Westtown students have every possible advantage in the college process, because our college counselors really understand and are devoted to supporting students and families through the journey of college research, visits, applications, and decisions. Relax! You are in good hands.
Our College Counseling office is committed to helping students find the best colleges for them, recognizing that among such a diverse and wide range of students, there will be a diverse wide range of best college matches – small liberal arts colleges, large public universities, highly selective schools, Research 1 institutions, visual or performing arts programs, and more. They encourage students to dig deep into colleges’ academic offerings and to look for other measures of quality besides rankings, which are often faulty or misleading. Most importantly, they allow plenty of time for students, with their families’ support, to research and visit colleges, and urge them to think deeply, question thoroughly, and reflect thoughtfully as they decide where they want to apply.
The Westtown Independent School Equity & Access Conference and College Fair will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023.
Westtown School Profile (PDF)
Westtown students may take the following AP exams (see chart below), provided they are enrolled in or have completed the relevant course(s) at Westtown or, in rare exceptional cases, obtain approval from the Dean of Academics and Director of College Counseling for a credit-bearing, graded course taken at an accredited school outside of Westtown. Note that Westtown courses are not AP classes, and additional preparation beyond taking the Westtown course may be necessary to earn a high score. Students must also communicate with their relevant subject teachers about their plan to test prior to registering.
Westtown students are not permitted to take AP tests at other schools and will receive class cuts and other consequences if they miss Westtown classes or activities to do so.
Registration: Students must register in the fall (exact deadlines vary each year) and follow all deadlines. After this process, all registrations will be reviewed by the Dean of Academics and Director of College Counseling and final approval will be given. Each exam costs $97 (this price might rise slightly, but will probably not exceed $100). For eligible Full Access students, there is a fee reduction. Westtown School Finance Department will bill the students’ account for the AP exam in May. Please contact T. Fernando Gomes, our testing coordinator, for details.
Dropping a Test: During the drop period in the winter, a student may drop a test and pay a College Board cancellation fee, typically around $40-$50. After this time, they will be charged the full amount of each test for which they have registered, even if they don’t take a test. Students who miss a test due to illness or medical leave will be charged the cancellation fee for each test they registered for but do not take.
Adding a Late Test: During a specific time in the winter, a student may add a test with an additional College Board late fee. All late tests must adhere to Westtown’s AP Testing Policy.
During Testing Weeks: Students are permitted to miss classes on the day they are taking an AP test, but not any other days. Students must communicate with their teachers to make a plan for missed work prior to their test(s). Students must make up work missed while taking AP tests. They will receive class cuts if they miss a Westtown class to take an AP class or to study for an AP Exam.
Full Access students should see T. Debra Weaver and T. Jay Farrow for assistance with testing fees.
| AP Exam | Westtown Course(s) |
| Biology | Biology 1 (Adv), Biology 2 (Adv), Molecular Biology (Adv) and additional study. |
| Calculus AB | Calculus 1 Adv or
Calculus 1 with permission and additional study |
| Calculus BC | Calculus 2 (Adv) |
| Chemistry | Chemistry 1 (Adv), Chemistry 2 (Adv), Chemical Reactions (Adv), Chemical Bonding (Adv) and additional study. |
| Chinese Language and Culture | Chinese 5 or 6 |
| Computer Science A | Computer Science 1 (Adv) and additional study |
| English Literature and Composition | American Literature and World Literature |
| Environmental Science | Environmental Science 1 (Adv), Environmental Science 2 (Adv) and additional study. |
| French Language and Culture | French 5 or 6 and additional study |
| Latin | Latin 4 and significant additional study |
| Macroeconomics | Macroeconomics and additional study |
| Microeconomics | Microeconomics and additional study |
| Physics 1: Algebra-Based | Physics 1 and Physics 2 with additional study. See physics teacher for guidance. |
| Physics 2: Algebra-Based | Physics 1 and Physics 2, Electricity & Magnetism, Modern Physics, and additional extra study. See physics teacher for guidance. |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | Physics 1 (Adv), Physics 2 (Adv), Electricity & Magnetism and additional study; Calculus is highly recommended. |
| Physics C: Mechanics | Physics 1 (Adv), Physics 2 (Adv) and additional study; Calculus is highly recommended. |
| Spanish Language and Culture | Spanish 5 or 6 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | Spanish 5 or 6 |
| Statistics | Statistics and additional study |
| Studio Art Drawing | Full year of art classes as a sophomore or junior and current enrollment in Studio Art Forum (Adv) |
| Studio Art 2-D Design | Full year of art classes as a sophomore or junior and current enrollment in Studio Art Forum (Adv) |
| Studio Art 3-D Design | Full year of art classes as a sophomore or junior and current enrollment in Studio Art Forum (Adv) |
| US History | US History and likely additional study |
| World History | World History 1300-1800, World History 1800-2000, and additional study |
The following AP tests include significant material not taught in Westtown courses. If a student would like to take one of these tests, they must ask the Dean of Academics and Director of College Counseling for approval. The student must demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter, such as enrolling in a credit-bearing course approved by the Dean of Academics and Director of College Counseling.
The following AP tests cannot be accommodated by Westtown faculty, college counseling, and test administrators because they require additional assessments:
