The rationale for them preferring you take AP’s by the time of applying is that they can see your performance in these classes. What if I have 4 AP’s (HUGE, Lang, Physics 1, and World) by the time I apply and have 5 AP’s senior year? Am I at ANY disadvantage over someone who has, say, 6 AP’s by the time of applying, and 3 their senior year? Assume that I aced my 4 classes with straight A’s.
Consider this question in the context of applying ED/EA to schools as well and how it would change for RD. Are they going to trust that I’ll do well with 5 AP’s senior year based on the grades I’ve received on my previous 4 AP’s?
P.S-Sorry for so many questions, that’s just how I overthink things lol and please feel free to be brutally honest to my questions.
No
No. Colleges will view your application in context of what your school offers. Additionally, in the 10 minutes that an AO reads your app, s/he is not looking at the minutiae of your transcript. If your GC rates your schedule as “most demanding,” the AO will not be counting APs by year.
If you are accepted, it is with the understanding that your grades will continue to maintain close to their current level. If your final grades tank, your admission can be rescinded.
Thanks!
@skieurope Do most EA/ED schools look at senior year grades WHILE evaluating an application (I’m not talking after just to see if you’re not failing anything to rescind you )? It wouldn’t make sense for schools to give equal weightage to senior AP’s compared to other years w/o considering grades while deciding to accept a student or not, right?
Though I agree,in general, with @skieurope, it can make a difference when someone has a slate of AP classes graded and Top scores on the AP exams vs someone who does not
Most schools do not have an official scoring system for assessing AP results because they are taken into consideration in terms of course rigor. They don’t have a ranking category as to what your AP scores are. But, yes, it is impressive to see someone with key AP courses completed, and of course there is added benefit to that.
Schools will look at what is on the transcript. If your transcript shows quarter grades, then they will be considered. If it doesn’t, and the college does not ask the HS for a quarterly update, they won’t.
Which I addressed in my initial comment. The OP’s question was full of hypotheticals, so I was not going to get into all the permutations, but again, it’s based upon what the school offers/allows. So I stand by my comment that if the student from East Podunk High has 4 APs but the student from Our Lady of Podunk has 6, and each has taken as rigorous a couseload as allowed, it will not matter. Now if the 2 applicants in the hypothetical situation are from the same HS, then yes, it may factor in.
But I took OP’s question to be his personal fact of 4 so far and 5 to come. Yes, the 5 pending will be harder to see results in. And we have zero idea of what grades and scores in those 11th gr AP. Or what’s planned for 12th. If you didn’t master those classes and scores in 11th and sr is tougher, adcoms will have no basis to assume you’ll do well in 12th. SImilarly, if sr year is stuffed with fluff, adcoms won’t see the rigor.
Adcoms don’t tend to “trust.” They look for ‘what is.’
And OP hasn’t shared the pertinent details on ‘what is.’
Or the college targets.
What if I do well in all 3 ap’s junior year and got an a through the AP I took freshman year? I know that they won’t “trust” and want evidence, but aren’t those first 4 AP’s (including exam scored) evidence?
OP, we have zip from you! Just hypotheticals.
What’s “do well?” Not just grades but scores. What colleges? What AP senior year? (Because even the choices represent thinking and drives.)
If you can’t be forthcoming, nothing we can say that informs you.
@lookingforward Sorry for not elaborating earlier, was busy. Doing well means straight As in all 4 ap classes (HUGE, World, Physics 1, Lang) besides B+ in Huge 2nd semester freshman year. 3 in HUGE but 4s/5s in Physics 1, Lang, and WH (haven’t taken classes yet, will take this year as a junior). Might self study AP psych for 4/5 as well. Highly selective colleges like ND, NW, Uchicago, etc. with 3.95 UW and 4.4W and 1500+ SAT (have been prepping hard and am confident).
No college will care about your self study, particularly for psych.
@skieurope If a college accepts a 5 on AP Psych for college credit, then it’s safe to say that they “care”.
