大学没要求AP学分，AP考试到底要不要考？

如果大学没要求AP学分，你还应该参加AP考试吗？

如果你不被要求必须要获得大学学分，你可以不参加AP考试吗？

下面是即使你不需要获得大学学分也要参加AP考试的6个理由：

当你慢慢研究大学并把它们加入你的申请名单时，你可能已经意识到，有些大学可能不接受AP学分。但是，如果你已经报名参加了AP课程，这是否意味着你应该坚持参加AP考试？

这取决于很多的因素。让我们来探讨一下这个问题的两个方面。首先，这里有一些理由说明，即使你的目标学校不提供AP学分，甚至不提供分班，你仍然可以参加AP考试。

1、你的目标是成为AP学者AP学者奖励计划有五个类别，针对美国高中生，最基本的类别要求在至少三个不同的AP考试中获得三分或更高的分数。这些区别可以帮助你的申请脱颖而出，甚至使你有资格获得某些州的奖学金，特别是如果你能够获得更罕见的州AP学者或国家AP学者奖。但是，请注意，国家AP学者奖要到每年6月才公布，因此如果你是高三学生，你将无法在你的大学申请中包括此奖项。但是，你的成绩单仍然会显示你在相当多的AP课程中表现出色，这一奖项类别要求在至少8次考试中平均得分为四分或更高！

即使你的目标大学不使用AP成绩作为课程学分或分班的依据，密苏里州普拉特市普拉特县高中的学校辅导员Geoff Heckman认为，大学正在寻找“那些致力于在大学表现良好并及时完成学位的学生”。虽然参加AP考试可能不会自动使你成为这种类型的学生，但我确实认为，你越是致力于AP课程的努力，并且在AP考试中得分越高，越反映了你的实力。

2、你的目标学校名单可能会发生变化这可能是参加AP考试的更重要原因之一。如果你目前是大二或大三学生，让我们面对一种现实，你很有可能在大四的时候改变对你目标院校的看法。如果你添加到列表中的大学接受AP分数，那么参加AP考试就变得更很重要。

“在我们学校参加AP考试的大多数学生都是大三学生。他们很可能在参加考试和高三之间改变他们想去的大学。他们改变主意的大学可能需要AP考试成绩。而根据学生得到的分数，他们可能会改变主意，去一所接受AP考试分数的学校，因为他们的考试成绩非常好。“Heckman解释说。

3、你的考试费用被大大降低了如果你有资格以非常优惠的费用参加考试，并且如果你改变主意并申请接受AP分数的学校，你也可以参加一两次AP考试。查看美联社网站，可以了解你是否有资格在你所在的州享受折扣。

4、一所大学正在改变其AP学分政策这是很有可能发生的。你可能会从你的辅导员或招生官那里得知，你申请的其中一所学校可能很快会修改AP学分政策。例如，布朗大学的AP政策指出，“由于这些政策可能会发生变化，建议学生与相应的部门确认AP政策。其他信息可以在部门网站上找到，也可以通过咨询部门AP顾问老师找到。你还可以使用大学理事会的AP学分政策来检查目标学校政策的最新变化。

5、你正在申请国外大学许多国际大学要求AP分数作为入学要求的一部分。所以，如果你正在考虑在国外攻读学位课程，你就必须至少参加几次AP考试，这些考试与你预期的专业最相关。

6、大学模拟考试练习这可能不是最有说服力的原因，但赫克曼补充说，参加大学模拟考试练习对于你将在大学里参加的考试类型来说是很好的做法。假设你不相信自己会得到三分或更高的分数，赫克曼仍然认为：值得参加。如果你得到三分，那就太好了！如果没有，由最终的成绩向大学报告，但最终，你仍然会有参加考试的经验和实践。

不参加AP考试的3个理由：如果上述因素都与你无关，当你的目标学校无论如何都不接受AP分数时，你可能属于不需要参加AP考试的学生类别。如果你还在犹豫是否参加考试时，请考虑以下事项。

1、你在AP课上表现不好当然，AP课程低分并不一定意味着AP考试成绩低，就像在课堂上表现出色并不总是意味着获得高AP考试成绩一样。如果你因为学校没有提供你想要的学习课程，正在自己学习线上课程，但是没有太多时间或自我激励来完成所有的课程。赫克曼是这样建议的：“如果你的老师建议你不需要参加考试，或者如果你觉得没有准备好，就不要参加考试。

2、你在模拟考试中表现不好如果你在参加AP考试模拟练习时一直表现不佳，即便你在考试中花费很多心思，那么这可能是一个迹象，表明你不应该花钱参加正式的AP考试。但是，在这种情况下，你一定要与你的AP课程老师沟通，弄清楚你在该科目中的问题以及如何提高学习技巧。

3、无法免收任何费用如果你没法获得任何费用减免，还必须为你选择参加的每门AP考试支付94美元的全部费用。特别是如果上述所有因素都已经适用于你，那么参加考试的高昂成本可能只是你最后的一根稻草。

