For top 20 college, what did your AP/rigor look like from typical suburban high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More up to date numbers:
https://reports.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/number-of-ap-exams-per-student-2023.pdf

2023

40,410 students had taken 9 AP Exams, 26,806 had 10 exams,
17,622 had 11 exams,
11,338 had 12 exams,
6,905 had 13 exams,
4,272 had 14 exams,
2,402 had 15 exams,
1,341 had 16 exams,
727 had 17 exams,
419 had 18 exams,
200 had 19 exams,
103 had 20 exams,
58 had 21 exams,
27 had 22 exams,
14 had 23 exams,
9 had 24 exams,
3 had 25 exams,
1 had 26 exams,
2 had 27 exams,
1 had 28 exams,
1 had 29 exams, and
3 students had 30 exams or more

How did you get these? I didn't see them on the link you referenced.

It is in the written paragraph at the cited link.

Thx. Should've read the words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the College Board data, at least from 2018, about 125,000 students took 10 AP's or more.

This lends credence to the thesis that you need that many to be "in the door" to Top 20's.

Check the 2018 data again …

1. Barely 90,000 with 10 or more.

2. Posters in this thread have consistently referenced “15 or more” AP tests anyway, which brings the 2018 number below 3,000.

3. Posters have also indicated other conditions like (A) a wall of 5s only on 15 or more AP tests, with no scores below 5, (B) a 4.0 unweighted GPA, and (C) a perfect, one-and-done standardized test score …

Of the 3,000 or fewer who met the “15 or more” APs in 2018, fewer than 300 per year met all three add’l conditions.

Adjusting for 2024 data, that number is 500 or fewer per year.

For the last time:

1550 IS NOT the same as a 1600.

A superscored or multi-attempt 1600 IS NOT the same as a one-and-done 1600.

When taking 15 AP tests, 12x 5, 2x 4, and 1x 3 IS NOT the same as 15x 5.

And a 3.96 IS NOT the same as a 4.0.

DP. You may think these differences aren't the same, but they are the same tier for AOs. People who double down on this often end up buyer, misled and spouting nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Bitter, not buyer. Argh, autocorrect

[Anonymous]

My pea sized brain takes from the College Board's AP data this thought...if you attend a decently resourced suburban high school, where 20 or so AP's are offered, take at least 10, including the harder STEM ones, English ones, a a fair amount of the history ones. Any fewer and you will be at a disadvantage when the "rigor" box is evaluated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the College Board data, at least from 2018, about 125,000 students took 10 AP's or more.

This lends credence to the thesis that you need that many to be "in the door" to Top 20's.

Check the 2018 data again …

1. Barely 90,000 with 10 or more.

2. Posters in this thread have consistently referenced “15 or more” AP tests anyway, which brings the 2018 number below 3,000.

3. Posters have also indicated other conditions like (A) a wall of 5s only on 15 or more AP tests, with no scores below 5, (B) a 4.0 unweighted GPA, and (C) a perfect, one-and-done standardized test score …

Of the 3,000 or fewer who met the “15 or more” APs in 2018, fewer than 300 per year met all three add’l conditions.

Adjusting for 2024 data, that number is 500 or fewer per year.

For the last time:

1550 IS NOT the same as a 1600.

A superscored or multi-attempt 1600 IS NOT the same as a one-and-done 1600.

When taking 15 AP tests, 12x 5, 2x 4, and 1x 3 IS NOT the same as 15x 5.

And a 3.96 IS NOT the same as a 4.0.

It's not the same but the difference might not matter. AOs are trying to create a good community of students that get involved in the college beyond the classroom. 1550 vs. 1600 doesn't make any difference for that. Maybe not even much difference in academic capability. A big difference in academic capability is 1550 vs someone that won a gold or silver medal in math olympiad.

[Anonymous]

1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

Also an institution is going to take the 1600 because the GPAs, ACT and and SAT scores are all reported to the ranking services and then ultimately to the alumni. So the poster saying there is no difference is just wrong. Every college wants to move up the USNWR rankings. The way to do that is to accept kids with the highest GPA, SAT and AcT scores possible

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

Also an institution is going to take the 1600 because the GPAs, ACT and and SAT scores are all reported to the ranking services and then ultimately to the alumni. So the poster saying there is no difference is just wrong. Every college wants to move up the USNWR rankings. The way to do that is to accept kids with the highest GPA, SAT and AcT scores possible

This was true in the past but it's not as true today because US News doesn't care that much about SAT/ACT. It's only 5% of the ranking and only if you have 50%+ students reporting their scores. SAT/ACT is not used at all for your rank if you have <50% reporting. A school that really wants to move up the US News ranking might focus on other factors. For example, Pell grant is 5%, same as SAT/ACT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

