AP score reporting - can we report only some scores?

[Anonymous]

We are new to AP exams, so trying to understand how things work.

DC, a ninth grader, was planning to take an AP exam after self study, but does not want to take it any more.

What happens if DC skips the exam or takes it but gets a poor score? Will we be compelled to get that score reported to colleges? Can we choose to not report scores from specific AP exams? Do colleges want scores from ALL AP exams that a student has taken?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

yes. You can choose to report only some or none of the AP scores.

[Anonymous]

You can take the AP test again as well. My daughter needed 5's for credit at her college and had a few 4's she wanted to retake senior year and did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can take the AP test again as well. My daughter needed 5's for credit at her college and had a few 4's she wanted to retake senior year and did.

So, if a student retakes the exam, can she still choose to selectively report only one score? Hypothetically speaking, if the retake results in a lower score (say 3 instead of 5), can the student report only the earlier score (4) if there is a college that gives credit for 4?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

You have to take all answers with a grain of salt. I think that you can be selective about AP scores, even at selective colleges like Yale that require report of all scores in other circumstances, but I'm not totally sure, I'd have to reread their policy, so when people give you blanket answers to blanket questions, the answer just might not be true for a specific school you are talking about.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the college and the answer may change by the time she goes. I’d let her make the call, although I admit I think self-studying for APs in 9th is excessive.

[Anonymous]

Echoing other responses, but note that different schools have different policies about picking and choosing schools. I'm not familiar with AP rules, but as an example, Georgetown requires that you submit every ACT and SAT taken (if you took both tests, you're supposed to submit all scores from both tests), whereas most schools let you select your best ACT or SAT. This makes me think that if you check Gtown's AP policy, it might be the most stringent one out there...

[Anonymous]

This is from Georgetown's website.

Georgetown requires that you submit your entire testing record, including all sittings of the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests.

No mention of APs... So maybe this isn't a good reference point.

[Anonymous]

There's a common misconception among parents and students that colleges take AP exam scores into account in the admissions process. They don't. My kids never reported any of their scores to colleges until after they were admitted and enrolled and used their scores to get college credit.

SAT/ACT: admissions
AP: college credit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a common misconception among parents and students that colleges take AP exam scores into account in the admissions process. They don't. My kids never reported any of their scores to colleges until after they were admitted and enrolled and used their scores to get college credit.

SAT/ACT: admissions
AP: college credit

How about top schools? Do they take AP scores into account for admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a common misconception among parents and students that colleges take AP exam scores into account in the admissions process. They don't. My kids never reported any of their scores to colleges until after they were admitted and enrolled and used their scores to get college credit.

SAT/ACT: admissions
AP: college credit

How about top schools? Do they take AP scores into account for admissions?

Yes. I have been at admissions talks where they say this. Can you get in without touting your AP scores? Yes, it all depends on the circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Haven't schools gotten somewhat stingy about giving credit for AP exams? I know when I was in college they weren't giving credit for AP US History, for example, because they felt like it wasn't difficult enough.

That was 15 years ago, though, so things might have changed.

[Anonymous]

I do not think any schools require them for admissions...but kids use them when they have all 5 to add additional support. My daughter just applied to 4 ivies and they all allowed self reporting so one could only report some of them. I do not think they required them so it would not be fraudulent to leave some out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a common misconception among parents and students that colleges take AP exam scores into account in the admissions process. They don't. My kids never reported any of their scores to colleges until after they were admitted and enrolled and used their scores to get college credit.

SAT/ACT: admissions
AP: college credit

How about top schools? Do they take AP scores into account for admissions?

Yes. I have been at admissions talks where they say this. Can you get in without touting your AP scores? Yes, it all depends on the circumstances.

This is simply not true. The poster has no idea what she's talking about. Admissions officers want to see students taking the most rigorous course load possible, which in many (but not all) schools means lots of AP classes. But the AP exam scores don't count except for credit. Remember, most applicants will have taken the bulk of their AP classes in the senior year, and by the time they take the AP exams in those classes they already will have be admitted to college.

AP exam scores are not a part of the admissions process.

[Anonymous]

You can opt out of sharing scores with colleges, but admissions counsellors will know that the most likely reason is that you knew your score would be low. I have a friend who is in college counselling, and he said that they know grades are often inflated. Just getting a good grade in the course doesn't necessarily signal that you have mastered the material at a high level, and choosing not to share the score is a good indication that you knew you weren't going to do great.