All-Star You Might Be A Crazy Cheer Mom If...... (confession Time)

[omgitssydthekid]

I personally think AP courses are a waste of time when you can go through an entire course and waste a year and still not walk out with college credit.

Exactly why I only took dual credit classes. I never bought into the hype of AP classes, especially when anybody can sign up to take them.


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[cheernerd5678]

I personally think AP courses are a waste of time when you can go through an entire course and waste a year and still not walk out with college credit.

To make a case for AP - most of the time you're gonna take the class anyway. So why take world history when you can take AP world history and have the potential to get college credit? Psych when you could take AP Psych (IMO everyone should take AP psych because that AP test is so easy)? Especially if dual credit isn't an option. The only dual credit class my high school offered was college algebra, which I didn't take because I instead took AP calc BC, which gives you credit for calc 1, calc 2, and college algebra. For $80 I got 15 credit hours so I think it's totally worth it. Even if you don't get the college credit you get HS credit for the class, it looks good on your transcript, and in many schools it's weighted to help your GPA. Plus if you don't get credit you only spent $80 on the test vs failing a college class which costs way more... And you'll at least be more familiar with the information when you retake the class in college.


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[SL&AM]

To make a case for AP - most of the time you're gonna take the class anyway. So why take world history when you can take AP world history and have the potential to get college credit? Psych when you could take AP Psych (IMO everyone should take AP psych because that AP test is so easy)? Especially if dual credit isn't an option. The only dual credit class my high school offered was college algebra, which I didn't take because I instead took AP calc BC, which gives you credit for calc 1, calc 2, and college algebra. For $80 I got 15 credit hours so I think it's totally worth it. Even if you don't get the college credit you get HS credit for the class, it looks good on your transcript, and in many schools it's weighted to help your GPA. Plus if you don't get credit you only spent $80 on the test vs failing a college class which costs way more... And you'll at least be more familiar with the information when you retake the class in college.


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I can see where it may be better for some than others. In my case, dual-credit mean actually attending a local college and high school at the same time. By focusing on dual credits, versus AP, I was able to knock out my entire AA degree at the same time I graduated from college. This also makes transferring into a 4 year university a whole lot easier, but also it was a guaranteed credit that I couldn't guarantee through an AP class. For those who don't have access to a lot of dual credit options, I see the appeal of AP.

For me personally, test taking is not my strong suite---I don't have the focus for it and my SAT versus ACT score was reflective of that (My ACT was perfect, my SAT considerably less so---this was also before they changed the scoring values). The AP Psych test may be simple, but I've never pulled less than an A in any psych course I've had, but I still may not passed that test. As an adult, I've been able to teach myself better test taking skills because eventually I'm gonna have to take a pretty important one---but my high school self didn't have that advantage.

 

[luv2cheer92]

To make a case for AP - most of the time you're gonna take the class anyway. So why take world history when you can take AP world history and have the potential to get college credit? Psych when you could take AP Psych (IMO everyone should take AP psych because that AP test is so easy)? Especially if dual credit isn't an option. The only dual credit class my high school offered was college algebra, which I didn't take because I instead took AP calc BC, which gives you credit for calc 1, calc 2, and college algebra. For $80 I got 15 credit hours so I think it's totally worth it. Even if you don't get the college credit you get HS credit for the class, it looks good on your transcript, and in many schools it's weighted to help your GPA. Plus if you don't get credit you only spent $80 on the test vs failing a college class which costs way more... And you'll at least be more familiar with the information when you retake the class in college.


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This. I'm not sure if anything has changed since I was in high school (about 10 years ago omg I feel old), but the AP tests were free for us. So that along with what you stated, it was like why not? I was able to go into college with 25 free credits that weren't really anything extra, as I would have taken the non-AP equivalent for pretty much all of those classes anyway.

 

[omgitssydthekid]

To make a case for AP - most of the time you're gonna take the class anyway. So why take world history when you can take AP world history and have the potential to get college credit? Psych when you could take AP Psych (IMO everyone should take AP psych because that AP test is so easy)? Especially if dual credit isn't an option. The only dual credit class my high school offered was college algebra, which I didn't take because I instead took AP calc BC, which gives you credit for calc 1, calc 2, and college algebra. For $80 I got 15 credit hours so I think it's totally worth it. Even if you don't get the college credit you get HS credit for the class, it looks good on your transcript, and in many schools it's weighted to help your GPA. Plus if you don't get credit you only spent $80 on the test vs failing a college class which costs way more... And you'll at least be more familiar with the information when you retake the class in college.


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We had a lot of dual credit course options at Liberty, which is probably why my opinion is what it is. Also, I'm very similar to @SL&AM in that test taking is not my strong suit (or at least it wasn't in high school, I'm a pretty good test taker now).




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[CheerBank]

I personally think AP courses are a waste of time when you can go through an entire course and waste a year and still not walk out with college credit.

True in that sense. But most competitive colleges want to see that you took the hardest classes and if your school offers AP classes regardless of what you get in the class they would rather see those classes on your transcript when you are applying.

