AP Physics Exam scores and chances at Ivy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was admitted to an Ivy for engineering with 2 4's and an A minus. catholic school. No hooks.

This is so different from a TJ applicant, it does not matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is from TJ. He got A- in AP Physics C M&EM but in the AP exams he got - Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism - 3 and Physics C: Mechanics - 4. What are the chances in top colleges such as Ivies?. Do these colleges consider the grade or AP scores or both?. Should we report these AP scores in the college application?

He should report because the elite schools will presume it is lower if not. If he is targeting a stem major at an ivy and he has no hooks, A- combined with the lower score significantly decreases chances. If he is clearly not a stem major based on activities and interests solidly aligned with humanties or arts, it won’t matter much because trying the hardest courses in a non-interest area is a positive. However it has to be clear he is definitely not a stem major in hiding.

My kid is at an ivy, he and friends are all unhooked engineering or physics majors, one is physics and CompE. They all joke how easy AP mechanics and E&M were compared to the ivy physics classes. AP chem and calc too. These are kids that had straight 5s and won their high school science awards, were top students at the high school. One in the friend group is a TJ kid.
AO’s know this is how most ivy stem students are. It may not be a good fit OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was admitted to an Ivy for engineering with 2 4's and an A minus. catholic school. No hooks.

This is so different from a TJ applicant, it does not matter.

+1 OP’s kid competes against TJ kids first

[Anonymous]

What are other grades? What is weighted gpa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t submit scores.

Don't submit both 3 and 4 or just 3?

What does the rest of the application look like? Is the 4 higher or lower than the rest of the application?

You know this, but make sure your student has safeties and targets they like because ivies and other top 10 schools are unlikely -- the competition from TJ is too stiff.

This is the key point. This can’t be judged from the information you’ve offered.

Also, applicants are judged first and foremost in their high school context. So your kid will be compared against their TJ classmates. Where does your kid stand in that context?

Overall GPA is 4.37. His major will be Bio where he has gotten As and 5s. He has lot of good ECs related to coding for healthcare organizations with multiple internships and local top university research with a professor potentially leading to a research paper.

To be blunt, that GPA is not competitive for ivies from TJ.
First and foremost he competes with TJ students. The GPA for top group kids is much higher

[Anonymous]

Based on TJ’s GPA distribution, his GPA is about top 50%. Even UVA is a reach.

[Anonymous]

Very small chance for an Ivy. Focus on lower ranked schools for ED or they won't get in there either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The chances of admission at the Ivies are around 3-5%.

Even with a flawless application, you should prepare for rejection. That's just how the numbers work.

+100

[Anonymous]

The Ivies are not all that, despite what everyone says on dcum. Don't worry about the Ivys, worry about finding a good fit where your kid will thrive and will enjoy their next four years. Besides, the Ivies are all a crapshoot now for unhooked white and asian americans. Look widely and find a good school that's not the same school where all of the perfect gpa kids at TJ will be applying and have your child visit that school and potentially apply ED. I'm thinking about places like Carleton or Wake Forest or Olin (if your child is interested in engineering) or Emory. So many great schools beyond the Ivies.

Signed, a person with two Ivy-league degree but reports to people who all went to "no name" schools who all make a lot more money than I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Ivies are not all that, despite what everyone says on dcum. Don't worry about the Ivys, worry about finding a good fit where your kid will thrive and will enjoy their next four years. Besides, the Ivies are all a crapshoot now for unhooked white and asian americans. Look widely and find a good school that's not the same school where all of the perfect gpa kids at TJ will be applying and have your child visit that school and potentially apply ED. I'm thinking about places like Carleton or Wake Forest or Olin (if your child is interested in engineering) or Emory. So many great schools beyond the Ivies.

Signed, a person with two Ivy-league degree but reports to people who all went to "no name" schools who all make a lot more money than I do.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Ivies are not all that, despite what everyone says on dcum. Don't worry about the Ivys, worry about finding a good fit where your kid will thrive and will enjoy their next four years. Besides, the Ivies are all a crapshoot now for unhooked white and asian americans. Look widely and find a good school that's not the same school where all of the perfect gpa kids at TJ will be applying and have your child visit that school and potentially apply ED. I'm thinking about places like Carleton or Wake Forest or Olin (if your child is interested in engineering) or Emory. So many great schools beyond the Ivies.

Signed, a person with two Ivy-league degree but reports to people who all went to "no name" schools who all make a lot more money than I do.

This is a reflection of you, not your Ivy League education.

[Anonymous]

Would not submit a 3 anywhere let alone an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Even if he got all 5's, the "Ivies" are a crap shot. He should apply but don't submit scores. The best you can do is be supportive during the process and the outcome. It's an extremely stressful year for the kids and the extra weight of unrealistic pressure from the parents is not helpful. It's the beginning of a long journey. Learning perseverance is more important than what school you end up at.

[Anonymous]

That's fine as long as he doesn't submit the scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was admitted to an Ivy for engineering with 2 4's and an A minus. catholic school. No hooks.

This is so different from a TJ applicant, it does not matter.

??
Maybe I wasn't clear. The two 4's were in the physics C exams. He had other APs.