please help me, a question regarding the AP exam and college admissions

<p>So heres the deal... I took 4 aps this year. 3 of them im sure ill pass with a 5....the other i doubt i passed. I had a very easy teacher, and got an A in the class, but wasnt too prepared. To add to the mess, I was sick on test day with a throat ache. I was considering cancelling my score. How will colleges look upon this, and how much would it hurt admissions chances? Also, would the 'AP' next to course be removed if I was to cancel said AP test?</p>

<p>Thanks for any help,</p>

<p>C. Deutsch</p>

<p>Colleges don't even require AP scores to be sent, and if you do want to send them you have the option to have that one score omitted. </p>

<p>You'll still get the AP designation for the course, at most schools at least--check with yours specifically, but I've never heard of a school requiring a test for the designation before.</p>

<p>If colleges don't require I send it/ school gives me credit for it, what point does the AP exam offer (other than APing outta intro courses, which i wouldnt do regardless)? I would assume after taking the course, colleges would be expecting to see an AP exam grade? If i cancel it, how will it look to colleges, will it be a big negative?</p>

<p>no, it will not be a negative, they do not even want your scores until you get in. I think you should just leave it be, if it is high enough you could get credit for it.</p>

<p>i dont get it, dont colleges see my ap exam grades when i apply, as a basis for acception??</p>

<p>Ap exam scores really have very little impact, if any, on college admissions. You self-report the scores (no official report until you are admitted) which should tell you that they really don't care.</p>

<p>Taking AP classes (or IB classes, or honors, or whatever your school offers) demonstrates to colleges that you are taking the most rigorous classes offered -- and that is what they are looking for.</p>

<p>Most selective schools are looking for the SAT II subject tests -- and those scores will factor into college admissions.</p>

<p>so -- don't worry if you don't score well on an AP test. It isn't really an issue.</p>

<p>^^ Our school posts the AP exam grades in a box on the official transcript that they send to the admissions offices. I didn't realize this until we got the transcript. That was okay with us because my S did well on his exams, but it was a surprise, too.</p>

<p>Zebes</p>

<p>The colleges I'm applying to are unique regarding AP testing, at least going off what I read on CC. Most of them ask for my exam grade on the actual application, and I know for a fact that they use them for admissions decisions. I agree with that, even though I think a got a 3 on my only AP exam. What does a 100 in a class mean (which I don't have) if one gets a 2 on the exam? If you get an A in the class and a 2 on the exam, that indicates to the college that the class was probably not really an AP class.</p>

<p>Captain, you don't need to send a grade report to colleges when you apply.</p>

<p>All you do is self report your AP scores on your application (colleges believe in your honor to report the right scores). After you get into a college, you can send them an official grade report if you want to get credit for courses or place into higher ones and by then, a bad score won't matter (but if you are embarrassed, you can pay CB $10 to hide the exam and score so it looks like you never took the exam).</p>

<p>etselec: At my D's school All students taking an AP class have to take the AP Exams. The school register the students and you are dropped to hons. if the Exam is not taken.</p>

<p>If you don't send the official AP Score then the value of your school is worth your word only (only 2Cents).</p>

<p>If you send the official report then only the AP Courses will provide any benefit over the corresponding Hons. courses at your school.</p>

<p>otherwise your AP Class will be taken as at the same difficulty level as that of an Hons. class.</p>

<p>Where did you hear that from?</p>

<p>There is nothing to be heard, An AP has a value only if you are submitting your score otherwise it is as good as your school Honors classes.</p>

<p>This is very logical, if you or others on the board think differently then you and these people are wrong.</p>

<p>That is why most will tell you it doesn't make any impact on the admissions.</p>

<p>Certainly an AP without the official AP transcript will not make any difference as it is not considered as an AP.</p>

<p>So please get it straight it make sense to take an AP only if you are planning to submit your AP transcript with that subject score otherwise you might be better of taking an Hons. course and scoring high to boost your GPA.</p>

<p>a couple of points -- I agree, it doesn't make sense to take an AP class without taking the test. And some schools do have requirements to take the test and some put the scores on the transcript -- not all, so check. However, if your school indicated AP xxx on the transcript for the class -- and you received a low score, just don't report it. I can guarantee it won't be a big deal (unless you have 10 AP classes and no scores -- then it would look fishy)</p>

