<p>How much weight is put on AP scores in college applications? Would getting 4s on APs ruin my chances at schools like MIT and CalTech?</p>
<p>A 4 is pretty good. They wouldn’t hurt you at all. They’d prob actually help you a little.</p>
<p>AP scores aren’t considered in admissions, as far as I know. What matters is your grade in the AP classes.</p>
<p>MIT gives credit for a few AP tests. Caltech says they give no credit at all. </p>
<p>As for their weight in the admission process, who knows.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses. It helped a lot.</p>
<p>I’m not quite sure where people get this notion of your AP scores not mattering.</p>
<p>They do - they qualify your AP classes’ grades. If you got an A in AP Chemistry, but a 2 on the exam, it raises flags about whether or not you ‘earned’ a real A in real AP Chemistry. Remember, this is confirmed in silverturtle’s guide as well, if you don’t believe me, your transcript is the most important factor of your application. It is not ‘glanced’ over; it will be analyzed, and your AP scores are used in that analysis.</p>
<p>So bad AP scores won’t be entirely detrimental; good AP scores won’t be any major boost. But it confirms what you’ve got. They matter.</p>
<p>Self-studied APs show your fortitude in given subjects, along with your ability to work on your own and be able to grasp college-level work on your own: something you’ll have to do in college with professors who won’t care about you and may not be the best teachers.</p>
<p>AP scores do validate the standard of your school’s grades. However, the colleges can’t put too much emphasis on them because most schools don’t pay for tests and it is a financial burden on some of the students who may choose not to spend the money.</p>
<p>So the colleges won’t come right out and emphasize any weight for APs in their admission process.</p>
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<p>The same can be said for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. They matter as well.</p>
<p>I understand APs are much more expensive, but saying they don’t matter because of financial considerations is wrong. In the eyes of most colleges, $80ish dollars for a 3-5 credits is a steal.</p>
<p>Think about it this way: colleges require that you send official reports for SAT, Subject Test, and ACT scores. They do not require that you send official reports for AP scores. </p>
<p>In other words, colleges want to ensure that you don’t lie about SAT, Subject Test, and ACT scores; they believe your word when they consider your AP scores. So, it’s fair to say that AP scores don’t carry as much weight as SAT, Subject Test, and/or ACT scores.</p>
<p>314159265, that has to be the best post I’ve read on this issue ever.</p>
<p>Thank you for that. :)</p>
<p>Plus, your AP scores aren’t on your official transcript. The go to the registrars’ office at the college.</p>