Cash for AP grades

You know, I've said I wanted schools to find better ways to spend money...this is not what I meant.

Especially considering how broad the reward range is...are the Virginia students really that bad off that making a 3 out of 5 needs to be rewarded? Or are AP classes that underused? (If yes to the latter, that might be a better sign they need to be cut.)

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I don't like this commercialization of AP scores. They charge rather outrageous prices for things like regrading parts of exams to phone responses to your AP grades a few weeks early.

What we should focus on is making sure that the program lives up to its name. Higher scores on the exam should be good in themselves, just like higher grades. You shouldn't have to be bribed with money to get high scores.

Now using Trivialis handle.

I'd agree, but they're also paying the teachers as well. Teachers quite often buy the supplies they need out of their own pocket; this cash incentive provides them with more money to be able to buy the things they need sooner, and possibly of a better quality. So I'm actually feeling kind of ambivalent about it.

Oh. I thought that it was parents paying for high AP grades. It's the opposite.

I support this. Learning that there are tangible rewards for hard work is important.

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I approve of this. As long as it doesn't turn into a scheme I think this is a great way to encourage kids and help them with college (although $100 is a drop in the pond in that area). On the other hand there is a risk of fraud.

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From the article:

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Then they can have that thought crushed out of them the second they find out theres 500 other hard workers with the same degree as them.

Sounds like a decent way of preventing smart but poor kids from dropping out of school to go to work in jobs that don't require an education (though I have no statistics for how common that is.)

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Darn it, if I lived in Virginia, my Computer Science AP grade would be worth something. I got a 5.

Go play Kentucky Route Zero. Now.

Well, there's something to be said for "we'll reimburse the cost of the test if you do well," but I'm not exactly sure paying students like this really is a good idea.

Of course, the fact that these tests are fairly expensive (even though they're honestly cheap compared to the equivalent college credits) doesn't help anything.

My high school reimbursed students for the cost of the test as long as they were on the honor roll.

And let me tell you, that REALLY helps. A LOT of kids are too poor to pay $75 per test out of pocket. Supposing you take 5 tests, the month the bill is do you've got to choose between paying rent or paying for the tests. But then that makes college more expensive because you didn't take the extra credits in high school.

I'm convinced that our modern day analogues to ancient scholars are comedians. -0dd1

...OK, I'm confused. There's an AP test? When I was in school, if you wanted to take AP classes, you just... took them. No test before or after. (I'm trying to remember if I personally took any AP classes or not... I know I took Honors ones.)

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It's a test that gives you the college credit so you don't have to take it again in college. (Provided you go to college in like a year or two after, as they prefer to count current grades.) It's called an AP test because taking the AP classes makes you eligible to take it, I think. It's a way to get ahead in the schooling game.

Well, actually the class is not a requirement for taking the test.

AP class: A class taught at a college-equivalent level for students that seek college-prep workload and more advanced material. Typically involves more rigor, faster pace, and some time spent specifically to prepare for exam (reviewing format & strategy).

AP exam: A test offered in May to assess knowledge of college-level material. At the discretion of individual colleges, you may get course credit, placement, or waiver for prerequisites. There are also other minor benefits of having high AP scores.

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Having a good AP course program is the responsibility of the school, and in that aspect, I think the schools are doing fine (at least relative to their other courses). I suppose if this money program helps out with schools financially, it's a good thing. The whole "business" of AP exams might be overrated though.

edited 9th Nov '11 1:51:21 PM by abstractematics

Now using Trivialis handle.

Well, I think it was the requirement at my school. *shrug* Certainly I was in the AP courses for English and history and took both tests. Did pretty good, too, but I don't remember if I had to pay to take the courses. That was like, a decade ago, though.

Ah, I see. We had the opposite at my school; you could take classes at the local community college itself for all or part of your last year of school and get dual credit towards both finishing high school and first year of college.

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The community college I'm at does that as well. But, I guess it depends on whether or not there's a community college in the district; my high school isn't in the same county as the available community colleges. It may have changed since then and be available now. *shrug* Well, either method is equally valid.

Yeah, I live in Massachusetts... we have a metric crapload of colleges. You can't swing a mortarboard tassel without hitting one.

edited 9th Nov '11 2:48:24 PM by Jeysie

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Texas supposedly has a bunch too; the DCCCD is pretty extensive in this area, with like half of them also seeming to be trade schools. That and Baylor are the things we're actually doing right in our education system. Well, that and if you're in the tenth percentile in highschool (Any highschool) graduation you can literally get into any state school.

It's always been my dream to get paid for taking tests. Sadly, that day has still not come. This is just covering the costs of taking the test.