Extra Insight - AP courses Senior Year

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I was hoping for some extra insight re: my DD16's senior year schedule... It is due in a few weeks and I am on the fence wether or not to spend the extra money...

Background - DD goes to a Catholic HS, so I pay tuition. It was our agreement with her to pay for HS and she would pay for college. This year she took AP History and we paid for the class ($300.00). Really this is not a matter of money, but it does play a hand. We are not the type of family who can easily change the budget and add a lot of expenses in...

Okay so DD went for her meeting with the guidance counselor. She would like to go into management with a high accent on math and music. She would not personally play the music but would eventually like to own a music studio and or work for a music company in the offices... She is a math wiz but because of the grammar school she was in she will not be able to take AP Calculus in HS. She will take Pre-Cal at no additional cost to us..

Here is the list that her guidance counselor suggested:

English AP - (6 credit hours) American Writers taught by a University in our area $450.00 course fee. (Free course English IV Honors - British and Western Writers)

Pre-Calculus Honors - N/C will prepare her for Calc in College.
Accounting - N/C

Earth Science Regents - N/C or AP Biology (6 credit hours) $450.00 charge - She is not a science kind of gal.

MacroEconomics or US Govt and Politics - $200.00 per course (credit hours not disclosed) or she can do the minimum required N/C Economics/Participation in Govt.

AP Spanish - (6 credit hours) $450.00 or no language and she would have to pick an elective for this spot.

Dance IV or transfer to fitness class - Dance fee $200.00

World Religion (6 credit hours) $300.00 or Senior religion - Living the Christian Challenge

Entrepreneurship (3 credit hours) $300.00 or an other elective within the school.



If she takes the courses that were recommeded it would be approximately an additional $2500.00 to us along with the $8,000.00 we already pay for tuition.

Please let me know what you would do. It is very hard for me as I DID NOT go to college and my parents had me working full-time since I was 14. So I am not really sure what the best answer is and I know the school will just push the AP classes...

Thanks, Diane

 

[geffric]

My DS#1 is a senior and is taking at N/C other than the AP text - AP computer science, AP literature and composition, AP Gov and AP Macro, AP stats plus some other classes..

However, the college that he is going to as well as others we visited and applied to DID NOT take the AP tests .. they recognized that the student would not take 100 or 101 classes but recommended that he still have the requirement but take a higher level.. so it did not save us any money.. so if the question is will it save you money next year.. ask the colleges she is going to apply to...

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

My DS#1 is a senior and is taking at N/C other than the AP text - AP computer science, AP literature and composition, AP Gov and AP Macro, AP stats plus some other classes..

However, the college that he is going to as well as others we visited and applied to DID NOT take the AP tests .. they recognized that the student would not take 100 or 101 classes but recommended that he still have the requirement but take a higher level.. so it did not save us any money.. so if the question is will it save you money next year.. ask the colleges she is going to apply to...

We plan on visiting colleges this summer and definetely will ask the questions, but our problem is that her schedule is due mid April.

 

[geffric]

you might want to call a few she is interested in and see what they say about AP classes.. some colleges only give credit if the child has a 4 or 5 in the test.. so taking the class is good for showing that she is looking at challenging classes but that is all..

 

[mickeyboat]

Well, I think she should take as many A/P classes as she can comfortably take. The rigor of her courses, whether or not her college offers credit for them, will help in the college acceptance process.

It sounds to me like you feel that since you have agreed you will not help her pay for college, that you should not be helping her pay for college-credit courses, not whether her schedule seems too difficult.

That being the case I think you should still try to find a way to come up with the money for her to take the A/P courses. (Does the course fee include the A/P test fee?) Enough A/P credits can shave an entire semester, even an entire year off her college time, and although you are not going to pay for her schooling, there are still lots of expenses associated with her being in school. The sooner she gets out there and gets a job, the less it will cost you.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What college is she going to? That makes a difference right there.

From your description sounds like she is planning to go for a Business Degree.

We are in public school and took AP's for free. I don't know what credits she is going to get out of them. Maybe none.

She will be able hopefully to test out of language. We will see.

 

[agnes!]

You're lucky. My DD had to hand in her class sign-up sheet/schedule about a month ago.

agnes!

 

[MarkFL]

Find the websites of the colleges she is interested in. If they don't have the AP credits that they accept listed, e-mail an adviser.

