Hello everyone,
I have one small question, I’m going to take the AP Biology exam this Friday, I’m like 85% sure I will not do good on it (My teacher has yet to “teach - show videos” for the last unit and I just hate biology), so if I get a bad grade on it and do not retake it next year (hate it + 5 or 6 APs next year), and I do not submit the score. If I want to apply to a school like MIT, how much will not giving them the score hurt my application? What about in the schools a little less selective (UNCCH or something)? I would like to go into CS if that matters, so Bio isnt exactly needed for my major.
Ultimately, each school has different criteria. GPA is typically most important but for the top schools also is rigor. If you take AP, it’s great. If you don’t submit a score, they’ll wonder why.
Not sure if you’re from NC or not - but schools like UNC, for example, for out of state, are just as hard to get into as others.
I would focus on doing what you can to do well. You might surprise yourself. There are guides to study, videos to watch. My daughter thought the same as you with Env Science - learned nothing - yet got a 5.
Take the test, see how you do, see how your overall portfolio of work (classes, etc.) is.
Apply for the reach schools (MIT is a reach for EVERYONE)…but make sure you have those target schools (ones you are most likely…but not 100% in) and then a few safeties. If cost an issue, make sure those safeties typically provide good merit.
If you have a nice list of 8 or 10…or some kids like my daughter go to 20…you’ll find the right school for you. Will it be MIT? Likely not - few get in. But you can try.
The Ivies are just a marketing gimmick, etc. There’s a million kids applying for few spots because they are “trained” to think it’s best.
The best school for you is out there - don’t worry.
Focus on the AP test - and not about what a bad score will or won’t do. have a good attitude and you’ll surprise yourself.
Thank you so much for the response! I am definitely focusing on the AP and trying to study the hardest I can - Biology is hard. I definitely do not think that MIT is a match or anything close to that, it is a very far reach, just was really wondering how much a bad score might affect the admission because I do know that in a little less selective schools, the AP exam scores are not a very big factor, but I do not know with a school like MIT.
MIT is a match for no one - not a single person in America.
It might be unrealistic - but nothing wrong with reaching for a few schools as long as you build a proper list including matches and safeties.
What will you study? What can you afford - or do you need aid (need or merit)? What’s your GPA? ACT/SAT? How many APs will you finish with? How many does your school offer.
Typically schools won’t even know your scores at the time you apply. You don’t submit until after you’ve been accepted, usually no later than July. You SIR by May 1.
Oh yeah, I can definitely see that MIT is nowhere near a match for any of the smartest high schoolers - read the “Applying sideways” article and that proved it to me.
I am going to study Computer Science. I do not really have a restriction in terms of money, and I am for sure not getting any need-based aid. Merit based would be beneficial, of course, but not required.
My GPA is 4.0 UW and 4.44 W (my school is weird where if you have an A, no matter high A or low A, you get a 4.0).
I do not currently know my SAT, but on a practice exam for which I have never studied for I got 1350, and I am taking the SAT June 5th, going to study for it right after the Bio exam (hopefully after some tries will get a 1500+).
As for APs, my school only has 6 year long classes, so that might play a role, but by the end of Senior year (I am a sophomore right now), I am going to finish with 10-11 APs from classes, I also technically self studied for AP Gov (It was a class but it counted only as honors, not AP) and I will maybe self study for AP CompSci Principles. My school is a small charter school and apparently “one of the best” high schools in NC. It offers 20 APs counting the Art and language APs.
So you got a great one at home - NC State. Likely a match although I’m not sure on tests scores.
Va Tech is close - little merit - maybe a match.
Miami Florida has merit- you’re likely a match. So does Miami Ohio (you’ll get in), South Carolina, Alabama - big $$.
You mentioned MIT - if you want smaller NE - there’s WPI and RPI. If you want focused, there’s Rose Hulman. If you want big state schools, start with NC State.
Yeah, I was looking at NC State, UNC, some in-state options.
Thank you so much for the college suggestions! I really appreciate it!
Also, one small question - what is NE? You said if I wanted smaller NE.
Northeast. I’d surmise NC State is better in CS than UNC but sure.
Since you mentioned MIT, you have your RPI and your WPI that are tech focused and very well thought of. There are mixed reviews on the social aspect of RPI though. You may also look at Case Western in Cleveland (they give good aid).
My son applied to all three and got good money from all of them. He didn’t attend, but of the three, for him, WPI was clearly the gem. He almost chose it over the school he ended up at.
I don’t think any of them are as generous as they were in 2014 when he was applying.
Ah I see. Yeah I think NC State has a better engineering/CS department.
And thank you so much! I will definitely look into those colleges!
Thank you so much again!
If you do plan to self study for computer science principles, you also have to submit a performance task, which is around 30% of your final grade. The performance task is 2 parts, a video of your project running & a written response about how your program runs. The program also has to meet a few requirements, but self studying for AP CSP isn’t that hard.
Also, I have some notes from my AP Bio class. PM me which unit and I can send them to you if you’d like.
But none of them are reported until the student decides where to report them to. Every school in the nation doesn’t get every AP score. If the student is worried about it impacting their application, they can report after, if at all.
Yeah I can definitely choose not to report them, I’m just thinking about how the school will see that I took the class but didn’t submit the AP Exam score and wonder why I didn’t and how that will impact me.
Bottom line is that you’ve taken the course and will be taking the test. How not submitting a score will or won’t impact you is out of your control and there’s nothing you can do to influence it.
Worry about things you can control, like your performance on the test.
