AP exams - how does score affect college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP scores go a long way in validating the grade in the class. A "3" on the AP test and an "A" in the class -- that's doesn't look good. Mostly, that doesn't look good for the school, their class grade distributions may be suspect.

I agree with this but it’s so tough. My A student got a three last year in a subject she’s really strong in. I think it was a combination of test nerves and pandemic year making things all a little weird.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The test scores don't matter for college acceptance. The test scores are only used, if you choose to submit, towards possible college credit. Most scores need to be 4 or 5 some will take a 3. You can look up on apcollegeboard to see what AP score a college will accept for what college course. Taking the class & the grade in the class are reviewed for rigor for college application.

So two separate things. The class/grade and; the test score. You can take the class without the test or the test can be taken without the class.

That's a misconception. The score DOES matter, because with grade inflation and pandemic cuts in instruction, colleges cannot be sure that the grade truly reflects mastery. I know some AP teachers in MCPS who significantly dumbed down their curriculum these past few years, and some who continued to hold their students to high standards. APs, like the SAT or ACT, are standardized, and therefore an excellent measure of a student's knowledge and understanding.

So if a significant number of students do not report their test scores, not reporting would be "neutral". However, there is a definite bump in academic strength if the student reports all 5s on AP exams. It proves mastery, and it's proof stronger than grades.


The idea of using the scores to confirm the rigor of a course makes sense (and feels appropriate to me. It is hard to believe the class is rigorous if the kid gets an A then scores a 3 or less. How does that demonstrate mastery of content? And also, the idea behind AP is supposed to be some sort of national comparison basis.). But - do you have any evidence that college admissions officers look at AP scores? I have not heard any admissions officer say that they matter.

First, rid yourself of the idea that admissions officers tell you ALL the facts
Second, they cannot say AP scores matter a lot, because College Board is a private company and each AP exam costs $90, which is a barrier to entry for some families. This is the SAT/ACT is optional for most colleges.
But just because they can't tell you publicly that AP scores matter, doesn't mean they don't use them to select students.

Again, all assumptions, no evidence that this actually happens. I’m not saying it doesn’t—I don’t know!—but saying things knowingly/condescendingly isn’t proof.

Because I can't tell you everything that goes on behind closed doors. If you are a parent and talk to enough college counselors and admissions officers, you will notice a pattern in their answers. If you only talked to a couple, and didn't hear the words "Yes, we consider AP scores in our decisions! It's very important!"... please don't assume that an absence of a strong statement means AP scores are irrelevant.

When I asked, the AO said they don't matter. I don't think that is assuming anything?

Check out Sara Harberson’s info. She says even a 4 can hurt you sometimes at highly selective colleges. She talks about her experience as an AO at Penn and other places where AOs are basically looking for a reason to deny applications.

This is actually what I've heard too. Oddly enough submitting anything other than the highest possible for unnecessary test items hurts you for admissions at very selective schools. So you might think it's good to submit that you got all 4s and 5s on AP exams for admissions, but the 4s hurt you. Same with subject matter tests--unless a school says they want to see them submitting anything below a 750 can hurt more than help. So unless they ask for it unless it's near perfect don't include. It may be different at less selective schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in an intensified class, and signed up to take an AP exam, but now doesn't want to take it, afraid he'll not do well. What happens if you get a bad score? Any downside to taking the exam?

Mine had 5 in all 15 AP exams he took, didn’t help get in any Ivy.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why you’d take the test without the class. The class is to show a rigorous course load. The test is sometimes required for the quality point for gpa (APS does). Most colleges don’t require the scores on the application. Most schools don’t give college credit anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why you’d take the test without the class. The class is to show a rigorous course load. The test is sometimes required for the quality point for gpa (APS does). Most colleges don’t require the scores on the application. Most schools don’t give college credit anymore.

Most schools very much do give credit, though maybe not the schools you mean by “most schools.” Also a 5 on Calculus will get you placement pretty much everywhere. If you take calculus in a non-AP form (at a private school, a community college, or as part of IB math) it makes practical sense to take that exam.

Exams without the class for electives like environmental science, CS, and psychology? I agree, they’re pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why you’d take the test without the class. The class is to show a rigorous course load. The test is sometimes required for the quality point for gpa (APS does). Most colleges don’t require the scores on the application. Most schools don’t give college credit anymore.

This is not correct. For the highly selective schools that DCUM users are obsessed with, yes, But sufficient AP scores at LOTS of other schools, such as Virginia Tech, can make students eligible for college credit. (Whether it's a score of 3+ or 4+ depends on the school.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in an intensified class, and signed up to take an AP exam, but now doesn't want to take it, afraid he'll not do well. What happens if you get a bad score? Any downside to taking the exam?

Mine had 5 in all 15 AP exams he took, didn’t help get in any Ivy.

