Low AP scores ... now what?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

I just received my AP scores back, and I basically bombed every test. I got a 2 in lang, physics 1 & us history … and a 3 in calc BC (with a AB subscore of a 4). I’m super disappointed in myself because I knew I could score higher. I wasn’t in the right mindset, as my boyfriend of two years broke up with me a week before AP exams started. I was heartbroken and my feelings got in the way of studying.

For college applications, these scores are going to look terrible. Is there any possible way to I guess “reverse” the downwards weight on these scores? I was thinking about taking subject tests in August in math II & Physics … maybe that would help if I scored fairly high? If it makes anything better I got 96+ final grades in each class… and my overall GPA is a 98.something. I’m also heavily involved in extracurriculars.

I’m not really too concerned about college credit. I received credit from a local college for all of these classes except Physics 1.

2

Fret not…colleges are much more concerned about your grades in those classes as opposed to the AP tests.

Why is that?

  1. Doing well in a class shows you can learn over the year and work hard over a period of time. That is what they want in college.
  2. Not all HS have many APs.
  3. Many people take AP tests senior year which is too late for admissions

For example, Stanford says:
Students currently enrolled in AP courses are not required to submit AP scores as part of our admission process. AP scores that are reported are acknowledged but rarely play a significant role in the evaluation of an application. Grades earned over the course of a term, or a year, and evaluations from instructors who can comment on classroom engagement provide us with the most detailed insight into a student’s readiness for the academic rigors of Stanford.
http://admission.stanford.edu/basics/selection/prepare.html

Where does this leave you?

  1. It tells you that you cannot place out of those classes in college…you will need to take them in college like many many other people do.
  2. Do not self report your scores