 

[CheerBank]

To make a case for AP - most of the time you're gonna take the class anyway. So why take world history when you can take AP world history and have the potential to get college credit? Psych when you could take AP Psych (IMO everyone should take AP psych because that AP test is so easy)? Especially if dual credit isn't an option. The only dual credit class my high school offered was college algebra, which I didn't take because I instead took AP calc BC, which gives you credit for calc 1, calc 2, and college algebra. For $80 I got 15 credit hours so I think it's totally worth it. Even if you don't get the college credit you get HS credit for the class, it looks good on your transcript, and in many schools it's weighted to help your GPA. Plus if you don't get credit you only spent $80 on the test vs failing a college class which costs way more... And you'll at least be more familiar with the information when you retake the class in college.


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Having taken AP AB Calc in high school but not scoring high enough to get credit definitely prepared former-cp for Calc 1 at college this past semester. She struggled with it in high school and had a tutor the whole year, but got an A in Calc 1.

Cp's high school doesn't let everyone who wants to take an AP class take it. You had to be invited to take AP World History for example.

 

[CEAisstronger]

This. I'm not sure if anything has changed since I was in high school (about 10 years ago omg I feel old), but the AP tests were free for us. So that along with what you stated, it was like why not? I was able to go into college with 25 free credits that weren't really anything extra, as I would have taken the non-AP equivalent for pretty much all of those classes anyway.

I think it depends on your state if they're free. Last year, my state paid for all AP exams for students but this year, it's undetermined if the state will pay for it.

I agree that why not take the classes with potential to receive college credit.

ETA: Not all students can take AP classes though. Until this year, it was typically restricted to juniors and seniors with a few exceptions with teacher approval for sophomores. Freshmen can take only one AP and that's AP World History.

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[SL&AM]

True in that sense. But most competitive colleges want to see that you took the hardest classes and if your school offers AP classes regardless of what you get in the class they would rather see those classes on your transcript when you are applying.

Unless you do dual credits the way I did and then you're transferring in as a sophomore or junior (in my case, junior) and those things to make you stand out as a freshman no longer matter as much. That is when I don't see AP mattering nearly as much as some make it seem.

Like you, you have to be accepted into AP courses at our high school (you can not jump from a reg class to AP, for example) however, because the AP classes are exclusive-ish, the county pays for all the fees for testing.

 

[Pebbles49]

Presently, my daughter is applying to all these hs that promise the dual hs diploma and completion of freshman year in college at the same time...I guess, this is suppose to trump AP courses to the student, especially to the parents (who all vigorously clapped when they heard this news)...

 

[Pebbles49]

Sorry for the double post--
But I feel like an awful parent for wanting my daughter to have options... These schools that are offering all these academics and hs/college simultaneously somewhat rob young people a chance to enjoy hs, play a sport and just breathe... I think our young people have more time to be grown/adults and be burdened with the bills and problems... I want my daughter to at least, have a balance and I am feeling so guilty for feeling this way...

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

Sorry for the double post--
But I feel like an awful parent for wanting my daughter to have options... These schools that are offering all these academics and hs/college simultaneously somewhat rob young people a chance to enjoy hs, play a sport and just breathe... I think our young people have more time to be grown/adults and be burdened with the bills and problems... I want my daughter to at least, have a balance and I am feeling so guilty for feeling this way...

Different school system but my mum wanted me to have a life outside of academics so I did a lot of music and drama. I was bright but chose not to apply to a grammar school because me and my mum wanted me to not have tonnes of pressure. Out of 3 friends that went to grammar school, only 1 has a degree, one got pregnant young and the other scrapped academics and is now at art school. They were pressured so much and it burned them out. So I think you are not to feel guilty. Sometimes with less pressure it might take a little longer to get on the right path but they generally are more successful because they are happy.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Sorry for the double post--
But I feel like an awful parent for wanting my daughter to have options... These schools that are offering all these academics and hs/college simultaneously somewhat rob young people a chance to enjoy hs, play a sport and just breathe... I think our young people have more time to be grown/adults and be burdened with the bills and problems... I want my daughter to at least, have a balance and I am feeling so guilty for feeling this way...

I took all honors classes including 7 APs (total), did school cheer, school soccer, travel soccer, had a great social life, lived an hour from my school and maintained a 3.8ish GPA all 4 years of high school. It's possible, just takes a lot of time management and decision making.

ETA: I feel like that sounds bad lol, just trying to show that a balanced life is possible!

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[dawgshow]

Sorry for the double post--
But I feel like an awful parent for wanting my daughter to have options... These schools that are offering all these academics and hs/college simultaneously somewhat rob young people a chance to enjoy hs, play a sport and just breathe... I think our young people have more time to be grown/adults and be burdened with the bills and problems... I want my daughter to at least, have a balance and I am feeling so guilty for feeling this way...

That's why we aren't pushing the AP/IB/Honors course with our kids. If they want to, we'll talk about it with them, but we aren't pushing it.

 

[Pebbles49]

I took all honors classes including 7 APs (total), did school cheer, school soccer, travel soccer, had a great social life, lived an hour from my school and maintained a 3.8ish GPA all 4 years of high school. It's possible, just takes a lot of time management and decision making.

ETA: I feel like that sounds bad lol, just trying to show that a balanced life is possible!

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Wow! You must be Supergirl or something... I checked the curriculums of these school and there is no way my daughter will be able to fit all these classes, sports, dancing, regardless of how much she managed her time.. unless, we can figure out how she can cut out sleep or add 3 more hours to our typical 24hour day...Tbh, I never mentioned this to my daughter, but serious decisions must be made because realistically all these activities cannot be done at the same time without missing out on something in my opinion...You only have a short time to be young, so why rush it to finish hs/college, take your time...Enjoy it!