Hello!
I am a senior looking at HYSP schools as a Hum Bio major (or the nearest public health-ish equivalent at each school) on the pre-med track.
However, I received a 3 on both my AP Chem and AP Bio exams despite getting all A’s in each course. These are my only non-fives I’ve ever gotten, but they happen to be in areas of my desired career/major.
How will HYSP schools interpret this?
Many senior posters will say that AP scores do not factor in admissions, but there is a lot of speculation. If I were aiming for Ivy admissions, I personally would not include scores of three, because the competition will not be doing that. Grades are still the most important factor, and they might not care that you didn’t self-report the scores. They know that not every student can take the exams, for a variety of reasons: cost, or a student was sick on the day of the test.
Having said that, are you a URM from a low-performing school district? Is there another situation, such as working to help support your family? If so, then I would report scores of three.
I think it does. But how much, I don’t know. If it does not then why they ask for self score reporting?
@Lindagaf I am a White male from a very high performing district, I am not working to support my family. However, I have also read that colleges would interpret my omission of these AP scores as either 1) not being forthcoming, 2) taking the class just for the GPA boost, or 2) having failed (received a 1 or 2) on the exams.
Then I wouldn’t. There is no requirement to self-report AP scores. You aren’t lying. They will only consider what you give them, not what you don’t give them. It’s up to you of course, but a three will not be impressive. Would you tell them you got a 75 on a test, even though you still got an A in a class? If a college gives credit or placement for a three, you can always submit officially before matriculating. For the schools you are looking at, do not submit a three.
bump
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/harvarddean-part2/ is from several years ago, but it has the following from Harvard’s admissions dean:
Can exceptional EC’s, superbly unique essays, and a glowing letter of rec from my AP Bio teacher (all of which I have) offset the negatives of these two 3s?
Exceptional ECs, especically in science: yes. Not sure about the glowing rec from your AP Bio teacher. Top colleges prefer recs not read by students. It may help if you have high scores in SAT Chem/Bio.
@coolweather I never read it, but that’s what my teacher told me. Plus, we’re pretty tight 
I also have a 730 on the SAT Bio taken my Sophomore year.
2 3s on AP exams is not too bad if you have a significant number of AP exams. You don’t have to declare a major for top colleges. There is no premed major at HYSP. Many people change majors in college too. You should move on to concentrate on other parts of the application. Nothing you can do about those 2 scores now.
I wouldn’t show 3s to HYPS.
@Hanna But wouldnt that risk having colleges view me as not forthcoming and having possibly failed these exams?
They matter to adcoms at many top colleges. Yes, when they’re missing, it’s noticed, especially when a kid otherwise looks good. So the question is how to overcome.
This is a case where, if everything else is lined up for a top college, you really know the school and what it values (not just speculation,) how you match, not just rep or the usual array of flaky reasons kids want HYSP, then you need to turn your lemons into lemonade.
Sometimes the GC is willing to go to bat, paint the right picture of your intellect, drive, etc, and explain the scores don’t reflect your proven abilities, the teacher feedback. (You decide whether to report, despite, or omit. The GC can back that up.) Some teachers will do the same, put the effort into a solid LoR that highlights your intellectual curiosity and performance.
You can make sure you have the relevant outside experiences, challenges, and comm service that shore up this interest in public health. That’s not shadowing, it’s rolling up your sleeves. And more. All that is pretty much needed for HYSP, anyway.
We can’t guarantee anything, but the more you can hit the mark they look for, other than those scores, the better you overcome this.