Should I Be Concerned About My AP Exam Scores?

Applying to College
1

These are pretty rough:
-AP Biology: 4
-AP BC Calculus: 3 (AB subscore of 3)

I thought I could at least get a 5 on Bio and at least a 4 on Calc, but clearly that didn’t happen :frowning:

I have a year left before college apps. If I’m trying to apply to top schools like HYPS+ with an intended biology major, how much will these impact my admission? How should I offset these scores? Will 800s on the SAT Subject Tests offset them even though AP and SAT Subject Tests aren’t really the same thing? Should I retake any exams?

Thanks :smiley:

2

Those aren’t rough and AP scores don’t hold that much weight in admissions. You don’t even have to report them if you don’t want to. If your grades in those classes were good, you’re fine.

3

Yeah @ahardboiledegg has it. Nothing to worry about, and if you really want, you could simply not self-report them in the Common App.

4

Calling a score of 4 rough is a bit disingenuous, IMO; it’s a very good score. That said, AP scores carry little, if any, weight in the admissions process. You’re fine.

5

What happens when you get your first B or C in a college class? Will that make you feel worthless? Those scores are good enough to get credit at most of the schools that offer credit. Some kids don’t even have the opportunity to take AP classes! Stop worrying about being “the best,” and start thinking about how you will contribute to your college. Admissions is less about what you can get out of the college experience, and more about what you can contribute to the community while you’re there.

6

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