Effect of Low AP Scores

<p>Aren't you a transfer applicant? I would think that your current college grades would be much more important than the AP test scores, although both are meaningful. A low AP test score is often better than no AP test score at all, as long as you have some high AP test scores too.</p>

<p>I have a question, how do admission officers take it if an applicant does not mention any AP scores at all. Like I took 4 APs last year (Eng. Lang, US Hist, Chem and Comp. Sci) I only took English and APUSH tests and got 5s on both of them but I didn't report it because I did not want them to wonder why I did not take Chem and Comp. Sci (the reason is that the SAT was the week before so I only signed up for the APs that I would not have to study alot for), so will it hurt my chances of admission?
I got As in the classes (and only a select few get As at my school like maybe 8 out of 60). But I was under the impression that AP scores were for placement, but that taking and doing well in the class was the part that mattered for admission, is this right?</p>

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"At another friend's school, one father at back to school night said the high school teacher required more in the AP Biology class then he required in the beginning Bio class he taught at UCLA!"

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<p>This is something I have heard from alot of people, apparently AP classes are more diffucult than the college coursework, bc AP classes require the tests and SO much more.</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/573874-ap-test-scores-admission-faq.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/573874-ap-test-scores-admission-faq.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>hmom5:</p>

<p>Wow, I find it a bit hard to believe that an AP score of 4 might be troubling to a top 10 school, especially if a student is taking a full plate of AP classes! My S took AP Calc BC, AP Spanish Language and AP Euro History as a sophomore. Coming out of the exams, he predicted scores of 5, 5 and 4, which matched the A/A, A/A and B+/A- semester grades for the classes. He was quite pleased with the performance and so were we. He took the AP Euro class because he wanted to be with the better students, not that he loves history because he doesn't.</p>

<p>Now this year, he'll be forgoing the weighted grade for taking AP Stats because, instead, he's taking an on line class in Linear Algebra. He's carrying an A, the "take home" exams are pretty brutal and he'll get no AP credit. But he, his AP Calc teacher and my H, the math professor, thinks this will give him a little boost come application time next year. By then, off to multivariable calculus.</p>

<p>Re: Post #14 & Post #18: My son received a "C+" for one semester of Spanish, yet scored a "5" on the Spanish AP test. This was a clear instance of grade deflation that cost my son dearly because even though professors at his elite prep boarding school nominated him for the school's highest honor, the Cum Laude Society, he was ineligible for having received a grade below a "B". Regardless, he received encouragement from several Ivies to apply.
This is a larger problem when applying to state university honors colleges/programs because it can eliminate one from the serious scholarship competition/consideration. Ironically, Ivy League admission was much easier for my son than admission to honor's colleges at second tier state universities.</p>

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Headache is not a legitimate excuse... In fact, that's the dumbest excuse ever. Do you think the rest of us were perfectly healthy/sane taking seven AP tests in two weeks?

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<p>Agreed. Telling a college that you got a bad AP score because you had a headache will be perceived as whiny and immature. If you were hospitalized the night before or something, that would be a different matter.</p>

<p>AP exam scores shouldn't matter too much as long as your SATs and grades are there.</p>

<p>Low AP scores can be a good indication of the grading policies of the high school. Grade inflation is a major "problem" at many public high schools that affect scholarship competitions & honors program/colleges eligibility & merit awards. Low AP scores can reveal grade inflation which tends to be rampant in public school systems nationwide, especially in those states with lottery scholarships that are based solely on grades.</p>

<p>Low AP scores can also indicate the school is not teaching to the test. For example, a teacher might teach US History like an accelerated honors class and call it "AP." But the material is not optimized for what is typically on the APUSH test. That could cause students to get an A in the class and underperform on the test.</p>

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I have committed to Fordham University but I am a bit concerned about my AP scores. I am taking AP world but I haven’t learned anything in my class. I am taking the test and I don’t want to cancel my score so if I still send my score and its not that great of a score, will that have an adverse affect on my college plans?</p>

<p>APs are not a requirement for admissions and require a disclosure only if you benefit from them. An official report is required after you are admitted and would like to use your scores to get credit/waiver for courses as needed.</p>

<p>You can pay a $10 withholding fee and send a copy to the school you want to go to in the end and submit only those scores you need for waivers.</p>

<p>Your low AP scores will not only tarnish your standardized test profile, but they will also undermine the integrity of your high school transcript. I would recommend not submitting anything below a 3.</p>

<p>Sure, the admissions officer will be suspicious when reviewing your profile — he’s right, after all.</p>

<p>But it’s definitely in your advantage to remain mysterious than to “admit” to performing poorly. You have everything to lose here.</p>