AP Classes and Scores

Monstai2 · 08-08-2006, 02:07 PM

How big of a role do AP scores of 5 play in admissions? Especially if you have more than one.

halopeno2 · 08-08-2006, 02:12 PM

Pretty much zilch. They are more concerned that you took the class and did well during the year. I believe that would rather see you get an A and have a 4, then a B and get a 5.

YA10 · 08-08-2006, 02:32 PM

i took ap prep classes outside of school and got 3's and 4's how does that factor in?

halopeno2 · 08-08-2006, 02:40 PM

Do you mean you didn't take the classes in school? Just the extra classes. In that case, I don't think it would help at all, but I also don't think it would hurt you.

innoc3ntboy12 · 08-08-2006, 03:20 PM

5s do not really play that big of a role in admissions. However it can confirm a case of grade inflation. If you get a 2 on a test but receive an A in the class it is pretty obvious that you have an easy teacher.

However AP tests can play a role in applications. Consider getting a national ap scholar in for your application. That is a pretty rare accomplishment 8 aps by end of junior year.

Even better for getting 5s is the Siemens AP Award. That award gives a scholarship for someone who takes the 8 science Aps and receives 5s on all of them.

Of course, colleges say they don't look at your AP scores. But if your AP scores are on your transcript there has to be some sort of subliminal effect if you took 16 APs and all of them were 5s.

scorp · 08-08-2006, 03:52 PM

I think that they play a large role. Why wouldn't they, there are a 3 hour test in a specific subject that you spent a year on and you're being compared against the whole country. As opposed to that stupid A you get when compared against 25 people in your class.

LunarChik · 08-08-2006, 04:03 PM

I don't think they're a make-or-break kind of a thing, but if you have 5's on, like, 4+ AP exams, it can't hurt you at ALL. (just make sure that the college know that you won't be trying to cheat them out of a year's tuition/credit or anything, since that doesn't really fly anymore nowadays)

julyinoh · 08-08-2006, 04:41 PM

lol to the cheating the college out of money.. never heard that before =)

paco! · 08-08-2006, 06:59 PM

APs don't play a big role at all, and when they do (not even big then), they do only in the following situations:
-if you want to get college credit (given your acceptance into X University)
-if you received an award (AP Scholar with Honors/Distinction, AP National Scholar, or even the aforementioned Siemens AP Scholar Award)
-shows you took a challenging and rigorous courseload (of course, this is relative to your particular school's AP course selection)

sorry, but that's all. Colleges really don't care about APs. Terrible AP scores will NOT keep you out of an excellent college, including the Ivies.

"I think that they play a large role. Why wouldn't they, there are a 3 hour test in a specific subject that you spent a year on and you're being compared against the whole country. As opposed to that stupid A you get when compared against 25 people in your class."

You are completely wrong. There are studies and articles out now that found that people taking the AP course and exam before entering college fared equally as well or even worse than college freshmen taking the college-equivalent-to-AP course. And besides, AP exams are overrated. Generally you just need a passing rate to get a 5 (~70%), and some AP exams have very generous curves.

Venkat89 · 08-08-2006, 07:17 PM

What colleges like to see is that you took the AP class or hard class and that you excelled. It should help if you take an AP class and get a 5 on the exam. It wont get you into any school, but it looks alot better to take 5 APs by junior year and get 5s on them than to take none. It also says something when you get an A in the class and get a 2 or 1 on the exam. Annother way a 5 can help is if your teacher changes your grade from a B to an A if you get a 5 on the exam. Other than that and a few college credits, i dont think they matter too much.

choking_victim · 08-08-2006, 08:03 PM

"but if you have 5's on, like, 4+ AP exams, it can't hurt you at ALL."

You don't say? I was figuring good scores would hurt me.

scorp · 08-08-2006, 09:27 PM

"sorry, but that's all. Colleges really don't care about APs. Terrible AP scores will NOT keep you out of an excellent college, including the Ivies."

Really? I think failing 3 hour tests that very closely resemble college finals repeatedly would look bad but I guess you speak from knowledge.

flgirl04 · 08-08-2006, 11:33 PM

the fact that you have taken APs (and hopefully done well on them) is what matters. Some students dont even take the AP exams as they are quite expensive and some kids not necessarily want college credit for them

paco! · 08-08-2006, 11:33 PM

scorp, I know several people who scored 2's or 3's on AP exams but still got into Ivies. And AP exams, in my opinion, don't "very closely resemble college finals" - we would all like to think that, but I'd think a college course is harder than an AP class. The bottom line is that APs matter very little in college admissions in comparison to GPA, SAT and SAT II scores, teacher recs, essays, and extracurriculars.

If you're trying to speak to me, no I have not failed any of my AP exams.

Colleges don't even ASK for AP scores, and unless you want college credit or your school puts AP scores on the transcript, they don't even see it. If you are really that worried and skeptical, why don't you talk to your guidance counselor or even your college rep?

And scorp, I never said "failing" AP exams "repeatedly" - don't put words in my mouth. Even the term "terrible" is subjective and relative.

flgirl04 · 08-08-2006, 11:38 PM

actually paco, some college apps do ask for ap scores if you ahve taken them, but it is voluntary.