<p>My DD (Class 2011 - 3.7 weighted - applying NW schools, UO, UPS, UW) is scheduled to take her AP Environmental Science test tomorrow and I know she is not ready, at all! Her grade in the class is 81%, and she has been focused on two other AP tests. </p>
<p>Is is better to withold the score now (deadline June 15th), wait for the score and leave it blank on the college app, or just take it as it comes and report the score. It would be a miracle if she passes this one. </p>
<p>Thank you for all your input. This board is great for opinions and wisdom from those who have been through similar circumstances.</p>
<p>Not taking the test is not an option at her public high school...test is mandatory.</p>
<p>Don’t do anything until after she actually takes it tomorrow. If she is convinced she did horribly afterwards - you can either cancel the score without knowing what it was or just wait for the report and not self-report it on her apps if it is below a 3. Keep in mind that AP test scores are not supposed to be part of the college admissions process.</p>
<p>My advice is to reserve judgment until after the test. You daughter may think she’s unprepared now, but she may come out of the test with the feeling that she aced it.</p>
<p>I’ve noticed that this depends partly on the quality of the teacher. I’ve seen kids get a C in the class but a 5 on the test, a reflection of the teacher’s high standards. Hopefully your daughter will be one of those kids!</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of any but the very, very top schools holding a low AP test score against an applicant. I think most colleges will view it as evidence that she has challenged herself, and it will count in her favor, or neutral at worst. And while she can self-report her scores if they help, no one requires them as part of the application process, so not reporting them shouldn’t hurt at all.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t cancel the score under any circumstances. </p>
<p>My younger son came out of World History convinced he’d done horribly, instead he got a 5. The curves are such that you can get a lot of wrong answers and still score well. In my son’s case I think he also managed to write a pretty good essay about something he was totally unprepared for for one of the essays. He hadn’t taken into account there probably wasn’t a single kid in the country who had prepared for the off the wall question that was given out that year. In addition my son’s teacher did not care for my son (and vice versa) which I think played into my son’s judgment of his chances. His teacher gave him lower scores on all his practice exam essays.</p>
<p>Colleges will ask you to self report the scores on your applications. There are two schools of thoughts about whether you are obliged to report all of them. Colleges admissions officers have regularly told the audiences they care much more about the fact that you challenged yourself by taking the AP course, than the actual score on the test.</p>
<p>Thank you for your replies…I will wait and see how she feels after the test. In all honesty, I thinks it is better to report the score regardless of the outcome. I agree that it is also partly a reflection on the teacher’s ability to prep the class. She currently has 3 AP classes, one teacher has been prepping for the past month, one didn’t prep the kids at all. </p>
<p>Don’t cancel. If she does not like the score, she does not have to report it on her college applications. the vast majority of schools only use AP scores for credit or class placement, they use the SAT Subject Matter Tests for admissions. She is likely more prepared than she realizes. Make sure she gets some good rest and a full breakfst tomorrow.</p>
<p>Don’t cancel the score. I’ve also had my D come out of a test convinced that she got a 1 and she got a 4 or 5 Also, since your D is a junior, she doesn’t have to send an official score to anyone. Even on her apps. The only time they have to send an official score is after senior year to the school they choose to matriculate at if they will be used for placement or credit. So don’t worry.</p>
<p>i actually asked “dean j” on the university of virginia board if not reporting ap scores on the application is held against you. she said “i’d wonder why it wasn’t reported” but wouldn’t hold it against you. it seems to me, though, that if you’re wondering then you probably ARE holding it against the applicant.</p>
<p>At the most competitive schools, I say you should assume that everything that can be held against you, will be held against you. When you have 10,000 perfect applicants for 2,000 openings, you have to discriminate somehow—a 3 instead of a 5 on an AP test, that B+ in Advanced Biomaterials Engineering. However, the schools the OP listed aren’t going to be that cutthroat.</p>
<p>Frankly if the exam were for AP Calculus, or AP French, or AP US History, or one or two of the other core tests then it would matter. But it’s for AP Environmental Science – at best an elective. I don’t think it makes any difference what she does.</p>
<p>I checked this out after taking my APUSH test and I was terribly worried at the time (sweaty palms while writing out the essays and all that) but the AP test curves are generally very generous. I imagine if you Google around you’ll be able to find the official scoring method that Collegeboard uses. It may not be as bad as she thinks…a 70% on a normal test is obviously bad, but on an AP test (multiple choice section) that could net you a 5.</p>
<p>Last year, my son was sure he bombed the Physics AP test. He got a 5. Sometimes, high performing students are overly negative about their performance. She may do great!</p>
<p>My daughter was really challenged by Calc BC, thought it was a really tough class, and thought she just did “all right” on the AP test; she scored a 5. It is hard to predict AP scores. Your D may surprise herself.</p>
Also, since your D is a junior, she doesn’t have to send an official score to anyone. Even on her apps. The only time they have to send an official score is after senior year to the school they choose to matriculate at if they will be used for placement or credit. So don’t worry.</p>