<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am new here and I was wondering if taking exams without the class, and passing them with 4s and 5s look good on college applications. I know that the classes do, but what about the exams separately?</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Jon</p>
<p>AP scores have almost no (if not very little significance) in the college admission process.</p>
<p>AP scores are significant, I think, because they do tell colleges that you honestly have challenged yourself in (supposedly) a college-level course, and if you do well, that's a sign that you're challenging yourself and have worked hard in high school. The main purpose of taking AP exams, however, is to get college credit or higher placement (hence the name Advanced Placement). The AP program was originally designed for that purpose. Now, however, people are taking way more AP tests than in the past, because many people think that it makes them look better. That kind of defeats the purpose. I guess there's nothing that can be done to stop high schoolers from 'strategizing' every aspect of high school and directing it towards college admissions...</p>
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AP scores have almost no (if not very little significance) in the college admission process.
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<p>False. It depends on the college. Some colleges place a heavy weight on AP exams, since they supposedly measure how you would do in a first year college course (which is also the purpose of the SAT).</p>
<p>I heard MIT considers AP scores. If you take the exams seprately and pass enough exams to be a state AP scholar by the end of Junior year, then it helps.</p>
<p>After that, they are mainly helpful for saving money.</p>
<p>How can AP scores have any significance at all, much less a "heavy weight", for the admissions process except for those (presumably strong) students who take them before they are seniors? Just wondering....</p>
<p>"How can AP scores have any significance at all, much less a "heavy weight", for the admissions process except for those (presumably strong) students who take them before they are seniors? Just wondering...."</p>
<p>I dunno about your school, but around my school (and around CC in general I dare to bet) its pretty common to take some AP Classes before senior year. XD For example, the most common 10th grade APs in my school are Human Geography and European history.</p>
<p>The question was about the AP tests/scores, not the courses. So, I have a couple of questions...</p>
<p>It seems to me that many people take AP courses not to get college course credit by scoring well on the exam, but primarily to have a solid HS transcript on their college applications. Do people here agree, disagree, or is it both equally important?</p>
<p>If you're not yet a senior and you've taken AP courses, what did you take and why?</p>
<p>I know that personally I have taken AP classes to build a stronger transcript. I am not trying to get out of college credits. I think the idea of earning college credit while still in high school is a bad idea. I don't think your goal should be to get through college as quickly as possible. I'm a junior this year. I am taking Eng Lit and US history. Last year I took Euro and next year I will take 5 or 6. I take them so that my transcript will look good. I do not know how significant the scores are.</p>
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I take them so that my transcript will look good
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<p>I think most people do; I know I do.</p>
<p>Being an "AP scholar" or one of those AP awards at the end of ones junior year looks GREAT on college applications. If you do well on two AP exams sophomore year and three junior year, this will looks really good on your application. I can't imagine any college wouldn't like this.</p>
<p>What scores should you submit to colleges? For example ...
Chemistry - 5
US - 3
Geo - 4/5
Stat -5
Calc BC - 5
Latin:Lit - 1/2
The last 4 are predictions .. cuz i'm a junior. If you're applying to colleges that are competitive .. which do you submit? If I score this way btw, I would get "AP Scholar w/ Distinction"</p>
<p>Personally, I take them because I'd much rather be in a hard class than a boring class with boring students...</p>
<p>Anyway, rob22, you don't technically 'submit' scores to colleges until you get into them. But on the application, you can list them on the awards section. Just tell them all the scores, with the exception of perhaps Latin Lit. Ooh, I'm taking that test too!</p>
<p>AP scores are a HUGE deal if you're planning on applying oversees (which you probably aren't, but I felt like mentioning it anyway).</p>