<p>Hi guys, upon receiving my AP Exam scores, I was dissappointed to find that I made a grade of 3 in AP english language. I was simply wondering how much colleges will use this grade to caliber my english skills. Is there any way I can compensate for it? How significantly will it hurt my chances at top schools? Thanks</p>
<p>i think you will be fine.
i don't know what i got yet, but many kids from my school get 2's, 3's, some 4's or 5's and still get accepted at many top schools.</p>
<p>Colleges don't use AP scores in admissions, only in credit exemption.</p>
<p>Can that really be said though? I mean what if there is one student with say all A+s and 2300 SAT and 3s and 4s, but there is another student, with all A-'s with a 2300 with all 5's? And this is shown on the common app. Would adcoms be a bit curious as to the rigor of the AP course in the school, and then wouldn't that invalidate the grades received, or the most important part of admissions?</p>
<p>^ Um, yes, logically.However, you don't have to put your scores, and adcoms are not just going to asume that you did badly.</p>
<p>If you want to make sure that grade doesn't figure into admissions, just don't list it. It is not required for you to send AP scores to a college until after you matriculate...and even then, you can choose not to send any. However, keep in mind that the school will see the course on your transcript (and thus may wonder why you decided not to list the score...and may assume you received a grade even lower than a 3).</p>
<p>You don't have to report AP scores to colleges...</p>
<p>thus, a 3 is only as ugly as you make it...</p>
<p>I believe that if you don't report your score, it looks as if you're hiding something. I would report it.</p>
<p>^How do they know that you're hiding your score?</p>
<p>an ugly 3 lmao
man i got two 1's and im still going to MIT</p>
<p>A 3 in AP terms means "qualified" -- as in, qualified to handle college work in this area. The AP lists the designations on their website (a 4 is "well qualified" and a 5 is "very well qualified"). In addition to this, several years ago when I was taking the AP exams, most schools accepted 3s for college credit -- it is only in recent years that the most elite colleges have stopped accepting 3s and only take 4s and 5s. The majority of schools still take a 3 in at least some areas for credit.</p>
<p>And anyway, as someone mentioned AP exams scores are not to be used for admissions; they're for placement and credit purposes. That whole hypothetical situation about AP scores invalidating grades is not true in the majority of cases. Adcoms know that getting a high score on the AP exam involves so many other factors besides just knowing the material and that it is entirely possible to know something and get a 1-3 on the exam.</p>
<p>Don't worry about it. A score of 3 is better than no score at all.</p>
<p>^^ On this issue, token and I disagree. A 3 in English Lit for a Harvard app will not help at all, and will likely hurt the app, particularly since H sees so many 4's & 5's. Thus, it is not better than no score at all; IMO, it is worse. Better to ignore it than to point it out. At best the adcom skimming over the app doesn't notice a score 'missing'. At worst, s/he assumes you didn't score well or didn't take the test at all. </p>
<p>I'd love to hear an admissions person's take on this....</p>
<p>Did the OP mention applying to Harvard? Having been to a Harvard information session in my town in May, and at Harvard's campus in February, I'm not sure I agree even that a 3 will "hurt the app," even at Harvard. That's because I heard a Harvard admission officer say at the February meeting in front of a large audience that Harvard has no minimum score requirements, period.</p>
<p>I agree with quanta - I went back and forth about whether to report my AP scores because of a glaring "1" (out of 11 AP tests) and finally decided it would give a human touch to my otherwise gold-plated application to go ahead and report it. I have no idea if they even noticed or if it made any difference, but in two weeks I am heading to USC with a Presidential scholarship (accepted at UC Berkeley and UCLA as well). I say report it!</p>
<p>Thank you tocollege, exact same situation. And for these claims about it hurting Harvard chances. I also got into Harvard. Albeit they were not in AP English Lit or Lang (4 and 5 respectively). Still...</p>
<p>
[quote]
That's because I heard a Harvard admission officer say at the February meeting in front of a large audience that Harvard has no minimum score requirements
[/quote]
</p>
<p>At a certain level (perhaps it's sub-400?), any admission officer will question whether an applicant can do the work. They have de facto minimums for the masses, i.e., unhooked candidates, but the standard playbook says they don't any minium so they can admit the hooked candidate.</p>
<p>Congratulations, quanta!</p>
<p>Hmmm... It has been shown that it is possible to be admitted to top-thirty universities (UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC) and to TIPPITY-top-ten universities (MIT, Harvard) reporting ONES on AP tests. So if you don't get into your top choices, freeyomind, you can't blame your "three." Good luck!</p>
<p>haha nice summary
and congrats to you too tocollege! goodluck at USC (UCBerk + UCLA very impressive too)</p>
<p>I agree with everyone besides bluebayou
I say, report it. It will hurt only minimally, if at all. Plus, if you get 4's and 5's on everything else, you're completely fine.</p>