4s on APs

[Anonymous]

Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?

[Anonymous]

I’d question them only for HYP. Even then maybe include; it’s a crapshoot regardless. Send everywhere else.

[Anonymous]

I'm seeing on my instagram some people I like sayings send 4s to every single school. But I know Sara whatever on AN disagrees. So I dont know?

My instinct would have been to send to only safeties, but maybe 4s are better than I think?

[Anonymous]

What are the APs? If the score is in a subject like Psychology where she self-studied and there's no associated HS class, but she's interested in the topic, then I'd send, because it shows motivation and interest. If it's APUSH and she took US History this year, I don't know that it adds anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm seeing on my instagram some people I like sayings send 4s to every single school. But I know Sara whatever on AN disagrees. So I dont know?

My instinct would have been to send to only safeties, but maybe 4s are better than I think?

Sara/AN almost never recommends sending a 4. If there are a ton of 5s and a lone 4, she will sometimes say to send the one 4 to as long as the 4 isn’t aligned with your major (i.e, don’t send a 4 in stats if you are applying to business, but maybe send a 4 in biology/physics if all your other scores are 5s and you are applying to business).

[Anonymous]

I think self-studying for APs shows initiative.

The problem was (in my kids case) he self studied for Econ and then applied to college as a humanities major. He realized Econ wasn't for him and will graduate this year with a humanities degree. But he worried even taking those tests made him look like a stealth Econ bro so he didn't send them in, even though it was a 5 and a 4 - macro/micro or vv.

who knows who is right in all tis.

[Anonymous]

What proportion are the 4's and which subjects?
That is going to have some impact.

You can't just say "do I send 4's?"

[Anonymous]

Colleges are not basing admissions on AP scores.

Why are AP classes not showing on transcripts? Wouldn't you be better off with the college knowing you took AP classes, especially if you have a high GPA? They aren't going to ask for your AP scores unless you're requesting credits and waivers from required classes - after you're admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What proportion are the 4's and which subjects?
That is going to have some impact.

You can't just say "do I send 4's?"

I think you can.

I wouldn't send any 4s to top 20 colleges if you're coming from a private feeder.

if you were a kid at an under resourced public schools with no APs, it's different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colleges are not basing admissions on AP scores.

Why are AP classes not showing on transcripts? Wouldn't you be better off with the college knowing you took AP classes, especially if you have a high GPA? They aren't going to ask for your AP scores unless you're requesting credits and waivers from required classes - after you're admitted.

Lots of privates have no AP classes. All classes are rigorous, at honors level, but dont align to AP curricula enough to be "AP classes" ie they dont teach to the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?

4s are great - they get you college credit. They also make that "little lower" GPA look stronger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colleges are not basing admissions on AP scores.

Why are AP classes not showing on transcripts? Wouldn't you be better off with the college knowing you took AP classes, especially if you have a high GPA? They aren't going to ask for your AP scores unless you're requesting credits and waivers from required classes - after you're admitted.

DP, but I assumed by “not on transcript” that OP meant their kid self-studied for AP tests without taking the corresponding AP class. Maybe the school doesn’t offer APs, or the specific APs, or the kid couldn’t fit something into their schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?

Public school kids do better on AP tests since their class curriculum mirrors the college board AP test and is built for the test. Private schools put their own spin, go deeper in some topics and skip others so AP scores tend to not be optimized. Top colleges know this and will regard 4's as fine.

That said, AP test scores are only a good test for how much they understood the College Board's AP curriculum - not their IQ or intelligence - so if in private school, I wouldn't bother sending.

Our DD is at one of the Philips schools (private boarding) and my kid is only considering taking AP test in senior year to get past a language requirement for college. Our CCs say they are not necessary to take as our most advanced curriculum differs from standard of college board so AP tests are not optimized for our school's version of advanced literature, math, history, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?

Public school kids do better on AP tests since their class curriculum mirrors the college board AP test and is built for the test. Private schools put their own spin, go deeper in some topics and skip others so AP scores tend to not be optimized. Top colleges know this and will regard 4's as fine.

That said, AP test scores are only a good test for how much they understood the College Board's AP curriculum - not their IQ or intelligence - so if in private school, I wouldn't bother sending.

Our DD is at one of the Philips schools (private boarding) and my kid is only considering taking AP test in senior year to get past a language requirement for college. Our CCs say they are not necessary to take as our most advanced curriculum differs from standard of college board so AP tests are not optimized for our school's version of advanced literature, math, history, etc.

The data does not support this assertion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?

Public school kids do better on AP tests since their class curriculum mirrors the college board AP test and is built for the test. Private schools put their own spin, go deeper in some topics and skip others so AP scores tend to not be optimized. Top colleges know this and will regard 4's as fine.

That said, AP test scores are only a good test for how much they understood the College Board's AP curriculum - not their IQ or intelligence - so if in private school, I wouldn't bother sending.

Our DD is at one of the Philips schools (private boarding) and my kid is only considering taking AP test in senior year to get past a language requirement for college. Our CCs say they are not necessary to take as our most advanced curriculum differs from standard of college board so AP tests are not optimized for our school's version of advanced literature, math, history, etc.

The data does not support this assertion.

She means, controlling for SAT score.