Why am I getting the AP scores that I'm getting

Test Preparation
1

Hey everyone,

I’m having a little bit of trouble understanding why I’m getting the AP scores that I’m getting.

I just graduated high school with a 2.9 uw GPA (3.7 UC GPA), and I do pretty poorly in my AP classes…but for some reason I do fairly well on the exams. I’m not complaining or anything, but it just ends up happening like that.

Here are some examples:

In 11th grade, I got a D/C in APUSH…but a 4 on the exam. While some friends of mine got Bs and scored 2s/3s.

This year, I got a D/B in AP Physics 1, and I got a 3 on the exam. While a friend of mine who got an A both semesters also got a 3.

In Statistics, I got a B/C, but got a 4 on the exam…while a close friend of mine got an A/A and studied really hard for the exam, but also got a 4. Second semester, I had the lowest grade in the class of 30…and three people failed the exam while I got a 4 (my teacher actually told me that I probably wouldn’t pass, telling me that I’d have a 10% chance at passing).

BUT, in AP Psych, I worked hard and got an A, but only got a 4 on the exam…and I studied my arse off for that exam. Same with AP Govt, and I’m planning on majoring in Poli Sci.

I got a D in Global Science freshman year, and this year self-studied AP ES for three hours, and got a 3.

I actually passed 6 AP exams this year, while maintaining mostly Bs and Cs.

And it’s not like I’m a great test taker anyway. I got like a 1650 on the SAT, and took Alg 2 as a Junior. Heck, I got a C in that class, and conned my way into AP Stats, but still passed with a 4.

Anyway, how do AP tests even work? Why did this happen to me? Again, not complaining or anything, it felt nice to pass 8 exams Junior and Senior year, but wow.

2

You’re smart, but you’re incredibly lazy

3

Either your teacher deflates your grades or you never do your homework or projects.

4

In class, do you do well on tests, but blow off the assignments and projects?

5

There are good test takers but bad students in classes. As your classmates do not see the thing, it is likely your problem rather than your school’s grading system.

6

It could just be that your teachers grade harshly or go in depth on the topics so it prepares you well for the AP test.

7

I don’t think it’s that I’m a good test taker. I got a 1650 on the SAT.

I usually do really poorly on exams. In APUSH, I remember one of my friends always performing a whole grade letter above than me on exams, but getting a 3 on the AP test. That class had like a 70% pass rate, and a B average—and I got a 4 with a C- average.

8

AP Tests are more conceptual and “understanding” based rather than memorization. Nearly all teacher in-class assessments demand fact recall.
This is why you see kids who get As in the class but 3 on the AP.

9

Sure, that may be the case with US Government, math, English, and some other subjects–but with classes like history and psych, it’s not the case…I think.