Hi! This is my first time posting here so if I’m posting in the wrong thread, I’m sorry.
I was wondering if it would look bad on college applications if I took the AP course but not the exam. Are you required to take it? For reference, I’ve got my eye on Temple University. Do you think they would look down on having not taken the exam? Thanks!
Only if your HS requires you to take it.
Doubtful, particularly if it’s a one-off. If you’re taking 4 AP classes and no AP exams though, it may (or may not) raise an eyebrow.
That makes sense. Thanks
My son didn’t take one AP exam for a class he took. He knew he wouldn’t do well on it and the college he was going to didn’t require that class so he just took his A in the class and called it a day. No one questioned it and he got good scholarship money offers from several colleges. You should be ok.
That really eases my tensions. Thanks, @momocarly 
On the other hand, what is the harm in taking an AP test?
AP test scores aren’t really used in admissions.
If you do well enough you may get credit. If you don’t you don’t.
I would say if you are taking 4 APs and want to take 3 exams, then fine, skip one and focus on the others.
But if you were taking 1 AP…go ahead and take it.
I agree, there really isn’t any harm in taking some of them. I’m going to take some AP courses in senior year so I’ll most likely take the exams.
Can I ask what made your son think he wouldn’t do well in an AP exam for a course he earned an A grade in?
Unless the college is a safety, a junior will not know that credit will be awarded, so should not opt out of taking an AP exam for that reason. Seniors, who hopefully will know where they will be attending come May, will know the AP credit policy of that school,and can certainly forgo any exam that does not grant credit, although they will probably lose at least part of the test fee.
Some of my daughter’s friends didn’t take any AP tests because of the costs and they knew the schools they were applying to wouldn’t take the credit anyway.
That said, my daughter received a ton of credit for her AP and DE courses which gives her all kinds of perks at college.
You can choose which AP tests you send or do not send to colleges, so there isn’t much to loose.