<p>I don’t know…even though I don’t completely agree with the format of the APs (like the formulaic essays, for example), I think they are still comprehensive tests. Take AP Spanish for example: for me, that was the hardest AP out of the four I’ve taken (Bio, Chem, US Hist, Spanish Lang). It required that you not only be able to read, write, hear, and speak the language, but also be able to use these skills in many different ways. Although I did get a 5, I thought it was well-deserved considering the difficulty.</p>
<p>For Bio and Chem, I did think they were easy, but that’s because those subjects are what I’m naturally good at/really prepared for. It depends on the person for what APs are easy, like my sister: she rocked all the history/humanities ones (all 5’s) but then got a 3 on AB Calc. However, some other people, like those on these forums, tend to do well in many different subjects too, which is great: that fact doesn’t invalidate what the scores mean.</p>
<p>I myself didn’t realize how difficult these tests were on a national scale until I talked to kids from other high schools (I go to TJHSST) and heard them say “You got a 3! You’re so lucky, I got a 2 on that exam!” Also, as people have stated before, if you look at the percentages, not many kids pull of a 5 in the already small group of kids (compared to the total number of HS students nationall) taking them.</p>
<p>Plus, it saves you money/time so you can take more advanced courses that really are difficult in college. Why not get the “easy” stuff out of the way? </p>
<p>I myself am not complaining :-P</p>