Is there any benefit at all to sending AP scores with your application, or is it best just to save the money and send to the college to which one is admitted? Thanks.
No benefit. Save your money & only send them if you need to for getting credit or to skip intro level classes.
The applications usually ask for the scores and you report them on an honor system basis. It’s likely that your teacher or GC recommendations may mention any particularly good scores.
A few schools my D applied to did want an official score report. It can’t hurt to send them if it isn’t a burden for you to send them. Ask the admissions offices.
It is a waste of money to send official scores to schools you are just applying to. In many cases the registrars office receives AP scores not the Admissions office so your scores won’t be seen by admissions
Only send them once you know where you are going to matriculate. It saves money and then when you register for classes, you may get credit or advanced standing for good scores. You can self report your scores on the Common App, but most schools don’t require them as part o their admissions process.
As an aside, my sister is a HS teacher and at her school, AP scores go on their students’ transcripts.
One school where my son applied required any combo of 2 SAT II’s or AP scores. My S didn’t take any SAT IIs so we sent a report there. Otherwise, as others have commented it’s a waste of money. And, by the time he/she takes AP tests senior year, they will likely know where they are going and can get a free report sent to the school they are attending (the kid does this by marking it on their test form at the first AP test of the season their senior year).
I read on other threads that colleges might think it’s weird that you’re not sending your scores to them even though you’ve taken the class. Am I correct in assuming that they would start thinking this only after you’ve accepted to go there and still don’t send your scores in? They don’t think any less of you if you don’t send it in with your application, right? Or should I tell my high school to send unofficial transcripts of my test scores to all the colleges I’m applying to? This is what I’m the most confused about right now!!!
You self-report the scores to date on the Common Application. Then when you know where you are going, you send the official test scores to the one school.
Is self-reporting required? And do I have to report everything?
^^no and no.
BUT if you took AP classes and did not report your scores, ad cons at competitive colleges may question why you did not report the scores and thus how well you actually understood the material. MAY.
No and no. However, 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.
Thanks @menloparkmom and @skieurope!!