Mine had 4s and 5s in 5 APs and it at an Ivy!

[Anonymous]

For a student with high stats and the following AP scores, what would you put on the applications to highly selective schools not STEM (top 20 R1 and top 20 SLACs):

World History Modern: 5
APUSH: 5
English Lang: 5
Calculus AB: 4
physics 1 Algebra based: 3

Would you report only the 5s? What if the high school pays for all the tests (they are given in school)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a student with high stats and the following AP scores, what would you put on the applications to highly selective schools not STEM (top 20 R1 and top 20 SLACs):

World History Modern: 5
APUSH: 5
English Lang: 5
Calculus AB: 4
physics 1 Algebra based: 3

Would you report only the 5s? What if the high school pays for all the tests (they are given in school)?

Some highly selective schools (depends on your definition, I guess) like UVA and University of Michigan do give AP exam credit. Heck, even an Ivy like Cornell will give college credit for a few - not that many, though - AP exams. So make sure to submit a score - even if it is a 4 - for which your kid would get credit at the school s/he is applying to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a student with high stats and the following AP scores, what would you put on the applications to highly selective schools not STEM (top 20 R1 and top 20 SLACs):

World History Modern: 5
APUSH: 5
English Lang: 5
Calculus AB: 4
physics 1 Algebra based: 3

Would you report only the 5s? What if the high school pays for all the tests (they are given in school)?

When did your kid take AP Physics 1? If freshman/sophomore I would submit all of the scores, especially because the high school pays for them. I wouldn't submit it if the score is from Junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in an intensified class, and signed up to take an AP exam, but now doesn't want to take it, afraid he'll not do well. What happens if you get a bad score? Any downside to taking the exam?

Mine had 5 in all 15 AP exams he took, didn’t help get in any Ivy.

Mine had 4s and 5s in 5 APs and it at an Ivy!

When I see anecdotes like this (one kid in at an Ivy with 4s and 5s on 5 exams, the other rejected with 5s on 15 exams) it makes me think that with APs, at least after a certain point, more isn’t necessarily better.

And I don’t think all APs have the same value. APUSH and Calculus seem to have a lot of cachet. Psychology? Human geography? Environmental science? Two CS APs? Two economics APs? Especially if someone is loaded up with that kind of elective before senior year, I begin to wonder what else he could be doing with his time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in an intensified class, and signed up to take an AP exam, but now doesn't want to take it, afraid he'll not do well. What happens if you get a bad score? Any downside to taking the exam?

Mine had 5 in all 15 AP exams he took, didn’t help get in any Ivy.

Didn’t help because it didn’t happen. A kid has to take 7 APs per year to get to 15 APs by end of junior year.

[Anonymous]

NP. When my DC was doing "zoom" college visits, I overheard AOs say that they do look at AP scores. They emphasized that they are very important if a student is applying test optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP scores go a long way in validating the grade in the class. A "3" on the AP test and an "A" in the class -- that's doesn't look good. Mostly, that doesn't look good for the school, their class grade distributions may be suspect.

I agree with this but it’s so tough. My A student got a three last year in a subject she’s really strong in. I think it was a combination of test nerves and pandemic year making things all a little weird.

Meanwhile it really boils down to the teacher. For AP Calc at our HS, the teachers have it down to a science. They drill the kids with test prep throughout the year. Finish teaching the material about 1 month before the actual AP test, so they can spend that month with test prep. But it works. My kid got a 5 last year and I'm expecting another 5. Yet interestingly, the teacher doesn't curve the grade for the class and there is no HW grade; the grade is all quizzes and tests (in AP format). My kid with a 3.99 UW gpa earned a B- first semester and will get the same this semester. Ultimately (after transcript goes to her college since AP results don't come until July), a 4 or 5 on the AP test will raise my kid's grade a full letter grade.

This AP teacher is known for EVERYONE getting a 4/5 on the test, with about 80% of both AB and BC students earning 5s. In the last 7 years, only 1 student has gotten a 3 or lower (it was a 3). Kids know the material. just wish the regular grade was updated with a curve to reflect this before July

However, in other courses (AP Chem/Physics/Comp Sci, etc), those teachers were teaching new material 5-7 days ago. So not drilling practice tests nearly as much. For those I don't think it's 80% earning a 5, but there are normally at least 85-90% earning 4s or 5s.

If I were you, you should still be thrilled your student took the AP course, even if they earned a 3. That same course will now be MUCH MUCH easier when they take it again in College.

[Anonymous]

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist. I don't think the election was stolen and I don't think Bill Gates wants to control us through the vaccines -- notwithstanding that both theories are all over the internet.

Similarly, having never seen a Common Data Set published by any university saying that AP exams don't count in admissions, that some random DCUM mom insists they have to be for whatever reason doesn't make it so.