Will self-reporting no AP scores destroy or atleast diminish my chances in any way for schools, let’s say top 20? I took 4 APs so far. Will colleges contact my GC if they’re suspicious (because my family’s income is pretty low, but I don’t know if admission officers will know about my financial status)?
bump
The guidance counselors at my school tell everyone that taking AP exams is important because colleges can be suspicious as to why AP courses are listed on transcripts yet no scores were reported. If I were you, I would somehow include the reason behind why you have not taken AP exams. You could ask your counselor to include it in his/her recommendation. I would use the “Additional Information” section of the Common App to explain that you were unable to take AP exams due to your family’s financial status. Doing so would allow admissions officers to realize that you had a legitimate reason as to why you did not take (and therefore report) the AP exams.
If the class appears on the transcript as AP, I’d recommend reporting the score, particularly if it is a 3+. Withholding scores may cause the AO, especially at the uber-selective colleges, to assume that:
• Financial hardship prevented the student from taking the exam
• The student was not motivated enough to take the exam
• The student took the exam and performed poorly (1 or 2)
The first one will not affect the application; the last 2 may raise an eyebrow. AO’s can, and have, contacted GC’s to explain why there are no AP scores reported on the application.
@LionKing2398 @skieurope If I mention somewhere on my app that I had a disadvantage because of my financial status, will they contact my GC regardless? Or in other words, to what extent will they feel the need to contact my school/GC?
They may or may not contact your GC anyway; there is just no way to tell. You can certainly include your reasoning in your application. However, even schools with need-blind admissions can ballpark guess an applicant’s socioeconomic status from the application.
@skieurope Well in my case, I live in a well-off/wealthy community compared to other places and I’m first-gen.