Colleges That Request AP Scores on Their Application Forms

[Celita]

Its pretty late and I haven't read the entire thread (I will tomorrow) though my question has generally been this... can five 5's help you in admissions much more than 2's and 3's can hurt you?

I've heard a lot about how low AP scores usually don't weigh much against you, though I am wondering if really good AP scores can help you a lot more. (And what if you self-studied some of them)

[tokenadult]

The University of California application also requests AP scores.

[Marian]

Cornell also asks for AP (and IB) scores, incidentally.

Strategy for those who are agonizing: If you want to take an AP course but are afraid that you will score low on the exam, take it in your senior year. You will already be admitted to college before that AP score is reported. (People using this strategy take AP Biology or AP U.S. History as seniors.)

Another, probably incompatible strategy: If you think that taking a particular AP course would help you to score high on the SAT Subject Test in that subject, take it as a sophomore or a junior. In this case, you would also take the AP test in that subject as a sophomore or junior, and the colleges would see it. (People using this strategy take AP Biology or AP U.S. History as juniors.)

[obsessed mom]

Don't forget that every college application asks for Honors/Awards. When one receives 5's on the tests, depending upon the number of AP exams, one is awarded recognition as AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, and AP Scholar with Distinction, and so on. This can be a boon to an application.

[imdamom]

Florida students (or those applying to Florida unis) should be aware that AP scores can and apparently are being harvested by Florida's public universities based on the blanket waiver signed or checked upon application. Though the waiver does not mention AP scores specifically there are indications that AP scores are being automatically retrieved along with all ACT and SAT scores. For instance, the number of UFlorida AP test-passer reports (individuals not tests) retrieved for 2007 at around 10,600 indicates that scores for all applicants were looked at, not just those accepted (10,000) and certainly not just those who matriculated (6600).

[bluebayou]

AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, and AP Scholar with Distinction....This can be a boon to an application.

Yes, and no. IMO, most CB awards are essentially worthless in and of themselves; it's the CB marketing machine that drives kids crazy to self-study to earn that next rung.

Listing 5-5's is impressive enough to the admissions reader. If I were a reader (and I'm not), the CB Distinction that comes along with the 5-5's would mean little. OTOH, since it is a real award, it should be listed.

[menloparkmom]

^ I have to disagree with bluebayou. If a student scores 5's on what are know to be hard AP tests [ the year long AP subjects- Chemistry, Physics, CAlculus, Latin, APUSH, etc], then they should absolutely report the scores on their application. They are as valuable as Hi SAT scores, in that they confirm mastery of the material.
Hi AP scores show the student is ready for college Freshman level material.

[twinmom]

As I recall, Harvard applicants, similar to applicants to most colleges and universities, can check the status of their applications online. The Harvard status page lists the status of the pieces of the application that have been received, as well as ALL of the SAT and subject test scores. (Though they allegedly superscore, one can interpret that as one sees fit.)

I do not think Harvard listed AP scores a few years back, though in my daughter's case, she had self reported.

As an aside, Harvard does not give any credit for AP courses, regardless of the grade, unless one chooses to early on declare one's plan to graduate a year early, which very few students do.

[tokenadult]

AP scores are also an element in the student recruiting that is done through College Board mailing lists.

SSS

[tokenadult]

Funny, I read both bluebayou and menloparkmom as agreeing that it's a good idea for a student to self-report AP test scores to colleges (even if the college doesn't ask for those scores on its application form), which is also what I think. I read bluebayou's reply to mean that there isn't any huge added value to having one of the several AP scholar awards if one has also reported AP test scores that underlie the awards, which I also agree with, while agreeing with bluebayou's further point that an award is an award, and if a student has earned an AP award the student may as well mention it.

[twinmom]

Most students don't achieve their highest AP award until the end of their senior year anyway, but it doesn't hurt to mention every award.

[dsultemeier]

Should I conclude from this discussion that my D should put more effort into getting good SAT II scores than into the AP tests? Her strategy was to take the three SAT II tests in May that would match the closest to the AP tests she is taking. Seems kind of silly to me to do both sets of tests but the high schools are stressing the AP tests and the colleges want the SAT II. Adding to the confusion my D's AP U.S. History teacher wasn't even aware that there was a SAT II test when I asked her about it.

[twinmom]

Most students who complete AP US History do well on the SAT subject test. Putting effort into one often results in doing well on the other, though the content may be slightly different.

Three SAT II tests in one day is a lot, even for a strong student.

Also, if your daughter ends up at a school that does give AP credit, good scores will be beneficial.

[ellemenope]

>>Most students who complete AP US History do well on the SAT subject test. <<

I'd blitz through a SAT subject test book to make sure that there are no glaring holes in the AP coverage. For example, D mentioned there was one question on the SAT subject test about the Ashcan art movement (which she didn't cover in her APUSH class).

Why she should remember that question, I don't know. Probably the image of an ashcan...

[jonri]

2 points: the CB sells high school profiles to colleges. Colleges buy them when a hs isn't well known to them. The profiles include the # of students taking each AP test and the scores earned. So getting a low AP score really won't hurt you if EVERYONE at your high school got a low score on the same exam. (Obviously, this isn't helpful when more than one teacher teaches the same AP course and one is much better than the other.)

IMO, SAT II scores don't correlate that closely with APs. My kid got a 5 on the AP in US history, but got a SAT II score in the mid 600s. (Took it again.) This was not unusual at her school. Writing essays and filling in circles on a standardized test are two different skills.