如果仅仅是想到AP考试就让你感到有压力，那就和你的高中辅导员坐下来讨论你的大学规划。你越早开始考虑大学并做出决定，你就越有信心参加或不参加AP考试。

Should You Take AP Exams If Colleges Won'tAccept the Credits? Can You Skip AP Exams If You Won't GetCollege Credit?6 Reasons To Take AP Exams Even If YouDon't Get College Credit As you've been slowly researching collegesand adding them to your list of places to apply, you might have realized thatsome of them may not accept AP credits. But if you've already signed up for APcourses, does that mean you should still take the AP exams? Well, that depends on quite a few factors.Let's explore both sides of this issue. To start off, here are some reasons whyyou could still take AP exams even if your target schools may not offer APcredit –or even placement. 1) You're Aiming to Become An AP ScholarThe AP Scholar Awards program has fivecategories for US high school students, with the most basic category requiringa score of three or higher on at least three different AP exams. Thesedistinctions can help your application stand out and even qualify you forcertain state scholarships–especially if you are able to achieve the rarerState AP Scholar or the National AP Scholar award. However, be aware that theNational AP Scholar Awards are not announced until June of each year, so if youare a senior, you won't be able to include this award on your collegeapplications. However, your transcript will still show that you've done well inquite a few AP courses -- this award category requires an average score of fouror higher on at least eight exams! Even if your target college does not use APscores for course credit or placement, Geoff Heckman, a school counselor atPlatte County High School in Platte City, Mo., believes that colleges arelooking for “students who are committed to doing well in college and finishingwith a degree in a timely manner. While taking an AP exam may not automaticallyqualify you as that type of student, I do think that the more committed you areto the work of AP curriculum and scoring high on AP exams does reflect the typeof commitment and work ethic that many colleges are looking for." 2) Your List of Target Schools May ChangeThis is probably one of the more importantreasons to take AP exams. If you're currently a sophomore or junior, let's faceit – there is a good chance that you will change your mind about the collegesyou're interested in by the time senior year rolls around. And if any of thecolleges you're adding to your list do accept AP scores, then it does makesense to take the AP exams. “Many of the students that are taking an AP exam at our school arejuniors. They very well may change their mind about the college they want toattend between the time of taking the test and senior year. The college theychange their mind about may take an AP exam score. And depending upon the scorestudents get, they may change their mind to go to a school that accepts AP examscores because they did so well on their exams," Heckman explains. 3) Your Exam Fee Is Being Greatly ReducedIf you qualify to take the test for a verydiscounted fee, then you may as well take an AP exam or two in case you changeyour mind and apply to a school that does accept AP scores. Check the APwebsite to find out if you are eligible for a discount in your state. 4) A College Is Changing Its AP CreditPolicyIt can happen. You may hear from yourcounselor or an admissions officer that one of the schools you're applying tomight change its AP credit policy soon. For example, Brown University's APpolicy web page states, “Since these policies are subject to change, studentsare advised to confirm AP credit policies with the appropriate department(s).Additional information may be found on department websites or by consulting thedepartmental AP advisor." You can also use the College Board's AP CreditPolicy Search to check for the latest changes at your target schools. 5) You Are Applying to a University AbroadMany international colleges require APscores as part of the admissions requirements. So if you're considering adegree program abroad, you will probably have to take at least a couple APexams in the subjects most relevant to your intended major. 6) Practice for College ExamsThis might not be the most convincing ofreasons, but Heckman adds that taking exams of this caliber is good practicefor the types of exams you'll be taking in college. Let's say that you don'tbelieve you will score a three or higher – Heckman still thinks “it's worthtaking that chance. If you score a three, great! If not, it's up to you toreport the score to a particular college, but in the end, you will still havethe experience and practice of taking that exam." 3 Reasons to Skip AP ExamsAnd now, we get to the other side of thestory. If none of the above factors is relevant to you, then you may fall intothe category of students who should probably not take an AP exam when yourtarget schools don't accept AP scores anyway. Consider the following as youdecide whether to take the test. 1) You Didn't Do Well in the AP ClassOf course, a low grade in the AP class doesnot necessarily translate to a low AP exam score, just as doing great in theclass doesn't always mean getting a great AP exam score. This also applies ifyou took the course independently online (because your school didn't offer theAP class you wanted), and you didn't end up having much time or theself-motivation to do all the work on your own and complete the course. Heckmanputs it this way: “I would say that if your teacher advises that you are notprepared, or if you feel unprepared, don't take the exam." 2) You Aren't Doing Well on Practice ExamsIf you are consistently not doing well whenyou take practice AP exams, even when you study more in between taking them,then this is probably a sign that you shouldn't spend the money on taking anofficial AP exam. However, in this case, you should definitely talk to your APcourse teacher to figure out what your problem areas are in this subject andhow you can improve your study technique. 3) No Fee WaiverYou are not eligible for any fee waivers orreductions and will have to pay the full fee of $94 (or more depending on yourschool and location) for every AP exam you choose to take. Especially if all ofthe above reasons already apply to you, then the high cost of taking the exammight just be the last straw. If the mere thought of an AP exam stressesyou out, make it a point to sit down with your high school counselor and discussyour college plans. The earlier you start thinking about college and makingdecisions, the more confident you'll feel about taking – or not taking – any APexams.