<p>I have a close friend who tells me that self-studying AP tests is completely and utterly pointless unless you want the awards or college credit since college admissions do not look at your scores and do not take them at all into account.
The only thing that matters most is your AP classes you took during the school year and the grades you received on them. Along with SAT/ACT and ECs.</p>
<p>Is this true? Is getting a 5 completely worthless when a 4 is enough for college credit?</p>
<p>AP scores are not taken into account in college admissions, only for college credit purposes are they required.</p>
<p>TAKING AP classes are taken into account, because it shows the rigor of your schedule.</p>
<p>So if two people had identical applications, save for the fact that one had all 5’s and the other had all3’s, it would.mean absolutely nothing??
What’s the point in bothering to get 5’s then? What’s the point in self studying tests? Self studying a test doesn’t show initiative or anything? Just…nothing?</p>
<p>Getting the 5 would mean higher chance of getting the credit.</p>
<p>That didn’t answer one of my main questions though…Self studying a test, if the cedit isn’t accepted at the college, is pointless???
Why do people self study tests to go to Stanford or Harvard? They won’t get the credit, so why?</p>
<p>Well you don’t know if Stanford or Harvard do not take in ANY AP credit. They might for some I think. Correct me if I’m wrong. Anyway, yeah it is pointless if it doesn’t count. You gotta ask those people why they even bother.</p>
<p>I would disagree…AP exam scores contain information. In the hyper competitive setting of modern admissions and razor thin margins differentiating otherwise indistinguishable students, no information would be discounted and plenty of interpretation of unstated criteria is used.</p>
<p>Yes, adcoms look at your AP scores. Why wouldn’t they? They can support the grade you received in the class. Or not.</p>
<p>As for self-studying, any score would represent you and the material you studied, only. Not discussion, no lead from teachers and no critiques. Sometimes, no labs or lab guidance.</p>
<p>AP does indeed matter. Getting 5 in AP calc and u have A in class is obviously different than getting 3 in AP calc and A+ in class in different school.</p>
<p>AP supports ur GPA.</p>
<p>a simple thought experiment
Student A: A’s in AP classes in Calc BC & Physics: 5 on Calc BC & on both Physics C exams
Student B: A’s in AP classes in Calc BC & Physics: 3 on Calc BC & on Physics B exam</p>
<p>Student A impresses from Cambridge to Cambridge while Student B is a very solid candidate for 2nd tier schools. </p>
<p>Huge diff…</p>
<p>So…is it worth studying or not worth studying for AP tests? I’m confident I can get 3s and 4s in my various classes… If I studied, I could get 5s.</p>
<p>It matters somewhat and, ideally, schools might want to see AP test scores alongside AP classes. But if you can take the test without a course, it could help a case a little.</p>
<p>Guttentag said the bar for acquiring a top score in each of the categories is continually increasing. Seven or eight years ago, five Advancement Placement exams with a score of five would warrant the top score in Dukes achievement category. Today, about half of the applicants meet this standard.
This from director of admissions at Duke, this is what top tier schools are looking for. Days of SAT/ACT scores and GPAs are gone. AP scores are new LITMUS TEST, if you want to get into top 10, otherwise it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>So they only matter if you want to go to a highly prestigious university?</p>
<p>I can’t figure out what you are after- ie, what are you trying to accomplish, what tier of colleges, what “save” for your grade problem in the beginning of jr year? There are plenty of schools that love a B kid with rigor and results. And meaningful activities. Are you trying to position yourself that way? Or thinking self-study will save the day? And are you in the US?</p>
<p>Caltech is the only school I am aware of not providing any AP credit for any subject. </p>
<p>fatherofm - Is there a link somewhere to what Gutentag said? It sounds interesting since no one actually admits considering AP scores. Most schools say if you have them fine but if your school does not offer them, we wont penalize you.</p>
<p>[University</a> streamlines admissions | The Chronicle](<a href=“http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/university-streamlines-admissions]University”>University streamlines admissions - The Chronicle)</p>
<p>Here is the link.</p>
<p>Thank you fatherofm. Very interesting to know Duke used 5 x 5s on APs as having a full score on achievement. I wonder what they have raised it to now if 50% of applicants meet it.</p>