<p>If it really really came down to it, I'd rather have a 2 and an A in the class. AP scores are self reported on the app and aren't really used to evaluate a candidate to the same degree that the transcript is.</p>
<p>What about having a B+ and either a 4/5 for the exam? My teacher is a very hard grader, but is preparing us very well.</p>
<p>Class grades are more important than AP grades because your transcript is one of the most critical, if not the most critical, part of your college application. AP grades are most often considered for granting college credit and not much more than that.</p>
<p>unfortunately this question has to be asked because many stupid teachers out there assign work that does not help whatsoever with the AP exam but it affects your grade;( i.e busy work</p>
<p>What about:</p>
<p>A “B” both semesters with a 5 on the exam, with a very high class rank? Could you explain that everyone got "B"s? My AP Chem teacher is a Nazi towards sophomores…</p>
<p>For me it was a little bit mixed:</p>
<p>AP Euro - Class Grade: A, Exam Grade: 3. Teacher graded very easily.
AP US History - Class Grade: B+ (changed to A after exam), Exam Grade: 4. This teacher was really tough.
AP English Language - Class Grade: A, Exam Grade: 4. This teacher was very easy, up until the last month before the exam.</p>
<p>The value of AP grades is that they come from a standardized test. The rigor of the class varies from one school to the next, but the grade you get on the exam compared to a student from another class is how your understanding of the material is measured on an equal basis to everyone else across the nation taking the exam. This is how college credit is able to be given. GPA is probably the most important part of an application, but GPA isn’t standardized. Making the best grades you can wherever you are is what is important about GPA. The SAT or ACT cover the standardized part of college admissions, which is why they are such critical tests. AP exams fall in after those, but aren’t given that much consideration in comparison. Mainly, AP is for credit.</p>
<p>AP exams and SAT are contributing to a horrifying conformity that is taking control of this country (and rest of the globe), particularly in the intelligent portion of the population of how we learn and what we value</p>
<p>Hi.
Does anyone know if a stellar student with A’s in AP classes would be disadvantaged by not taking the exams at all? It seems to be in no way encouraged at her school to take the exams.</p>
<p>Re: #28</p>
<p>If the college the student attends gives some sort of useful credit or placement for AP scores, then it can be advantageous to take the tests. At most colleges, there is no penalty for having AP scores, although it can be disadvantageous in some ways at a very few (e.g. some Texas public universities include AP credit units in credit unit limitations, while UCSD requires students to take the more advanced course rather than giving them the option like most other schools).</p>
<p>Hi ucbalumnus,</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply.</p>
<p>I’m firstly wondering from an admissions standpoint. At this point I don’t think any of her likely choices will give any/many credits for AP. </p>
<p>She’s looking at a range of schools, most of which (I believe) will firstly just look at the rigor of the classes and her GPA. But I’m just wondering if in the realm of very selective schools like UChi or Princeton or Cal Tech there’s any known (demonstrated?) bias against kids who don’t sit the exams. All other things being equal… ;-)</p>