 

[allison443]

My dd also goes to Catholic high school, we have to pay extra for the AP exam fee but not for the class itself.
However, some of the classes offered are in cooperation with a local university. So there is a course fee for those classes.
Example, dd takes AP English Literature. We pay $85 (I think?) for her to take the AP exam in May. We can then submit that score to her college and see if they will give her credit. It seems like a lot of colleges only give credit for 4 and 5.
However, we also have the option of paying an extra $200 for the English course and getting three credits from a university here in NJ. She gets a transcript from the university and can submit that to her college as transfer credits.
That is a good option as $200 for three credits is much cheaper than what the colleges charge!
Is your dd's school anything like that?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We plan on visiting colleges this summer and definetely will ask the questions, but our problem is that her schedule is due mid April.

OK, here is the thing. Enrollment is WAY UP do to the economy.
So you do have to have a challenging schedule to get in.

I am just curious how you expect her to pay for college? If my dd had to pay for her own college she could only afford Community College.

 

[allison443]

I was hoping for some extra insight re: my DD16's senior year schedule... It is due in a few weeks and I am on the fence wether or not to spend the extra money...

Background - DD goes to a Catholic HS, so I pay tuition. It was our agreement with her to pay for HS and she would pay for college.

How is she planning to pay for college? Is she looking for scholarships? Then usually the colleges want to see that the student took the highest level classes offered. In your case it would be APs.

I agree with the other poster that you can usually find the colleges' AP acceptance policy listed on their website.
Good luck!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Well, I think she should take as many A/P classes as she can comfortably take. The rigor of her courses, whether or not her college offers credit for them, will help in the college acceptance process.

It sounds to me like you feel that since you have agreed you will not help her pay for college, that you should not be helping her pay for college-credit courses, not whether her schedule seems too difficult.

That being the case I think you should still try to find a way to come up with the money for her to take the A/P courses. (Does the course fee include the A/P test fee?) Enough A/P credits can shave an entire semester, even an entire year off her college time, and although you are not going to pay for her schooling, there are still lots of expenses associated with her being in school. The sooner she gets out there and gets a job, the less it will cost you.

I am pretty sure I did come across that way. I should really say that I have no experience to fall back on. I don't mind paying for her courses even if it is just a little extra boost for her to get into college. I was just taken back at the cost of her senior year. I know it sounds petty. Money shouldn't be issue. I personally didn't budget for this and I am looking at what will be the best for us to do. All the classes and struggle this year, 1/2 the classes and help her out, or if they are useless I would like to know.

 

[bumbershoot]

We plan on visiting colleges this summer and definetely will ask the questions, but our problem is that her schedule is due mid April.

Visit websites! They have a TON of info on there, and should have that info clearly spelled out. She's a junior now...did she already take the PSAT? If so she is probably already hearing from schools? I was already applying for colleges that summer...I think I even got my acceptance (only applied to one university) that summer, so by the time I was in my senior year it was a done deal.

"She is a math wiz but because of the grammar school she was in she will not be able to take AP Calculus in HS"

I don't understand that at all.


My brother took almost all AP classes the years he could. He ended up quite a bit ahead of things at Duke, and it helped him take other more interesting classes. Since you generally have to have a certain number of credits/ units to graduate anyway, it might not save *money* but it can help you have time for more interesting stuff.

It's too bad this school charges extra for the classes!

 

[geffric]

I am just curious how you expect her to pay for college? If my dd had to pay for her own college she could only afford Community College.

Way OT but I had an interesting discussion with a client a few years ago as he felt that his child should pay for college since he had.. I asked him where does a high school graduate get a part time job where he takes home $30,000 per year?

OP check out this college discussion site for other information for your quest..http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

What college is she going to? That makes a difference right there.

From your description sounds like she is planning to go for a Business Degree.

We are in public school and took AP's for free. I don't know what credits she is going to get out of them. Maybe none.

She will be able hopefully to test out of language. We will see.

She hasn't picked out a college yet. We just started looking. We went to the college fair last week and she got paperwork from at least 12 schools. I believe that NorthEastern is her top choice at this point.

Sorry to be so wishy-washy. She is my first and this is pretty hard on me. Plus she is young for her grade, she will only be 17 when she starts HS and sometimes I feel like we are putting too much pressure on her.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

OK, here is the thing. Enrollment is WAY UP do to the economy.
So you do have to have a challenging schedule to get in.

