Students who need AP (advanced placement) scores before applying to study in the US should take the exam in grade 11, or even grade 10, according to experts.
The AP sharing session on the afternoon of October 18 at the US Embassy in Hanoi attracted many parents and students planning to study abroad. AP is a college-level course and exam for high school students organized by the College Board, USA. The AP program includes 38 courses in 7 different fields, helping students get acquainted and have the opportunity to complete some college credits right from high school.
Haike Zhao, vice president of international affairs at the College Board, said that AP exam results are accepted by more than 3,300 educational institutions in over 60 countries. Universities around the world recognize AP scores for admission and accept credits earned through the AP program.
AP offers an advantage in admission to top universities, saving time and college tuition. By taking AP exams in high school, students can also develop skills, confidence and have the opportunity to explore their passions.
“Research shows that students who earn AP scores of 3 or higher experience academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their peers who do not,” Zhao said.
Mr. Haike Zhao (standing) and Ms. Doan Nguyen Van Khanh at the sharing session about AP at the US Embassy in Hanoi on October 18. Photo: Binh Minh
Vietnam currently has 20 high schools offering the AP program, mostly international and bilingual schools. Since 2018, the number of Vietnamese students studying the program has increased by more than 200%, reaching nearly 1,100 students. Public school students who want to study and take the exam must register with a school that administers the exam. However, starting this year, they can register with IIG, the first organization authorized by the College Board in Vietnam.
According to Ms. Doan Nguyen Van Khanh, Deputy General Director of IIG Vietnam, next year's AP exam schedule will take place in two sessions, May 6-10 and May 13-17. In addition to the regular exam session, AP will have another session after May 17 for candidates who miss it due to health reasons. The regular exam fee is VND4,750,000/subject and VND5,720,000/subject (additional fee of VND970,000) for the following exam session. Candidates will receive their results in July.
In addition to the exam registration period from September to November, there is also a late registration period on February 29, 2024, for those who need more time to review.
For students who do not attend schools that teach AP subjects, Mr. Zhao and Ms. Khanh recommend determining which AP subjects they want to take, then attending a center, a teacher specializing in reviewing, or self-studying using resources on the AP website or online.
College Board representatives said that the popular AP courses chosen by students vary from country to country. For example, in the US, students often study English, US History, English Literature, World History or US Politics and Government. Meanwhile, Vietnamese students mainly choose Calculus BC, Psychology, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and Statistics.
According to College Board regulations, candidates will not be allowed to retake the same exam in the same year. For example, if you take the exam in May but do not get a good result, you will not be allowed to retake the exam the following month but will have to wait until May of the following year.
AP is a part of the study abroad application, helping the admissions unit understand more about the candidate's personality and strengths. After the candidate is accepted, each school will have different AP score conversion into school credits.
"AP is used for both admissions and credit conversion," said Mr. Zhao.
Ms. Khanh noted that unlike the SAT (a standardized test used for US university admissions) which can be taken multiple times to achieve the desired score, with AP, the admissions committee will be interested in your process and progress over the years instead of aiming for a certain score.
For example, in 9th grade, you did not do well on Precalculus. Instead of retaking it, in 10th and 11th grade, you take Calculus to show that you have improved in the past two years and this year you can take the advanced level of Math.
"That would show progress more clearly," Ms. Khanh suggested.
While some top schools require students to achieve a maximum AP score of 5, many others do not.
"Schools will like it more if you show that you study a variety of subjects. You can excel in one subject and get a 5 but only get a 3-4 in another. The admissions committee will look at the overall candidate, instead of evaluating you on one test," Khanh explained.
In response to parents’ questions about when to take the AP exam, Ms. Khanh said that students need to have AP scores before applying to study abroad, so they can take the exam in grade 11 or even grade 10. Many grade 12 students still take the AP exam when they have already applied to university. At that time, the purpose of the exam is no longer for admission but to convert credits.
In the US, most universities do not require students to choose a major in their first year. You have the first year, or even the first two years, to take many classes and choose the right subjects.
"If you have taken the AP exam, you can get credit and not have to take some basic courses, you have more time to experience other subjects and find out which ones are more suitable for your major," said Ms. Khanh.
Pham Ngoc Phuc, 10th grade Russian, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, and his friends attended the sharing session to get more information about AP. Phuc plans to apply for a scholarship to study in the US but has not yet taken AP.
"Very useful. I have learned about AP before, but coming here to interact directly with the organizing unit, I understand the benefits and things to note better," Phuc said, adding that he will study subjects related to Math to pursue a major in Computer Science.
Dawn
Source link
Comment (0)