A 3 on an AP test with an A on the report cards translates to you had an easy teacher. To some degree, the standardized tests level the playing fields between high schools. So, if you are getting 3s on the AP tests while other kids are getting 5s from other high schools, those kids are clearly more prepared in that subject.
@bwaygirl1 I totally agree with what you are saying.
But colleges mostly compare students to their peers from their high school, not with other kids at other schools.
“But colleges mostly compare students to their peers from their high school, not with other kids at other schools.”
Of course they do.
My advice from post 3 stays the same. The only remedy for junior year grades is recovery first term senior year, which means skipping ED for reach schools. An ACT retake with a higher score would help a lot, too.
OP is “good but not great” – he could get a number of EA and rolling acceptances this fall that an ED to a high reach school would foreclose. The ED pool seems like better chances, but it’s really a self-selecting pool of solid applicants. In borderline cases, it’s too easy for adcoms to say, meh, we can find plenty of kids with B’s in the next round.
If the goal is a lot of good choices come March, ED to single a high reach school is not the way for this person to go.
For the most part, I totally agree that AOs compare you to peers in your own high school, but if your school gets a reputation for grade inflation, then that does not help anyone from your school. The lower standardized test scores combined with high grades is an indication that your school or even that one teacher inflates the grades.
Sorry about this , OP.
Iso, there are some fundamental- and risky- misconceptions floating around.
Adcoms do compare to other schools, for final decisions. Your hs’s best candidate may top others from that hs, but it’s not what leads to an admit, in the larger scheme. The kid at another area school may best them.
You are not required to report AP scores. But it is a very big part of review, for the highly and most competitive colleges. "Required’ and “savvy” are two different things. And this OP wants STEM, with a 2 in physics and 3s in calc and the sub score. A slew of B grades, throughout. * Including in the calc and physics courses.* in For engineering at Stanford, that’s pretty iffy. For humanities, too. If he doesn’t show some score the app, adcoms don’t assume it was a good score.
Right, no option to send scores officially. But the Common App has a section for self reporting.
“Most colleges put little attention to those exam scores in the admissions process.” But OP is asking about Stanford (!) and Duke- and on another thread, Yale. They pay attention. They will pick the kids they feel are the best of the best, in all the ways that matter to them. “…won’t be penalized…” He will be at a major disadvantage.
Ranking? He could be val in his hs and if he’s not showing strengths relative to the giant applicant pool, no hs standing or “compelling” essay will overcome the academics. Frankly, if he had this problem with physics and calc, but was stronger in humanities, that would be different.
Yes, we’re all recommending OP find matches and safeties. And yes, maybe he picks one reach to try, for the heck of it. But it has to be eyes wide open, aware he is in a less competitive position.
Are you looking at any LACs? Being an elite athlete would give you a significant advantage applying to NESCAC schools or Pomona/CMC I would think. And from those schools you can truly write your ticket, especially if you take advantage of their greater personal attention in order to cultivate your writing skills and expand your research experience. IMO, that would put you ahead of the game versus being a student that Stanford accepts with reservations. My friend played basketball at Duke and hated Coach K. Is he still there? Anyway, best of luck.