Doing well in the class or doing well on the exam?
Doing well in the class.
For college admissions? @MYOS1634 is correct - doing well in the class is more important. Of course, one should strive to do well in both.
yes, very true, one is not incompatible with the other.
And I wouldn’t report a 1,2, 3 on the common app self report for selective institutions (if you apply to a university that grants credit for a 3, report the 3 after you accept admissions.)
Definitely doing well in the class, as this affects your GPA. What you get on the exam is really only for placement/credit, and many colleges don’t even accept credit from all subjects.
For admissions, doing well in the class is most important.
However, a poor AP exam score after doing well in the class may cause a college to question the AP class quality at your high school.
For credit and/or placement in college, the AP exam score is what matters.