The point is that they don’t care for admission. You will not strengthen your application by self studying.
No admissions officer will care. I should have been more specific. And it’s folly to assume that “it’s safe to say” anything with regard to admissions to highly competitive universities.
@skieurope So I’ve heard you mention most rigorous courseload many times to me. If I were to secure that box (which includes senior year courses), would it even matter how many AP’s I have at the time of applying as long as I got A’s in nearly all of them? Or would I need both most rigorous AND a higher number of AP’s than 4 (what I currently have by the end of Jr. year) by the time of applying (average no. of AP exams taken and passed by students who took aps soph and jr year are 1.5 and 2.6 respectively. freshman not included bc. no. is very low)?
Also, if the answer was yes to my first option, would I have to apply regular decision to all of my schools because they wouldn’t be able to see my 1st sem. senior grades until Dec. 21st. or would they accept in progress grades (my school does 6th and 12th week in progress reports which show grades but we still have a semester system)?
This is mighty confusing. So, you’re a rising junior and haven’t yet taken lang, physics1, or WH? You’re projecting A grades and 4/5 scores? This is so much speculation.
The GC checks the rigor of your courses separate from what adcoms think, when they look at your transcript. That’s two factors in your review. It’s not just the count of AP, but the choices of courses (so many told you not to self study psych) and the actual AP scores have impact. And ECs, which means the right rigor, depth and breadth. Not just titles.
My advice is to quit planning until you have more detail, a fuller record and SAT scores. And, more understanding of what these colleges actually want. Learn from what they say and show. Holistic means every part of the app/supp matters. No one thing trumps any other weakness.
You’re ahead of yourself.
I have to agree with @lookingforward that you are getting way ahead of yourself.
The GC is the person who evaluates course rigor. How s/he determines it varies by school, but it will likely include an evaluation of number of higher-level courses (not necessarily AP’s) as well as breadth across departments. All STEM APs will probably be seen less favorably than a balance of STEM and humanities APs.
In terms of applying EA/ED, some colleges will not evaluate anyone’s senior grades because nobody’s 1st semester grades are available by decision time. Some colleges will request a 1st quarter update from all applicants. Some colleges will request a 1st qaurter update from some applicants. There is no master list of what colleges fall into which category.
What courses did your school offer?
If you took everything your school offered, then you will be fine.
If they offer a full slate, then I’m afraid someone who has taken Calc BC, Physics C, Language, USH, World and CSP by Junior year will have an advantage over someone who has taken Human Geo, Physics 1, Language, and World.
It’s not because they can “see your performance in these classes”, it’s simply a more rigorous, challenging schedule.
@RichInPitt So I’m kind of in a tough situation when it comes to scheduling courses because of the math track I’m on. I moved back to the US from a foreign country in 8th grade (was born and raised in the US until 3rd grade when I moved to this foreign country) so I had to take normal math (Algebra 1) in 8th grade when I moved back. As a result of this, the best I could do is be admitted to a double period accelerated math class for all 4 years of HS with calc ab senior year (soph and jr. year considered honors and freshman normal). Due to this double period, I only have 2 elective slots a year.
Basically, the very max. number of AP’s I could’ve taken up till jr. year was 6 (2 fresh, 1 soph, 3jr) and I am taking 4 (1 fresh, 0 soph, 3 jr) due to business electives (1 of them fulfilled consumer ed. graduation requirement and Accounting 1 is relevant bc. I wanna major in Finance) and hecking foreign language. I also felt like I could take these business electives bc. I was gonna get 4 years in all core areas anyways and I would like study something that I’ll use rather than an elective like CSP which would be irrelevant to my future major. In retrospect, I regret taking business explorations freshman year over something like AP seminar (could’ve taken consumer ed in summer school) but maybe I’ll make up for it by taking an AP course online over my next summer (also plan on interning in accounting). Thoughts on online AP classes or college classes?
*Thoughts on online AP classes or online college classes? What classes would be worth taking online (not too difficult but still challenging enough to help my rigor)?