| Author | Post |
|---|
CarolynLawrence
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 3197 |
| Mana: |    |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 07:02 pm |
|
| My son's high school just sent us the bill for his AP exams. They are charging $100! They *claim* that the extra $17 is for "administrative expenses" but a quick check of the College Board site shows that the CB gives back $8 per exam fee to the school to pay for "administrative expenses." So, our school will be getting $25 PER EXAM for "administrative expenses." This seems really excessive to me, especially as we already pay a hefty tuition each year. I can't imagine that it costs that much to administer AP exams! So, I was wondering if anyone else has a school that tags on a "fee" like this before I call the school and voice my complaint. Last edited on Sun Mar 11th, 2007 07:04 pm by CarolynLawrence
|
DesperateDad
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 831 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 07:29 pm |
|
| our public HS charges $85, some of which go to the proctors (teachers) for their extra time. While most proctors just sit there, in Art HIstory, they have to show slides as part of the test.
|
Deja
Member
| Joined: | Thu Apr 13th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 153 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 08:34 pm |
|
| Our high schools charge $83/test. I just wrote out the check for my sophomore's AP Government & Politics exam.
|
Wendy (wjb)
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 166 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 09:55 pm |
|
| That stinks, Carolyn! My son's parochial HS charges $83 per test.
|
jocelynDAD
Member
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 10:15 pm |
|
Carolyn:
Your son goes to a private school in expensive San Diego region.
Thisa is just a means to increase their income. The American Way of 'free market' enterprise.
BTW it stinks, but with the madness about AP exams and the college 'surge' the school knows that you will pay. You might complain, but to whom? The person(s) who decided to charge the $$$!!!!!! 
Further, this is your youngest child, he is a Junior, his tuition bill for this year is already paid in full I'm certain - so what 'impact' willo your complain have, I imagine it is a selection of Zero, Zilch, Noda, and similar negatives.
Since changing schools between the Junior and Senior year would normally be a negative to colleges and not the best of circumstances for your son, you and your H are stuck between a rock and a bigger rock with no place to go and your school authorities know this sad fact! 
I am afraid that your com,plain will have the similar effect of what the sailors get if they decide to throw the waste 'into the wind'. The desire effect and the actual result are radically different, all negative towards you and not even a ripple on the school authorities.
Even telling your neighbors won't have much effect since you live so far from the school that not many children from your area go to the school.
It is terrible to be effectively powerless, when you would love to tell them to 'shove it' - but this is one of those yokes that cannot be moved without damaging yourself, or in this case your son's life. 
Another example of that bromide "life isn't fair"
|
Lynda
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 215 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 10:21 pm |
|
| I would "voice my complaint". I doubt you would upset anyone enough to upset your son's life.
|
texmom
Banned
| Joined: | Fri Jan 19th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 10 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 10:46 pm |
|
Wow! Our public high school in Texas charges only $53 per test. I thought $159 was a lot of pay to take 3 three tests but I guess we're getting a bargain!
|
Chedva
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 557 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 11:42 pm |
|
| Our public high school charges $83. What does the College Board charge?
|
CalifCarolyn
Member
| Joined: | Tue Apr 4th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 572 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 11:46 pm |
|
$83 for our charter school too 
|
DesperateDad
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 831 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11th, 2007 11:51 pm |
|
I agree with J-dad. Complaining to the Principal or Vice Principal or GC (or whomever) will have zero positive effect since these are the folks that already approved of the policy -they thought it a dandy policy then, and I'm sure it will be just as dandy after the complaint. Ain't nothing worse than pointing out an "error" to an educator. They can go into defensive mode and act more like the DMV.
Unfortunately, I speak from experience. Spent several months doing research, complete with test data, competitor high schools, the state dept of ed guidelines, etc., and pitched to the Vice Principal a change in our curriculum. Of course, he was the one that designed the curriculum in the first place (which I knew going in). As politic as I was, he put on his nice DMV hat: "I designed it this way bcos there is no better way to teach" the curriculum. In essence, he implied that 90% of the high schools in the state were wrong, and he was right. But, more importantly, I'm convinced my treading on his case cost my son a couple of awards Frosh year -- they went to a kid my son was tutoring that year.
|
mominva
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | DC Suburbs |
| Posts: | 332 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 12:01 am |
|
Wondering if he needs to take all the APs.
My oldest took a language SATII and was given credit at her college for her >750. She opted not to take the AP test since results wouldn't matter.
But this was a senior year AP.
The school my younger D attends withholds AP weighting if you don't take the test 
|
CarolynLawrence
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 3197 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 12:28 am |
|
The official College Board price is $83.
