<p>Well, I regularly teach in a local school district where ANY kid can sign up for AP and either take the official AP test or a free mock test, and I’ve seen this concept transform the district from one that actively pursued mediocrity to one where many many students value excellence. (The district has several schools in the top few hundred of the list.) </p>
<p>I don’t think it matters how poorly a kid does on the official test, in all honesty. The AP curriculum is a demanding broad-spectrum standard and as such is far better than most of the high school courses out there. I think students are better off–longterm–doing poorly in a more-demanding course than well in an easier course. I’m all in favor of academic struggle.</p>