Okay so I know this is something that is discussed a lot but I’m getting really worried here. I applied to Duke and some really good state schools and I’m nervous because I didn’t report or even send any of my AP scores to any of the colleges. (I didn’t list them on my common app). My counselor advised me to not worry about reporting them because “they don’t matter” but I feel like I shortchanged myself. Other kids who applied to Duke from my high school also didn’t report/state their AP scores because of what our counselors told us…
Their logic is why waste money and time sending them to schools that you don’t know you’ll get into. They suggested to wait until you get in, and then send them to get credit. Whereas other people have said that considering the number of APs I’ve taken, I should send the scores because it’s concerning that I didn’t report any (implying I did bad on the exams).
My scores aren’t great but they’re not terrible…3s and 4s
I’m super confused and any advice/clarification would help!
You self report AP scores on the common app, so no money is involved.
A common rule of thumb is to only report scores of 4 and 5, so you may not have left as much off as you think. If you don’t get into Duke, this is unlikely to be the thing that made the difference, but you can update your common app for the rest of your applications.
@gardenstategal Okay thanks so much for the advice. I don’t know why our counselors were so against us reporting them and putting them on our applications, but like you said it’s not like I got an insane amount of 4s and 5s. Do you know if Duke reaches out to counselors if they’re suspicious?
“Suspicious” is not the right word. I can;t speak for Duke specifically, but it is not unheard of for an AO to reach out to the GC and/or applicant to “clarify” missing AP scores. One or 2 not reported is unlikely to be an issue, but a slew of AP courses with no corresponding score can raise an eyebrow.
OK If you took the ACT then you don’t need to report subject test scores either.
Agree with the above posters that an AP score of 3 isn’t worth reporting. The 4’s might be, but as AP scores are optional information for the majority of schools, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Duke and many other schools allow self-reporting now and the CA includes a section to list your ACT, SAT, subject test, and AP scores. You might give your HS counselors a heads-up on that. And of course the CA itself can be updated between sends to remove or add test score information. Finally, supplemental info. such as AP scores can probably be uploaded anytime on a school’s portal unless some deadline has passed by now. It’s possible, since the info. is supplemental, that they would probably still accept them even after that date. But given that your highest score is a 4, you might just want to continue to follow your GC’s outdated advice, and skip altogether.
@skieurope@JBStillFlying Thank you for the advice. I think I’m just going to leave my application as it is and hope for the best. I’m assuming the AO will probably reach out to my counselor. I’m also not too worried because other kids applying to Duke did the same thing I did, so the AO will see it wasn’t just me who didn’t list them.
I seriously wonder whether Duke is going to contact your counselor. The information isn’t required and both Trinity and Pratt only award limited credits anyway. For the SAT they recommend submitting two subject scores if you submitted the ACT then subject tests aren’t needed. You are probably fine. Right now it looks like you didn’t submit because you didn’t need to not because you were hiding something. As for the state schools, they typically don’t even ask for subject tests.
A good rule of thumb is to submit supplemental material only when you believe that it would help your application. 4’s are probably neutral, 3’s could possibly hurt (assuming they look at AP at all). So you most likely made the correct judgement to keep the scores off your app.
The purpose of submitting AP scores at the time of application isn’t about college credits. It’s for colleges to corroborate an applicant’s satisfactory work in AP classes shown on the transcript, since the qualities of AP classes vary a great deal from one high school to another. Therefore, I think an applicant needs to submit AP scores regardless, if the courses are shown on the transcript. If not submitted, colleges will either assume poor scores, or in the best case, they’ll contact the GC for the scores.
@1NJParent Okay, valid point. So are you suggesting to send my scores now? Honestly I feel like there isn’t much I can do except bring more attention to the scores that aren’t that impressive.
Do not send your scores. You are fine, @madp01 . Lots of kids take AP classes without ever taking the exams. You don’t need to send an official AP score report until you’ve made your college decision. If the college you’ve selected awards credit for AP, then send the official score report. If your college doesn’t award AP credit, then you don’t need to send it.
@madp01 No, I’m not suggesting that. I only suggested you should have included your scores on the Common App (for the benefits of others like you). Not only would it cost you to send your scores now, but, as you said, it would bring more attention to the scores you wish they’d ignore.
"If I have taken Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examinations, what role do those scores play in the admissions process? Should I report those scores officially?
We value those scores when available as demonstrations of subject mastery to complement your academic transcripts. You should self-report these scores in your application. We will require an official score report from students who matriculate at Duke who wish to use those scores for credit or placement."
Translation: they look at them if you submit them and if you choose to submit you do so using the CA. OP, If you had 5’s it would have been a mistake to leave them off. But you had 4’s at best.
Not sure what “an applicant needs to submit” even means. If it’s part of the required or recommended testing, the school will mention that on the application instructions. Other than that, submit if it helps, and don’t submit if it doesn’t.
@JBStillFlying Thanks for looking that up and for giving some tips throughout this thread. I’m just going to try to relax before decision day and just hope for the best!