Hi everyone!
I’m just curious how much my AP scores will help me in the college admissions process.
So far, I have gotten:
AP Calculus BC: 5, AB subscore: 5
AP World History: 5
AP US History: 5
AP English Language: 5
AP Environmental Science: 4
My unweighted GPA is a 4.0, and my dream schools are Dartmouth, Brown, Tufts, and Cornell. I intend to major in history and political science.
Any comments or insight?
Your input will be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
AP scores apparently are not really considered by top colleges. This is due to the fact that not all schools offer APs, or the test is not required at schools that offer APs, or not all students can afford the tests. The scores will be noted. They will not make or break your application. Of course good scores are a positive thing.
That is not quite the case, my daughter substituted her subject test scores with her AP scores since her subject tests weren’t that great but her AP scores were 5’s. Can’t tell you if it helped but she was accepted at her to first choice school. Also AP scores are the most important for U.K. schools.
Not relevant to the Original Poster. One can count on one hand the colleges in the US that allow AP scores in lieu of Subject Tests, but glad it worked out for your daughter.
Not relevant to the Original Poster.
Zero. Those colleges all have very low acceptance rates and will have many many applicants that have straight 5’s/4.0/1600. Certainly it’s better than having no 5’s, but it’s not a boost for those colleges.
As @skieurope indicates, the competitive nature of the schools you have listed where most applicants will have similar high stats across the board keeps you in the game. Keep up the good work to get you to the gate…once you apply, your essays and other factors (and lots of luck) will get you through said gate. Good luck!
@skieurope most colleges do not “officially” take AP scores in lieu of subject tests, but more and more top colleges are making subject tests optional. If you don’t submit subject tests and you have 5’s from your junior year on AP tests it absolutely behooves you to submit those AP scores as “additional info” and it most cases AO’s wont think twice about the why you didn’t submit subject tests, and I have been told by more than one AO that the subject tests are the least considered.
Also, so you know that the OP is not interested in UK schools???
It shouldn’t make or break you. I’m happy that less and less colleges are continuing to give AP credit. Its good financially for those who do get 4’s and 5’s, but its certainly better if you get to experience the course in college and develop a full understanding of it - not the AP exam course curriculum that most teachers in the US have to utilize to teach AP exams.
OP did not mention UK unis in the first post or in his/her other 7 threads, so while I made an assumption, it’s a safe one.