Also an institution is going to take the 1600 because the GPAs, ACT and and SAT scores are all reported to the ranking services and then ultimately to the alumni. So the poster saying there is no difference is just wrong. Every college wants to move up the USNWR rankings. The way to do that is to accept kids with the highest GPA, SAT and AcT scores possible

This was true in the past but it's not as true today because US News doesn't care that much about SAT/ACT. It's only 5% of the ranking and only if you have 50%+ students reporting their scores. SAT/ACT is not used at all for your rank if you have <50% reporting. A school that really wants to move up the US News ranking might focus on other factors. For example, Pell grant is 5%, same as SAT/ACT.

Also, I don't think US News cares about GPA. They do care about class rank but it's only 2%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

Also an institution is going to take the 1600 because the GPAs, ACT and and SAT scores are all reported to the ranking services and then ultimately to the alumni. So the poster saying there is no difference is just wrong. Every college wants to move up the USNWR rankings. The way to do that is to accept kids with the highest GPA, SAT and AcT scores possible

What? US News has stopped using academic criteria in its rankings for a while now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

Also an institution is going to take the 1600 because the GPAs, ACT and and SAT scores are all reported to the ranking services and then ultimately to the alumni. So the poster saying there is no difference is just wrong. Every college wants to move up the USNWR rankings. The way to do that is to accept kids with the highest GPA, SAT and AcT scores possible

This was true in the past but it's not as true today because US News doesn't care that much about SAT/ACT. It's only 5% of the ranking and only if you have 50%+ students reporting their scores. SAT/ACT is not used at all for your rank if you have <50% reporting. A school that really wants to move up the US News ranking might focus on other factors. For example, Pell grant is 5%, same as SAT/ACT.

Completely and 100% false. Prove your assertions with actual cites. (that's ok, we know you can't).

[Anonymous]

Always look to the context of your school. A TJ student doesn't compete against a kid from Patterson High in Baltimore, he competes against a TJ student.

The TJ student is in the 10+ bucket, plus math higher than Calc BC, like multivariable.

Patterson High doesn't even offer AP Bio, AP Calc, AP Chem, etc.

Most suburban high schools fall in between. So if your school offers the full complement of AP's, you better be in the 10+ bucket if you want to be competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

I disagree a bit. Theses tests aren't like benching weights. Once you bench all the weights in the gym, you still don't know how strong you are.

If you are getting about a 1550+ or so, you are getting so few incorrect answers that it might be measuring error rate rather than limits on cognitive ability.
With a gun to my head, I would take the 1600 over the 1550 all other things being equal but things are rarely ever equal.

[Anonymous]

someone early on said AP psychology wasn't really needed unless your kid is interested in pursuing that further down the line. I'd agree. I'd also agree that AP stats is not needed (but it is good for psychology majors and law)

We found AP World history to have quite a bit of overlap with AP European history

So if your kid drops 3 from this list they would have room for the further comp sci and physics if they wanted them and indeed, for a fL if they could face it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1600 stands alone …

1590 and below, the test identified your limit. A perfect 1600 in a one-and-done scenario? There’s no effective way to nail down that individual’s capacity or limit. The test doesn’t allow for a complete measurement of their actual potential.

Also an institution is going to take the 1600 because the GPAs, ACT and and SAT scores are all reported to the ranking services and then ultimately to the alumni. So the poster saying there is no difference is just wrong. Every college wants to move up the USNWR rankings. The way to do that is to accept kids with the highest GPA, SAT and AcT scores possible

This was true in the past but it's not as true today because US News doesn't care that much about SAT/ACT. It's only 5% of the ranking and only if you have 50%+ students reporting their scores. SAT/ACT is not used at all for your rank if you have <50% reporting. A school that really wants to move up the US News ranking might focus on other factors. For example, Pell grant is 5%, same as SAT/ACT.

Completely and 100% false. Prove your assertions with actual cites. (that's ok, we know you can't).

DP. You do know that USNWR publishes the weighted factors that go into their rankings, right?

Indicator
Standardized tests
2025 National Universities Weight for Schools With Usable SAT/ACT
5%
2025 National Universities Weight for Schools Without Usable SAT/ACT
0%
2024 Weight
5%

Source: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings
On my phone, the info I’ve posted is on view 5 of 7 under National Universities 2025 Best Colleges Overall Ranking Criteria and Weights.

But do explain again how there’s no way to prove how USNWR weights SAT scores or Pell Grantees?