Advice concerning AP exam scores

Applying to College
1

Hello and thanks for reading this! I am a sophomore taking 4 AP classes, and I originally planned on taking 3 exams (physics, computer science, world history). I am very low income, and was told I would receive help with the cost of the exams, but unfortunately I am stuck with paying at least $50 per test. I am confident that I will attain 5’s on the physics and world history exams, but probably a 4 on the CS. I plan on applying to highly selective universities, and I was wondering how bad it would be to skip the CS exam. Wouldn’t it be better to have all 5’s? And also, it’s a financial issue that should be understandable to those universities. Thanks for any help you can give me … :slight_smile:

2

IMO it depends what you want to major in…if you want to major in CS or something related then definitely take the exam and not one of the others. A 4 is not a bad score at all. You can always explain in the Common App additional info section that you couldn’t take every AP test for every AP class due to financial issues.

3

AP scores don’t affect admissions, but they can make college cheaper by allowing you to place out of certain course, or get credit for them if you score well. So if you’re looking at AP tests as a means of getting into college, you’re safe skipping all the exams, but if you want to make college more affordable, it might be worth investing in those tests now. That $50, if it gets you advanced standing, is going to be a very good investment.

4

Is there any way you could petition for a full fee waiver?

5

@Matt846‌ Unfortunately no. I attend a relatively wealthy high school, and the office ladies get horribly confused if you even mention the word “waiver”. They offered me abut $25 off each exam, but I think I’ve decided on skipping the CS, because I am a humanities major anyways.

6

I think skipping the CS exam is a bad choice. CS at the level of the AP is as relevant in non-technical disciplines as it is in very technical areas. Think business, or finance, or economics. If you invest in AP courses part of the implicit commitment is to take the AP exam.