Will AP Scores affect my chances of majoring in that?

Applying to College
1

Hello all,

So I’m currently a Junior and I just received my AP Scores and to say the least, I am not happy and nor will my parents be.

I got a 3 on my AP Computer Science Exam.

Now, I was extremely disappointed by the results. In the class I got a B on my first semester but later raised it up to a A-. I thought everything was going well and that I would AT LEAST receive a 4. I felt confident about the exams too, I don’t think I would have messed up too hard.

With all that being said, I wanted to major in Computer Science, but with a score like this, would it still be possible to major in Computer Science? The schools will see that I took computer science and see that I would like to major in it, but will it affect my chances of Applying to that college with grades and an AP Score like this?

I was planning to apply to very competitive schools like Princeton and Cornell, so how does this affect my chances of getting into them under the major I wish to pursue? Please let me know.

2

You’re not required to report AP scores on your application. Since a 3 won’t help your case for admission at highly selective schools, leave it off your application.

That said, AP scores don’t carry very much weight in the admission process even in normal times, and it’s possible that they’ll matter even less in the current admission cycle, given the disruption caused by the pandemic.

3

Computers is so diverse, it doesn’t make a bit of difference. CS is a ridiculously employable degree, and it prestige is utterly meaningless. Plus, you don’t want to start a career with mountains of debt from a prestigious school. The debt would far exceed any perceived salary bump benefit you might get from it. After about 3 years of experience, employers don’t even ask where you went to school.