Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:34     Subject: 4s on APs
I’m choosing to believe the admissions officer who told my kid to her face that they look at AP scores when they don’t have SAT/ACT scores. That was last fall, less than a year ago. If your idea that AP scores don’t matter is older than that, maybe be open to the idea that this is a new development for the TO era.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:32     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?



Top 20% go to HYP? What school?


this could be collegiate, trinity, or brearley, among others. in which case, dont send 4s.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:30     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:If the AP class is on your kids transcript, they should send a 4/5 or the school will assume they got a 3 or lower.


Or they won't even care and won't know whether you sent the scores or not. Because for admission, they don't care or need to know your AP exam scores. They only need it to give you credit and they aren't going out of their way to give students credit. If you want it, you ask for it and provide the necessary information.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:28     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am laughing at the “Phillips” poster who really thinks they even have to think about what to do with about APs. Get real. Every top college in America knows that school’s currículum. It’s full of a bunch of rich connected kids who don’t need AP credit in college. Get serious.

In fact, the primary purpose of AP exams is to either get college credit or for a kid to place themselves in a higher class in college. It’s not for college admissions purposes. DCUM is obsessed with AP scores for college admissions, and they just don’t matter.


Disagree. When the majority of a 600 person class in Northern Virginia has above 4.0, 6 to 10 APs and tons of extra curricular – showing that you scored fives on these test instead of fours or threes will make you stand out. It’s really hard to distinguish between the majority of these kids these days.


Except all those other kids also got a 5 on their exams.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:28     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:I am laughing at the “Phillips” poster who really thinks they even have to think about what to do with about APs. Get real. Every top college in America knows that school’s currículum. It’s full of a bunch of rich connected kids who don’t need AP credit in college. Get serious.

In fact, the primary purpose of AP exams is to either get college credit or for a kid to place themselves in a higher class in college. It’s not for college admissions purposes. DCUM is obsessed with AP scores for college admissions, and they just don’t matter.


THANK YOU!
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:27     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?



Public school kids do better on AP tests since their class curriculum mirrors the college board AP test and is built for the test. Private schools put their own spin, go deeper in some topics and skip others so AP scores tend to not be optimized. Top colleges know this and will regard 4's as fine.

That said, AP test scores are only a good test for how much they understood the College Board's AP curriculum - not their IQ or intelligence - so if in private school, I wouldn't bother sending.

Our DD is at one of the Philips schools (private boarding) and my kid is only considering taking AP test in senior year to get past a language requirement for college. Our CCs say they are not necessary to take as our most advanced curriculum differs from standard of college board so AP tests are not optimized for our school's version of advanced literature, math, history, etc.


Don't colleges have placement tests for languages that will place them out of the requirement, rather than relying on an AP test?
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:25     Subject: Re:4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Colleges are not basing admissions on AP scores.

Why are AP classes not showing on transcripts? Wouldn't you be better off with the college knowing you took AP classes, especially if you have a high GPA? They aren't going to ask for your AP scores unless you're requesting credits and waivers from required classes - after you're admitted.

DP, but I assumed by “not on transcript” that OP meant their kid self-studied for AP tests without taking the corresponding AP class. Maybe the school doesn’t offer APs, or the specific APs, or the kid couldn’t fit something into their schedule.


Thank you.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:25     Subject: Re:4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Colleges are not basing admissions on AP scores.

Why are AP classes not showing on transcripts? Wouldn't you be better off with the college knowing you took AP classes, especially if you have a high GPA? They aren't going to ask for your AP scores unless you're requesting credits and waivers from required classes - after you're admitted.


Lots of privates have no AP classes. All classes are rigorous, at honors level, but dont align to AP curricula enough to be "AP classes" ie they dont teach to the test.


Yeah, ok. No APs on transcript because there are no APs taken. Are you saying these students take AP exams on their own? That would actually answer my question. But are colleges asking for these scores from students at these schools?
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:22     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What proportion are the 4's and which subjects?
That is going to have some impact.

You can't just say "do I send 4's?"



I think you can.

I wouldn't send any 4s to top 20 colleges if you're coming from a private feeder.

if you were a kid at an under resourced public schools with no APs, it's different.



If they are coming from an under-resourced public school with no APs, they wouldn't have AP test scores to send.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:12     Subject: 4s on APs
If the AP class is on your kids transcript, they should send a 4/5 or the school will assume they got a 3 or lower.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:09     Subject: 4s on APs
Calm down everyone. Smart kids applying from public high schools to public colleges, and rich well-connected kids applying from private high schools to private colleges, are playing different games with completely different rules.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 14:01     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am laughing at the “Phillips” poster who really thinks they even have to think about what to do with about APs. Get real. Every top college in America knows that school’s currículum. It’s full of a bunch of rich connected kids who don’t need AP credit in college. Get serious.

In fact, the primary purpose of AP exams is to either get college credit or for a kid to place themselves in a higher class in college. It’s not for college admissions purposes. DCUM is obsessed with AP scores for college admissions, and they just don’t matter.


Disagree. When the majority of a 600 person class in Northern Virginia has above 4.0, 6 to 10 APs and tons of extra curricular – showing that you scored fives on these test instead of fours or threes will make you stand out. It’s really hard to distinguish between the majority of these kids these days.


Just because you disagree doesn’t mean you’re right.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 13:58     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:Private school kid - no AP classes on transcript.

- Has a high SAT (1550)
- GPA that's a little lower (top 25% of strong class, where top 20% go to HYP).

The counselor says 4s are great and send them to all. I'm wary about this new 25-yo counselor anyway, I admit, but I think they should only go to targets and safeties. I think 4s back up the GPA and make the SAT look like a fluke/super prepped. To her credit, I am seeing people online also sayings 4s should go everywhere.

what says DCUM?



Top 20% go to HYP? What school?
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 13:57     Subject: 4s on APs
Anonymous wrote:I am laughing at the “Phillips” poster who really thinks they even have to think about what to do with about APs. Get real. Every top college in America knows that school’s currículum. It’s full of a bunch of rich connected kids who don’t need AP credit in college. Get serious.

In fact, the primary purpose of AP exams is to either get college credit or for a kid to place themselves in a higher class in college. It’s not for college admissions purposes. DCUM is obsessed with AP scores for college admissions, and they just don’t matter.


Disagree. When the majority of a 600 person class in Northern Virginia has above 4.0, 6 to 10 APs and tons of extra curricular – showing that you scored fives on these test instead of fours or threes will make you stand out. It’s really hard to distinguish between the majority of these kids these days.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 13:51     Subject: 4s on APs
I am laughing at the “Phillips” poster who really thinks they even have to think about what to do with about APs. Get real. Every top college in America knows that school’s currículum. It’s full of a bunch of rich connected kids who don’t need AP credit in college. Get serious.

In fact, the primary purpose of AP exams is to either get college credit or for a kid to place themselves in a higher class in college. It’s not for college admissions purposes. DCUM is obsessed with AP scores for college admissions, and they just don’t matter.