<p>To make a long story short, for some idiotic reason I decided to transfer from study hall into AP Music Theory at the beginning of this year. </p>
<p>After half of a school year, I have realized that that was one of the stupidest things I have done in my high school career, but it’s realy too late to do anything about it. Now that the deadline is approaching for AP test money, my theory teacher has become even more psychotic than she was already, and has pretty much said that she will destroy anyone who doesn’t take the AP exam. Well, not exactly, but she did say that those who take the exam will get a free 100 test grade averaged into their quarter grade, and those who don’t take it will be forced to take an old AP exam and the grade they earn on that will be averaged into their grade. This seems pretty unfair to me, as the people who are taking the test are pretty much paying for a grade, while those of us who aren’t have to earn it.</p>
<p>And even if I look past the fact that I think it’s unfair, there is absolutely no advantage to me taking the exam. I’ve already been accepted to a college, so it’s not like I need it to beef up an application. And the college I’ve been accepted to only gives elective credits for the exam; and I’m not going to be a music major, so I don’t really need elective credits for a degree that I’m not even going to pursue. She said that I should still take the test just for the experience, but that seems like a cop-out to me.</p>
<p>So, what do you guys think? Fair or not? Could I fight this if I went to the principal/school board?</p>
<p>I think you can fight it. Maybe first talk to the teacher first to explain how you feel about it. Teachers are heartless, but perhaps this one will understand where you’re coming from. If that doesn’t work, quietly go to your principal, counselor, or whoever and tell them the situation. Emphasize the fact that it would be a waste of your hard-earned money. You may not get anywhere with it, but at least you would have made your point. Fight it even if you think you can’t win, but don’t anger the teacher too severely.</p>
<p>This reminds me of my statistics teacher. Whenever someone doesn’t come in within the proper time frame to make up missed homework/tests/quizzes she has to quote the rules handbook. Well, the our handbook also states that no test may count for more than 20% of a student’s six weeks grade. She gives two tests per six weeks, counting 80% (that’s 40% each!) Oh, how we hate her.</p>
<p>Depends on the conditions… I am taking AP Studio art and I won’t get credit for the course(in HS or college) if I don’t take the test. Our school has the same “If you don’t take the AP exam you’ll have to take a test that counts” policy. Why not just take the test, please her, your school, whatever, and just try? If you don’t need the credit still try for it… a sheer number of credits you come in with could give you advanced standing, etc. I mean, why not take it if you don’t care what grade you get? </p>
<p>… that being said, I know AP Music Theory is extremely difficult at our school and this would lead me to assume that the test is very difficult as well. Is your concern that you would not do well on it? That could change things…</p>
<p>anovice, there’s pretty much no way in hell that I’d pass the exam. I’ve got friends who took the exam last year, and they said that at least half of it involves ear training/sight singing and that’s what I’m worst at. I’m decent at the written parts of it, but I still doubt that I’d get the required 4 to get the elective credits. Thank you both for your input.</p>
<p>The “policy” at our school is that if you’re taking an AP course and don’t take the exam, you have to take the teacher’s final exam. If you do take it, you’re exempt from the teacher’s final.</p>
<p>It is kind of like you’re paying for a grade…but 99.9% of people take the AP exam anyway. I’m kind of starting to think about whether I want to take all mine or not, even though our GC hasn’t asked for money yet. Our calc AB teacher is awful…he can’t teach and we’re pretty far behind, so there’s pretty much no way that somebody like me who’s not a math genius and doesn’t want to study ahead can do well (well, outside a miracle or good guessing, lol). Oh well, I probably have a couple more weeks to think about it anyway and I can always go talk to my GC.</p>
<p>Legally they have to treat the kids who take the exams the same as those who don’t take them unless you live in a state/school district that pays for your tests…</p>
<p>Yeah I had a similar experience except worse. My physics teacher didn’t do crap with us over the semester and then expected us to take the AP. Somehow I ended up taking Euro Hist last minute before the school year started and the $ got transferred to that without my knowledge. So the AP lady came in and said I had to pay and when I objected she said if I didnt I couldn’t graduate. I called BS and went to the vice principal. He allowed me to pay $11 to have it sent back. Best decision: to waste $11 instead of $80 and I told a bunch of people I wasn’t taking the exam. That was all some wanted to hear was that someone else besides them wasn’t going to. But my physics teacher sent a surprise “test grade” and since the only other grade in there was a “research paper” my final (semester) grade ended up as a C. I can only hope your administration is more helpful. My school was crap tho.</p>
<p>no. a teacher cannot force you to take the AP exam unless they are paying for it out of their own pocket, and this seems ridiculously unfair. speak to an administrator at your school.</p>
<p>for certain classes, if you take that class, you are REQUIRED to take the ap test, or you fail, at my school. I think you’re teacher is being fair, and she has every right to make you take an old ap test. She isn’t forcing you to pay $82. While I don’t agree with her ways, I still think she is being fair.</p>
<p>Lucky ■■■■■■■. That’s all?!?! Take an old AP test for a grade? If we don’t take the AP exam, then we get a 65 for the CLASS. Not for a grade. We have to pay just to take a class.</p>