DD and JD, you'll be happy to know that my dear husband agrees with you, and, deep down, I also know you're right.
When my daughter started at this particular high school it was a very warm and fuzzy place that was always kind of on the Bishop's black sheep list for being too liberal. Then the Bishop decided he had "bigger plans" and closed the old school (over much protest from parents and alumni) to build a new $56 million campus that opened two years ago. In the process the old administration has been gradually booted out, and the new administration toes the Bishop's party line very closely.
There has been a definite change in the tenor and feel of the school, and I believe it has really been a negative change. As you both point out, complaining is likely to get me no where but more frustrated. While both of my kids have received a fine education, we're in a holding pattern just waiting to get done with the bureaucratic attitude and move on to greener fields. Still, being charged an unnecessary and exhorbitant extra fee really bugs me.
By the way, the cynic in me can't help pointing out that our diocese just declared bankruptcy due to a Priest sexual abuse scandal...but that probably has little to do with the highway robbery of the AP exams...right? 
Last edited on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 12:33 am by CarolynLawrence
|
mominva
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | DC Suburbs |
| Posts: | 332 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 01:39 am |
|
Carolyn,
I wonder what the policy is regarding AP fees for kids receiving Financial Aid (they do have kids on Financial aid, I presume). I would be less upset by the extra 'administrative fee' if I knew it went into a pot to pay for the AP exams of Financial aid recipients.
Hopefully, this policy was in place BEFORE the bankcruptcy declaration
|
CarolynLawrence
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 3197 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 04:30 pm |
|
Mominva,
Interestingly, the letter about the AP fees did not indicate that the extra cost would be waived for those on financial aid. In the past, I seem to remember that they did mention fee waivers were available for the AP test. But, that's one of the changes with the new campus as well that I don't like -- there is now much less economic diversity, and, I suspect, probably less kids on FA than there used to be.
|
Wstrdg
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 397 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 04:43 pm |
|
Last edited on Thu Jul 12th, 2007 07:40 pm by Wstrdg
|
jocelynDAD
Member
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 06:11 pm |
|
Well, since the tests are usually given during school hours (in our town has two public high schools - they rent a nearby hall so all students taking AP tests report to that location for the test), there is a need for monitors, proctors, and rent for the location. So they charge $90 per test.
Now if the school has a limited number of students taking the test, the cost for the monitors and proctors would fall on the relatively small numbers taking the AP classes.
Our schools are not poor by any means, still the tests have to cover the costs not the school district, If you are in a relatively poor district, well the need to charge the students directly become even more likely.
In one sense the school is doing the students a favor by having the AP classes as they are not a state mandated curriculum requirement.
|
Wstrdg
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 397 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 06:33 pm |
|
Last edited on Thu Jul 12th, 2007 07:39 pm by Wstrdg
|
KatsMom
Member
| Joined: | Wed Dec 13th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 20 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2007 09:17 pm |
|
| Our public high school offers 18 AP courses. I believe the cost for the AP exams is also $83.00 The bonus for taking the AP exam is that there is no final in that class for those who opt to take the AP test. Makes June a little easier to get through!! But May is hell.................
|
joy
Member
| Joined: | Fri Feb 23rd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 36 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Tue Mar 13th, 2007 04:49 pm |
|
Our public high school charges $90.00. The form lists a total of 22 AP classes, with 2 or 3 AP tests given on the same day.
The school has had difficulty fitting in the state testing also within the dates they are supposed to do that. They have a problem with kids not attending on the state testing days because they are overwhelmed with AP testing. And of course the students taking lots of AP classes are the ones that the school really wants to take the state testing.
Because we are in school until June 20th a class like AP US History that tests early, May 7th, has 7 weeks of school still after the test is given. This means that students have a "shorter year" before the test because school didn't start until Sept. 5th, and teachers have 6-7 weeks to keep students entertained when they're just not as motivated cause they've already taken the test.
I've heard many movies are watched those last 6-7 weeks-we shall see!
Joy
|
entomom
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Oregon USA |
| Posts: | 362 |
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Tue Mar 13th, 2007 05:21 pm |
|
| Our public school charges $83 each. Right now my D is in the throws of deciding which ones to take in May. She's not concerned with getting college credits, but rather in being able to place out of lower level classes or bypass taking entrance exams. We've pulled together information from the schools she's most interested in, even though decisions are still pending on some of them. They're all different, and some of the explanations are difficult to understand .
|
Current time is 03:42 am | Page: 1 2 3   |
|
