For a kid doing ok in AP courses and not targeting elite schools - how bad is it not to report any AP exam scores? Kid is not that interested in studying for the AP exams but is taking the courses bc it’s the next logical step in course progression. If you don’t report the scores, colleges will assume you did poorly right? Or do some kids just choose not to take the exam? How do colleges know the difference (and do non elite schools even care)? |
Perfectly fine. Non elite dont even look at it. Heck, some elite schools dont even look at it.
My son had 7 APs with As. Never took an AP test. Got into two t25s. |
I think most elite colleges would assume your kid did poorly if scores aren’t reported. Otherwise why not report them? There’s so much grade inflation that AP scores and other standardized tests are the only legit ways to compare kids. |
If you aren’t targeting elite schools it’s fine. |
Don’t report them, don’t give them another thought, and ignore all the weirdos who come on here and say that if younget anything less than a 5 you should be put in front of a firing squad. Colleges do not care. |
Wrong. Elite colleges do care. Others not so much and will appreciate that OP’s kid attempted a harder AP class (while also assuming that the kid didn’t score well enough to self-report the scores.) And no one said anything about the kid being put in front of a firing squad. Spare us the victim mentality. |
If you report some AP scores (e.g., English, Social Studes) but not others (e.g., Language, Math, Science, etc.) or vice versa, they may assume you did not do well in the others.
If you report none, they'll assume to took none. |
AP tests don't matter that much as GPA scores do. So just don't submit them and don't worry.
If you only submit easy APs -like APES, AP Euro History, AP Psychology - and skip submitting more rigorous courses like AP Spanish, AP Chem and AP Bio or AP Math, it could look a bit sus. Best not to submit anything at all! |
OP said from the start they aren’t looking at elite schools. |
+1 only elite. T25ish or Top SLACs, care about not submitting scores |
3s might be positive at non-elite schools
2s I definitely would not send |
Why would the scores be so low? Something doesn't add up here.
If you took the AP course and paid attention that should be an automatic 4 without studying. |
Some people don’t test well. No, paying attention in class doesn’t equal an automatic 4. |
OP I’ll rephrase. Weirdo prestige-obsessed DCUM strivers who for some bizarre reason actually think they know more than the rest of us about college admissions care. But the colleges themselves do not. |
Usually it does. |