Hi! I am currently a sophomore in high school. I consider myself a pretty solid student. My GPA for freshman year was a 3.75 (unweighted) and my GPA this year was a 3.81 (also unweighted). That being said, I received a B- in Honors Math this year, which was extremely upsetting, and I just received my AP Exam score for Biology and I got a 3. I am hoping to go into Biology or Political Science in college, and I am extremely nervous that with these scores I will be relegated to only going to state schools. Anyway, now for the questions: Do you think I still have a slim chance of getting into a top 20 school and do you have any advice for a student like me?
Thank you so much!
Getting into a competitive college does not come down to the grade you got in one class and one AP score. Are youu viewed by those at your school who know the students as among the top students? If you go to a rigorous school (that would be an academically oriented school where students are high achievers), then you will likely get into a competitive college. If you aren’t then you will likely get into colleges that are designed for students who are good but not top students. There is nothing wrong with that if that describes you. Top 20 school? Well are you in the top 5% of your class? Only 5% are you know.
One B- - especially in sophomore year - can be easily forgiven. Just make sure your overall GPA stays high and you should be okay.
Your score on the AP exam doesn’t matter for admissions (they only look at your grade in the class provided you took it).
You didn’t mention any ECs… Definitely focus on these. You can still aim for leadership positions by senior year if you start now.
AP scores don’t matter as much to colleges. You don’t even have to send them at all. Of course, colleges will see that you got a B- in math, but since it’s an honors course, your sophomore year, only one class in what I hope is in addition to other AP or honors classes which you excelled in, it shouldn’t hurt your chances too much. Just make sure that you do great in math next year to prove that you can handle higher level math classes.
Thank you for your quick responses! I go to an extremely competitive school, but, it does not do class ranks, which is why I do not know my weighted GPA. I have pretty solid ECs and I am going to become president of three clubs in my upcoming junior year. I have won multiple Scholastic Keys, along with being on varsity NOSB, Model UN and soon to be editor of my school newspaper, so I am not so concerned with the EC part. Since I want to potentially go into Biology I was wondering if I even have to share my AP score with the colleges that I wish to apply to, as I feel as if this could significantly hinder my chances. My top schools that I wish to go to are Tufts or Georgetown, (depending on whether I choose to go into Bio or Poly Sci), and I was wondering if I still have a chance, with my math score and AP grade.
By default, colleges do not even see your AP scores until after you matriculate. If it is not the score you want, there is nothing you miss out on from the admissions standpoint. In fact, the school even benefits as you have to pay them the tuition for that particular class.
The only reason to send in AP scores as a supplement to your application is if they are vastly different (for the better) from your class grades, or if you have a number of self-study APs that are impressive.
For your AP classes, admissions will be looking at your grade in the class and not the AP exam score. So, your 3 neither helps nor hinders you.
You don’t need to send AP scores to college but if they know you took the class, they also know you probably took te test. Not sending a score may make them think you got below a 3. If your low score is among a lot of others and hopefully higher ones, it won’t make any difference. I get the sense, from the wording of your reply, that you are loading up on ECs so that you are not concerned about the ECs being problematic. I suggest you engage in only the ECs you’d be involved with if colleges didn’t even look at them. Those that do look at them are unimpressed with long lists of ECs and even with “leadership” positions in ECs. They are more interested in what you actually achieved in the ECs. A couple of ECs with significant achievements would be better than a long list without even if you were president of each.
Do the colleges care if you took the AP Tests?
I would be careful to group state schools into an undesirable category. Almost every public state flagship is “better” than the average private school. Also there are some power players amongst the public state universities, which are “better” than ANY private university save for a few (UC Berkeley, Michigan, UVA, UCLA, UNC Chapel Hill, UT Austin, Georgia Tech).
A B- in one math class can be easily forgiven unless you are applying for a math, physics, CS, or engineering major at a competitive school.
-o yes why do people think b's are bad?
I dont think you have a bad chance, you have the same chance as anyone else
Your record is indeed more than one grade. One B- will not ruin your changes of going to a solid school. Instead, your entire record will be considered and the fact that it was an Honors class will also be considered. Colleges are looking for more than just grades, they want personality and the perfect fit. It that is you, then even with a B- they will see you for your true self and fit with their institution. Write a great essay!