<p>As far as impact on college admissions -- I stand by what I said -- the impact of a particular student's scores is not nearly as important as many other factors. What is important is that you are taking the most rigorous curriculum available -- if your school only offers 2 AP classes, you can only take two. yes, you could self-study, but the only time I have heard an adcom mention self-studying an AP is if you have a desire to really learn that subject and you take the initiative to follow that desire -- self-studying 6 AP's doesn't really look like you are following a passion. It looks like you are trying to do anything possible to get into an IVY.</p>

<p>take a look at the common application (the one used to apply to many, many very selective and super selective schools). This is the instructions for reporting test scores:</p>

<p>"Be sure to note the tests required for each institution to which you are applying. The official scores from the appropriate testing agency must be submitted to each institution as soon as possible. Please self-report your test scores below. If you would also like to self-report your AP or IB scores, please list them in the Academic Honors section."</p>

<p>Clearly the SAT, ACT and SAT II are important tests -- they have a special section where the scores are written and you are required to have an official score sent. you have the option to self-report AP or IB test scores. I think it is pretty clear that these test scores have much less significance on the college application.</p>

<p>Starting next year (2007-2008) all AP classes must have had their curriculum audited by the College Board to have the distinction of AP on the transcript -- this is a way to standardize the level of curriculum. </p>

<p>Two points -- if colleges placed a great deal of importance in AP test scores, they would not allow self-reporting. Do you know any colleges that allow students to self-report GPA's, class rank, SAT scores? </p>

<p>second -- I have read that the average number of AP classes/tests of kids admitted to Stanford, Harvard and Yale is 5. So that means that there are plenty of kids being admitted with less (because we know that some kids have more)</p>

<p>A good link to read -- with pros and cons:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=97255%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=97255&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>and an article on how many AP classes your really need:</p>

<p>"Trevor Packer, executive director of the AP program, said he had spoken to a number of college officials about how many of the college-level courses were needed to impress admissions officers and prepare for the rigors of higher education. They told him that "three, four or five AP courses are sufficient" in a high school career, he said. Under that scenario, a student could max out with one AP course as a sophomore and two each in junior and senior years. "Beyond that, they are interested in seeing students participate in other activities."</p>

<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020600738.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020600738.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Don't forget that more and more colleges stop giving credit for AP courses. Example: Hopkins stopped giving credit for psych and humanities (just checked cause D took AP US History on Fri), yet when I went there credit was given for French, US History (and Calc BC). Rutgers, where D#1 will graduate from on Friday, gave her only 1 semester credit for an AP history test on which she scored a 4, even though they require a 3. They are very capricious about credit at Rutgers, in our experience.</p>

<p>Then why load with AP's. At my D's school the most rigors courses in any subject are APs. Then the only way to show that you took the most rigors courses are to take APs. How can you avoid?
Consider the following list of subjects and the offering:
Subject Regular (R), Hons. (H), AP </p>

<p>US History: R, H, AP
Euro History: AP
English: R, H, AP (language, literature)
Math: R, H, AP (calc AB, BC, Stat)
Physics: R, H, AP(B, C)
Chemistry: R, H, AP
Biology: R, H, AP
F. Language: R, H, AP
Comp Science: R, AP (A, AB)
Then there are post AP electives.</p>

<p>So if one has to take the most rigors courses. Then the minimu, set of APs are
History: 2 (AP US, Euro)
Math: 2 (AP calc BC, Stat)
Physics: AP C
Biology: AP
Chemistry: AP
English: 2 (AP lanuage, Literature)
F. Language: AP</p>

<p>Which means a minimum of 10 APs so I'm not sure what colleges mean by taking the most rigorous courses and then say average AP taken are 5.</p>

<p>Hasn't the rule changed now? If you submit your AP Transcript or SAT Subject tests transcript, all of your scores are available. I believe they changed it so you can't pick and choose anymore which score you can send.</p>

<p>Parent -- when the guidance counselor fills out the recommendation for the college application, there is a box they check. one of the options is "student has taken the most rigorous courseload offered" or something to that effect.</p>

<p>Ask your D's guidance counselor how many AP's are required to check that box -- for many, many schools as long as your take some AP classes (not every AP offered) that box gets checked and your student is considered to have taken the most rigorous courseload. </p>

<p>for many students, pursuing a higher level math course, and independent study in philosophy or taking marine biology would considered the most rigorous courseload -- even if they took only a few AP classes. It isn't a formula.</p>