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How important are AP scores in admissions?

Laly97Laly97 Registered User Posts: 45 Junior Member
in College Admissions
How important are AP scores in admissions? I already have a 5 from last year. This year, I'm pretty confident about 2 of the tests (one 5 and one 3/4... i think). I'm REALLY not confident about my AP Language test, though. How badly would a 2 hurt? I got a 35 on my ACT reading and am getting a letter of rec from my AP lang teacher who can comment on my writing (which is actually pretty good... I freaked out @ the test).
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Replies to: How important are AP scores in admissions?

  • Erin's DadErin's Dad Super Moderator Posts: 36,056 Super Moderator
    Generally AP scores aren't considered for admission, except for some top level schools and some colleges with alternate admissions criteria. They are usually only considered when giving credit for classes.
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  • AnnieBeatsAnnieBeats Registered User Posts: 1,958 Senior Member
    They help more than they hurt.
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  • Laly97Laly97 Registered User Posts: 45 Junior Member
    I'm applying to top level schools, but only one ivy (Penn). My top choices are UCLA, Northwestern, WUSTL, and Rice (so amazing schools).
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  • Laly97Laly97 Registered User Posts: 45 Junior Member
    do they heavily consider?
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  • DiscipulusBonusDiscipulusBonus Registered User Posts: 1,001 Senior Member
    edited June 2014
    @Erin's Dad: Just curious, but do you know which "top-level" schools consider AP scores?
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  • Erin's DadErin's Dad Super Moderator Posts: 36,056 Super Moderator
    The one's I've read about are Ivies (HYP). The more holistic the eval the more likely they will look at APs.
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  • Momof2back2backMomof2back2back Registered User Posts: 676 Member
    We were also told that they "help" more than they "hurt." You are not required by any school that I know if to report them, but check each school that is on your list. On the Common App, you can list the ones you want and skip the ones you don't (some high schools do not require their students to take the AP exams even if you took an AP class). With the Ivies and some other top-tier LACs, the AP scores help complete a holistic picture for students -- if you have several students all with straight As, and high ACT or SAT scores -- but one has multiple 4s and 5s on APs and the other has all 3s.... the info is just one more "piece" to the puzzle. It isn't as if someone in admissions is looking and says "oh, she got a 3 on this AP test, we are throwing out her application."
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