So I got back my AP comp sci score and i got a 1… Yeah it’s terrible and I’m really mad at myself but I cancelled the score as soon as i got it so it won’t be on any future reports. That’s a good idea right?! I felt obliged to cancel it because I got a 1!! Also, I got an A- in the class and ironically enough, this summer I’m doing a computer science internship. What will colleges like duke, brown, Upenn etc. think when they see I don’t have an ap score down for comp sci but I’m doing a comp sci internship?? Will they know I did badly? Will it hurt me at all? Do you think I should take it again my senior year?
They won’t care if you don’t send them the AP score.
No need to worry! Colleges do not care about the AP exams during admissions. The only thing AP scores help you with is placing you in classes once you have already been admitted into your college. Also the AP score only tells so much. Schools like duke, Brown, and upenn will be more interested in YOU and what you got out of the class. So maybe in an interview say why you liked that class and what you learned about yourself by taking it. And they won’t ask your score in an interview so don’t worry about that. Hey will be much more interested in your science internship because that is much more interesting! And don’t take it again senior year, take another class. Schools want to see that you are challenging yourself and trying new things. Hope this helped! Good luck!
AP scores carry little to no weight in the admissions process; they are primarily used for credit and/or placement. Having said that, if you don’t self report the score and the class appears on your transcript, colleges may assume that:
• Financial hardship prevented you from taking the exam
• You were not motivated enough to take the exam
• You took the exam and performed poorly (1 or 2)
The first one will not affect your 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.
Agreed with skieurope ^^
It is better it put nothing than to put the 1. I guess the class didn’t prepare you for the exam. Also I doubt any of them accept AP comp sci for credit, Brown does not.
If you don’t send them the score they won’t know you did badly. It’s possible they might suspect it, but there are enough people who take AP courses that never take the AP test that they likely won’t automatically assume that you scored poorly.
I have to disagree with those who are saying that AP scores don’t matter in admissions. While they are not a large factor I can say for certain that a low AP score in a course where the student received a high grade can lead admissions officers to question the rigor of the course (or the grading thereof). If the admissions officer has access to these scores it will have some influence on their decision. Don’t get me wrong, you would be far better off, admissions wise, getting an A in the course and a 1 on the AP than a C in the course and a 5 on the AP exam, but the only time that AP scores have no effect on admissions is if the admissions officer never sees it.
There are some kids at my Ds high school that take the AP course but don’t take the exam. My D took all of the exams except AP LIt her senior year. Her university will only accept a 5 in either AP Lit or AP Lang in order to get out of a semester of a full year (required) writing seminar. Since she got a 5 on AP Lang as a junior, she opted out of the Lit exam and saved me $87! And she only has to take one semester of the freshman writing seminar.