<p>Most colleges don't accecpt a 3. So if you get a 3, is it pretty much the same as a 1, as far as what you can do with it?</p>
<p>yeah, unless you're going somewhere that accepts a 3.</p>
<p>That is, most high calibre colleges like the Ivies do not accept a 3. I know a plenty of good state schools that accept 3s. The last time I checked, even Boston College accepted 3s for some subjects.</p>
<p>A 3 is NOT the same as a one.</p>
<p>Getting a "3" on an AP test demonstrates that you are capable of understanding a subject enough to successfully pass a college equivalent course.</p>
<p>Getting a "1" on an AP test demonstrates that you are not capable of understanding a subject enough to successfully pass a college equivalent course.</p>
<p>It's as simple as that. If you receive a "3", you are a LOT better off than a person who received a "1" or even a "2". Some colleges choose not to accept "3" scores because they only assure that I student would, under probable circumstances, pass a college course, not "excel". A student who would excel in a college course would probably receive a "4" or a "5".</p>
<p>Colleges may not accept "3"s, but that doesn't mean they treat it like you received a "1" on an AP test. Think of it this way... if someone got just "3"s on AP tests, he or she might not be exempt from certain college courses, but colleges would still see that he or she is capable of handling a challenging courseload, whereas a student who earned only "1"s might not even be accepted into the same school.</p>
<p>The point is... colleges still look at your AP scores, even if they don't excuse you from remedial classes if you don't score a "4" or a higher. Don't think that a "3" and a "1" are the same with colleges... they're not.</p>
<p>I know a couple of schools I've looked at take 3s on Calc AB, so it's not a total crapshoot.</p>
<p>In the UC system, a 3 in every subject they accept credit from will get you credit and/or exemption, and they accept from most subjects (the more substantial ones, anyway). So if you plan to go to public, you can probably get credit and/or exemption for a class there. The only colleges that do not accept 3s are usually more presitgious, high ranking schools like the Ivies, MIT, CalTech, etc.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, if you're curious about specific colleges, the college's website should provide info on which Grades they accept for which exams.</p>
<p>
Woah. Hold it. Not accepted into the same school? Almost everyone has told me that APs have little if anything to do with college applications and they're always meant to HELP you.</p>
<p>But the colleges I want to apply to all "big 10" don't look into that. It's all about grades, and act. Along with that they only accept a 4 or 5. So is there still a reason to take it?</p>