I am just curious how you expect her to pay for college? If my dd had to pay for her own college she could only afford Community College.

Grants, Scholarships, loans, and prayers... Seriously, DH and I did not save for our children's college. We didn't do things the right way all the time. I get that now. If I could I would pay for her, but that is not going to happen. Life isn't always fair, and I guess we dealt our kids a bad hand for college. If they can only afford Community College, then I guess it's what we will have to do. I wish I had thought this through when they were young, but I didn't. Money is pretty tight for us and always has been. And yes, before I get slammed from other poster (not you personally I just know it's about to happen) I have taken my kids to Disney even though I didn't put money in an account for their college.

 

[Green Tea]

I wouldn't have her take them for the credit she might gain in college; but my reasoning would be to take them to get INto college. Something to consider-do the options for the courses taken off campus at the university show up as options in the listing of available classes taught at the high school? Top colleges want the kids to take the highest level of courses taught at their respective schools. If she is taking everything the high school offers she wouldn't particularly be hindered by not have the AP designation. If the school offers that and she opts for a lower level, that hurts.

If you are interested the credits the AP can provide, know you don't have to take the course to take the exam. Anyone can take an AP exam in any course they choose, whether they took an AP class or not. She could opt for honors english at the school, and take the AP exam in May at the public high school.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Visit websites! They have a TON of info on there, and should have that info clearly spelled out. She's a junior now...did she already take the PSAT? If so she is probably already hearing from schools? I was already applying for colleges that summer...I think I even got my acceptance (only applied to one university) that summer, so by the time I was in my senior year it was a done deal.

"She is a math wiz but because of the grammar school she was in she will not be able to take AP Calculus in HS"

I don't understand that at all.


My brother took almost all AP classes the years he could. He ended up quite a bit ahead of things at Duke, and it helped him take other more interesting classes. Since you generally have to have a certain number of credits/ units to graduate anyway, it might not save *money* but it can help you have time for more interesting stuff.

It's too bad this school charges extra for the classes!

Because of our states requirements the math requirements were pretty strict. In able to get to AP calculus in her HS, she would have had to taken 9th. grade regents in 8th. grade. Since this is not the case and she does not want to go to summer school, the most she can advance to is pre-cal. I guess this would be a school requirement more than a state thing.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Visit websites! They have a TON of info on there, and should have that info clearly spelled out. She's a junior now...did she already take the PSAT? If so she is probably already hearing from schools? I was already applying for colleges that summer...I think I even got my acceptance (only applied to one university) that summer, so by the time I was in my senior year it was a done deal.

"She is a math wiz but because of the grammar school she was in she will not be able to take AP Calculus in HS"

I don't understand that at all.


My brother took almost all AP classes the years he could. He ended up quite a bit ahead of things at Duke, and it helped him take other more interesting classes. Since you generally have to have a certain number of credits/ units to graduate anyway, it might not save *money* but it can help you have time for more interesting stuff.

It's too bad this school charges extra for the classes!

I am going to sit down with her this weekend and we can go to the websites. This is all so new to me. I feel for her. IF I am confused, I can't even imagine what is going through her head. Thanks you for the advise (and the other posters who also recommended this) we will use it for sure!!

 

[allison443]

She hasn't picked out a college yet. We just started looking. We went to the college fair last week and she got paperwork from at least 12 schools. I believe that NorthEastern is her top choice at this point.

Sorry to be so wishy-washy. She is my first and this is pretty hard on me. Plus she is young for her grade, she will only be 17 when she starts HS and sometimes I feel like we are putting too much pressure on her.

OP I understand your concern, especially since she is your oldest.
I have gone through the college process with my two oldest, one more to go!
I think the most important thing you can do is discuss everything up front with your dd, especially the financial issues.
Northeastern University cost $45,000 this year (tuition/room & board) not including books, transportation, etc. I am just wondering how she plans to pay for that herself.
I understand she agreed to pay for college herself, but she needs to be realistic about what she can afford. I have seen too many of my kids' friends who applied to all these expensive schools only to be told by their parents in spring of senior year that is wasn't financially feasible. It is just better for everyone if the whole thing is up front. Also be aware that financial aid is awarded based on parents' income, even if you are not planning to contribute.
Please don't think I am criticizing your decision not to pay for her college. Every family has to do what works best for them.

Good luck to your dd!