AP exams - how does score affect college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Parent of a junior here and I am absorbing this advice. DC thinks he did poorly on BC calculus and physics APs this year (he’d previously easily gotten 5s on exams so I don’t think he realized how much studying he needed to do for these subjects - big lesson learned for him).

My question is, which will look worse- submitting poor scores, or submitting no scores for these (we had always heard that admissions persons assume poor score if you shiw the AP class on your transcript but no test score).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here and I am absorbing this advice. DC thinks he did poorly on BC calculus and physics APs this year (he’d previously easily gotten 5s on exams so I don’t think he realized how much studying he needed to do for these subjects - big lesson learned for him).

My question is, which will look worse- submitting poor scores, or submitting no scores for these (we had always heard that admissions persons assume poor score if you shiw the AP class on your transcript but no test score).

What "advice" are you absorbing exactly? This thread is nothing but anecdotes and opinions and nothing of substance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here and I am absorbing this advice. DC thinks he did poorly on BC calculus and physics APs this year (he’d previously easily gotten 5s on exams so I don’t think he realized how much studying he needed to do for these subjects - big lesson learned for him).

My question is, which will look worse- submitting poor scores, or submitting no scores for these (we had always heard that admissions persons assume poor score if you shiw the AP class on your transcript but no test score).

What "advice" are you absorbing exactly? This thread is nothing but anecdotes and opinions and nothing of substance.

So is college admissions.

[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.

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.

Some kids take 3 Freshman Year..AP Gov/APUSH, AP CS Principles, AP Physics 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.)

I have a kid at Cornell - AP Credit for most 5s. For 4s you can opt test out of certain classes by taking Cornells test (which is harder than the AP according to my kid)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Is this MCPS? I’ve never heard of the grade being based on the actual exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The last 4 are tests that are going on right now, student is a junior. These are my best guess based on what DC seems to be thinking, how DC tests, and I thought the advice would be more useful if it addressed scores. I think there is a decent shot DC gets a 4 in physics but I was thinking worst case scenario. The grades will be all As except the physics which will be an A- or B+. I assume three 5s and two 4s for a non STEM student would be pretty good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I would not submit the 3. Reasonable minds will differ on the calc. Definitely submit the 5s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here and I am absorbing this advice. DC thinks he did poorly on BC calculus and physics APs this year (he’d previously easily gotten 5s on exams so I don’t think he realized how much studying he needed to do for these subjects - big lesson learned for him).

My question is, which will look worse- submitting poor scores, or submitting no scores for these (we had always heard that admissions persons assume poor score if you shiw the AP class on your transcript but no test score).

Only submit good scores. If you took 5 tests and only have 1 good score, I wouldn’t submit any.

[Anonymous]

Can you submit scores after acceptance/ enrollment in a university?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

Some kids take 3 Freshman Year..AP Gov/APUSH, AP CS Principles, AP Physics 1.

And some take just the exam, no class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you submit scores after acceptance/ enrollment in a university?

Yes, because the score can be used to test out of college classes or for credit. Look at the college board we site to see what test scores can count towards what classes.

[Anonymous]

My oldest is taking his 11th ap test tomorrow. He has only ever gotten 5 ‘s on the exams. If your child dies not get a 4 out 5 you can simply opt not to report the score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There's no place on the common app to report an AP score. However, Colleges know the AP classes you took in HS and likely expect you to have taken the associated AP exam. If you don't report one of the following honors related to AP, they know you didn't do well..

Award

AP Scholar - Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.

AP Scholar with Honor - Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

AP Scholar with Distinction - Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

[Anonymous]

Slight veer off topic.

The honors reporting is interesting. So for a college that is test blind like UCLA, you can still report NMS Commended and AP Scholar with distinction as honors. Does the DCUM hive mind agree with me that that would be helpful in a test blind world or are they not looking at these too? I realize no one here “knows”