Ap Score Reporting

Applying to College
1

Hi! I was a sophomore in high school this past school year and although i took two ap classes, i only took one test mostly to get out of the final. I got a 3, which is pretty good considering i didn’t study much.

However i don’t know if i want to report that to colleges. Do you think a three on my application would hurt me? The school i really want to go is UMD if that helps with anything.

Does not taking ap tests hurt me? Do ap classes still look good on transcripts regardless?

2

A 3 won’t hurt you, no. The only possible exception is if it’s your expected major subject. @gchiericoni

3

Fret not…colleges are much more concerned about your grades in those classes as opposed to the AP tests.

Why is that?

  1. Doing well in a class shows you can learn over the year and work hard over a period of time. That is what they want in college.
  2. Not all HS have many APs.
  3. Many people take AP tests senior year which is too late for admissions

For example, Stanford says:
Students currently enrolled in AP courses are not required to submit AP scores as part of our admission process. AP scores that are reported are acknowledged but rarely play a significant role in the evaluation of an application. Grades earned over the course of a term, or a year, and evaluations from instructors who can comment on classroom engagement provide us with the most detailed insight into a student’s readiness for the academic rigors of Stanford.
http://admission.stanford.edu/basics/selection/prepare.html

4

As to UMD, it currently neither requires nor recommends submitting AP scores as part of your application for admission. It wants AP scores only after you are admitted and are seeking college credit for the course. It also does not use SAT subject tests or the optional writing portions of the SAT or ACT to determine admission.