<p>I am referring to AP scores specifically. My school offers quite a few AP/IB classes and I've taken most of them, but have not taken many AP exams. How will this weigh into the admissions process? Comparatively, how much do AP scores matter compared to SAT/ACT scores and ECs and such?</p>
<p>Many deans of admissions said that anything below a 5 displays a severe lack of knowledge in that field because of the generous curve in ap exams. They further implied that they would reject someone with a 4 or below.</p>
<p>I’d say you need to look at each colleges stats and see what they say about how they weigh AP scores. I actually don’t believe the scores matter as much as the level of classes you are taking at your school and how rigorous the program is. My S is going to UPenn and he decided to skip 3 of the AP tests as they weren’t accepted at UPenn for his program anyways (yes he knew he was accepted by then).</p>
<p>From what I’ve read, it’s not really looked on favorably to have taken an AP class and not taken the test. It’s a different story if you’ve taken the test and got either a 1 or 2. You’re better off having them assume you didn’t take the test.</p>
<p>In terms of weight in the admissions process, I think they’re kind of like a nice bonus since they’re not required. However, if you’re applying to more selective schools, you’re almost expected to have taken these kinds of classes if you’ve had the opportunity to do so.</p>
<p>AP scores do not really figure in your admissions process since most schools don’t have them as a requirement for admission. They might look at you a bit more kindly if you took the tests and did well but they don’t want to shortchange students from a vast number of schools out there that don’t offer any APs.</p>
<p>Good scores (5s) are needed for you to get any credit for them at top schools if you are admitted.</p>
<p>@texaspg, would it be better to omit scores that are less than a 4/5 on the Common App then?</p>
<p>I say it depends on what colleges you apply to.</p>
<p>Top-20 schools then…</p>
<p>AP tests are not designed as college entrance exams, and I don’t know of any colleges that require them for admissions, or say they are any kind of significant factor in admissions. The one qualification to that is that a few schools have gone “test-flexible” and will allow you to substitute AP test scores for other standardized test scores. Examples are NYU and Bryn Mawr, but there may be others. </p>
<p>The upshot is, great AP test scores are not going to get you into any college. And less-than-stellar AP test scores are probably not going to keep you out of any college. If your AP scores are not great, don’t report them. If you’ve taken a lot of AP classes and don’t report AP test scores it may raise an eyebrow, but at the end of the day your application will rise or fall on the strength of the information you present, and they can’t very well hold you to account for the absence of information they don’t require.</p>
<p>I’ve never ever heard of what Danny Nobel asserts. Maybe he was being sarcastic?</p>
<p>They have no bearing on admission.</p>
<p>`Here is one way that I’ve heard they may influence the process: my HYP alma mater noted that an area urban HS had many AP classes offered but few students were getting 4s or 5s. This brought into question the actual rigor of the classes/instructors. (It also didn’t help that the AP English instrutor’s Rec Letters were rife with grammatical errors). Again, this was taken in context – since the HS was known to inflate AP offerings, their students’ continual scoring of 4s and 3s was not a strike against them. But it makes me wonder if they then had the expectation of 4s and 5s for students of more-resourced high schools. However, this is my guess only.</p>
<p>^I wonder if having fives from a school where not many students get fives helps then?</p>
<p>By inference – in the context of my scenario – I think it would, stressedoutt.</p>
<p>“They have no bearing on admission” – that is completely wrong. Lots of ccers like to think this to make them feel better about not doing well on some aps I guess, but top schools DO look at your AP scores. Yes, they aren’t as important as SAT IIs, for example, because not all students have the opportunity to take an AP test, but getting 6 5s is gonna look a lot better than 3 3s and 3 2s. Plus, if you are allowed to tell them your scores on the common app, what makes you think that they wouldn’t look at them?</p>
<p>““They have no bearing on admission” – that is completely wrong. Lots of ccers like to think this to make them feel better about not doing well on some aps I guess, but top schools DO look at your AP scores. Yes, they aren’t as important as SAT IIs, for example, because not all students have the opportunity to take an AP test, but getting 6 5s is gonna look a lot better than 3 3s and 3 2s. Plus, if you are allowed to tell them your scores on the common app, what makes you think that they wouldn’t look at them”</p>
<p>…only going by my D’s experience (Cornell & U of Rochester) they were not required, asked for, & since she had 3’s & 4’s, I don’t think they were considered in admissions. SAT II’s for that matter didn’t seem to be weighed at all either.</p>
<p>I go with csdad. It is not a requirement for admission. However, if you have good scores that you are putting down on your common app, it does add value to your application. The real issue would be if you got 2 5s, 3 4s, 3 3s and a 2 and want to apply to Harvard with that on your common app (lets say you don’t mention the 2).</p>
<p>If Harvard only gives you credit for a 5 but a lower tier school (lets stay your State school) gives credit like AP says (3 is a pass), do you want to put all of them on your common app or only 5s or 5s and 4s if you are applying to State U and Harvard?</p>
<p>If your goal is to impress a Harvard adcom, I would say leave all of them out (disclosing 2 5s won’t get you any closer but disclosing the rest might make it detrimental and could be considered lying too for leaving some info out). OTOH, you have reached one of the AP milestone honors, you can just mention that as an honor and leave out the scores.</p>
<p>I think it varies by school. Harvard says they’ll consider AP test scores and any other non-required test scores that “help us form a complete picture of an applicant’s academic interests and strengths.” Yale says, more or less, don’t bother us with anything that we don’t require, because our evaluation is going to be based on the required elements of the application.</p>
<p>"Many deans of admissions said that anything below a 5 displays a severe lack of knowledge in that field because of the generous curve in ap exams. They further implied that they would reject someone with a 4 or below. " DN</p>
<p>Those deans of admissions lied.</p>
<p>MIT told me that it would raise an eyebrow if a student was getting As and Bs in the class but ended up with a poor (read: 3 or below) score on the exams. I wanted to ask her about the converse (poor grades, good scores), but forgot.</p>
<p>I think the idea that it has no bearing on admissions is without much credence. They can and will use what’s in front of them, or the lack thereof.</p>