AP Question - where does one

[CynthiaOK]

actually take the exam? I know that the SAT subject tests are given at the same time as the SAT exam (at least it has been when my son has taken the regular SAT) at a local university. But I haven't known anyone around here who has taken APs except public schoolers. I'm assuming they take them at their local school. Would a home schooler need to approach the public school to sign up?

[Laurie4b]

actually take the exam? I know that the SAT subject tests are given at the same time as the SAT exam (at least it has been when my son has taken the regular SAT) at a local university. But I haven't known anyone around here who has taken APs except public schoolers. I'm assuming they take them at their local school. Would a home schooler need to approach the public school to sign up?

Yes. Homeschoolers take them at their local public high school, unless that particular AP isn't offered there. At that point, you have to look around.

[Kathy in Richmond]

The College Board's AP Course Ledger (https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/ledger/)is a handy starting point when looking for a school. It lists all the AP courses that have been officially approved, and is searchable by location and/or course title.

I don't usually contact the schools till just after Christmas break. They don't place their exam orders until spring. When I've asked earlier, I've just been told to call back then. Ask for the school's "AP Coordinator" when you call.

~Kathy

[FloridaLisa]

You can also try local private schools if your public school is not helpful or doesn't offer that particular exam. Our closest public high school has been very accomodating for all tests so far.

HTH,
Lisa

[coopers5]

can usually point you in good directions for where to ask about taking the exam.

If you're not taking a certified AP course, don't want it listed on your transcript, and just want to take the exam - you can still take the exam with whomever will allow you. (you should check with your colleges because I understand things are changing all the time and many aren't even accepting any kind of AP claims at all unless the course was taken w/a certified provider)
The College Board site also has lists and contacts of high schools in your area that have agreed to be testing sites for "outsiders."

This past year, here's what I did: I live in a small town. There are only a couple of high schools, neither of which normally administers many of the AP exams. I first approached the school that is in our "district" to ask them whether they'd be open to our coming in and told them which tests I needed.
I happened to have a very friendly contact person there to work with and she was very helpful and open to us. We took one test there, but the other was one they didn't give and weren't willing to order just for us (though, I understand, some places have been known to do that....)

At any rate, so, then I looked on College Board website, etc., etc. and called a couple of the places listed for my region. We ended up with a school about an hr. away that pretty much gives all of the AP exams every year and had already been experienced at opening it up to homeschoolers coming in.
So, we signed up for the other test with them. I kept very close contact w/each person at each place, didn't rely on them to keep up with me, etc.

I will say - all of this would have been super difficult, I think, to maneuver if we were not taking these courses through Pennsylvania Homeschoolers and had the help and advice of the coordinators there. Our US Hist. teacher and PAH coordinator, Susan Richman, knew just what to tell us to ask about, little details, etc. The way I knew to look out for certain things and make sure we did certain things was that I asked her questions along the way and she was knowledgeable and could help us make sure we covered every detail in registering.

I hope this helps! Let me know if I can answer anything else.
Jo
Oh, and P.S., you do know that, unlike the SAT subj. tests, the AP exams are each offered only one particular day each year. You get one shot. US Hist. one day, Physics one day, etc. They occur the first two weeks of May and are supposed to be administered the same timeframe all across the world.
By the way - too - when I called College Board, at one point, to ask them questions, they told me that they don't care at all where anyone takes his test. They told me a kid could take a test in a different COUNTRY from where he lives if he wanted to. (I tell you that just in case anyone were to try to feed you the line that "you're not in our district or you don't live in this county" therefore College Board wouldn't allow it type thing.