<p>However, some colleges do request pre-senior AP scores for admissions purposes.</p>
<p>Your AP scores put your performance in class in perspective. Yeah, your scores aren’t as impressive as straight 5s on the same exams, but a mix of 4s and 5s demonstrates that you know your sh1t and certainly strengthens your application</p>
<p>My AP World score was 5 but my grade was first semester D-/2nd semester F+. I put in tons of work but my class had terrible grade deflation. The other teacher had terrible grade inflation and there were kids with A+ that got 3 on the test.</p>
<p>Correcting a previous poster: Caltech accepts NO AP credits. MIT actually accepts a fair amount, but they give you a non specific GE credit for them, so they are of limited use. (my son was accepted at both, so we looked into this)</p>
<p>Just because you do not send in your AP scores until after you are accepted, that does not mean a school does not care about your scores. Many top schools ask you to self report them. And dont some schools put them on your transcript. </p>
<p>SATs are more important because they are available to everyone. Adcoms realize that one school might offer every single AP exam, while another school may only offer two. If similar students apply from the above two examples, and they both have two AP exams, the kid from the school that only offers two is going to look a lot better. </p>
<p>I also agree with the posters that say a discrepancy between your class grade and your AP score does tell a lot about your class and the type of student you are.</p>
<p>Regarding the OPs orginal question - there is one factor you left off: what AP exams were actually taken. Were they difficult ones? </p>
<p>My son had 7 AP exams by the end of his Junior year. All 5s and mostly tough classes. My daughter just got her scores back yesterday, so she has 9 by the end of her junior year, but there is a 3 and a 4 in there. She also took some easier classes than he did. He took Physics C, she took B. He took CS AB, she took CS A. </p>
<p>Also - it is true that no school will recind for bad AP scores in that senior year. Also, they will not recind if you do not take the AP test at all. Check to see what you will get credit for, and if you can get out of taking the tests, go for it. And dont drive yourself nuts studying for a test that will not give you credit. My son did not take his Senior AP exams, which made for a more pleasant year. I am hoping my daughter will take the same route.</p>