life experience to understand some of the subject matter. In regular geography they may learn about oceans and grasslands, etc. In AP Human they learn about things like human migration patterns and what causes some societies to have sweat shops instead of legitimate factories. Fascinating for an adult (or college student) but kind of deep for 14 year olds.

2. It's very unlikely that your child will get college credit for the class, even with a 4 or 5 on the exam. Very few colleges actually give credit for AP Human Geography.