I am a rising junior and I am starting to get into the college process. I took AP World History as a Freshman and took AP Psych as a sophomore. I earned 5s on both of them. It started to get me wondering how favorably they would be looked upon during the admissions process. I have been told by some upperclassmen that colleges do not see your AP Scores during the admission process. Is that true? If not, how favorably are 5s on AP Exams, especially as a freshman or sophomore, looked upon during the admissions process.
AP scores may or may not be considered by colleges for admission, depending on the college.
If they are considered in a holistic manner, it is likely that high AP scores will confirm that your high school’s AP course rigor, while low AP scores will devalue your high school’s AP course rigor.
To me, a 5 on WH as a Freshman is an achievement- and any AP mark should have more weight than the classroom grade. But, the US colleges are pretty clear that they care about grades >> AP test scores, and that AP scores are not a factor in admissions. They don’t even appear to care if you actually sit the AP exam- just that you took the course.
The UK, on the other hand, is all about standardized testing, and puts little to no weight on classroom grades. They won’t care what year you took it, but they will care that you did.
Certain schools will or will not look at your AP scores during the application process. I only took bio and did not send one school my scores. The only purpose it now serves is to place me in classes. The higher the score the more advanced class you will be placed in. What you want to focus on is that the school knows you are challenging yourself. AP classes are great, but they are stressed during high school to seem more important than they are. I took only one and did not find any obstacles because of that. Show that you are more than just the score so for an example in an interview say why you really liked that particular class, what you learned, and what you learned about yourself by taking that class. Schools are more interested in that. Good luck!
@thebossofbosses does have a good point, but I would be interested to see where other less test-heavy schools fall. I think it makes it easier to place students especially in a school that gets a high influx of applications as well. If you send in your AP score, the school will look at it. But, there are other determining factors to your application that deserve more attention.
The VAST majority of schools don’t care about your AP grades. They care about whether you took AP classes to show academic rigor. AP results will only be used for class credit at most colleges.
@thebossofbosses From the people I’ve talked to, AP scores do count more than most people think. This is especially true for several low (1 or 2, sometimes a bunch of 3s) or non-reported scores where the student received an A in the class. While one bad score could be attributed to many factors (e.g. disaster teacher who doesn’t know curriculum, sick on test day), multiple fails on AP exams or multiple non-reported AP exams call into question student effort and course rigor.
'We have found that the best predictors at Harvard are Advanced Placement tests and International Baccalaureate Exams, closely followed by the College Board subject tests. High school grades are next in predictive power, followed by the SAT and ACT. The writing tests of the SAT and ACT have predictive power similar to the subject tests."
I don’t believe that colleges don’t take AP scores into account. Maybe it isn’t a decisive factor, but getting a 5 on an AP exam is great. A good score reflects that the class was well taught, and if the student also got a good grade in the class, the good test score supports that. I do see that colleges can’t penalize students who don’t submit a score, because the tests are expensive and not everyone who takes an AP class takes the exam.
Also, a good test score reflects well on the student who self-studies a subject. The flip side of that is that colleges don’t like to see kids taking a million self-studied AP exams. But certainly a couple, with genuine interest, are a good thing.
Only anecdotal. My D selfstudied psych and got a 5. Our school didn’t offer it. She listed psych as a possible major on her applications and also did a short summer course in psych. She did very well in the application process. I certainly can’t imagine that any of the colleges she was accepted to took no notice of that. She didn’t do a whole bunch of random APs to try and impress anyone. She will probably study it in college and presumably will not have to take an intro level class in college. That’s a good thing.
Others have already noted the Harvard comment and still others will cite the oft-quoted reps who have said at college fairs that Adcoms aren’t impressed when a student self studies a bunch of APs. That isn’t what I am talking about though. I said a couple, supported by interest elswhere in the app. That would not be a negative thing.
I’d posit that it was the latter that helped your daughter’s application, not the former. The interest in the subject possibly came through in her essays, which would have impressed the adcoms more than one single self studied AP score, IMO.
Me being one that often quotes that nugget. I’ve also stated that I self studied AP Psych in a weekend. I’d have to assume that AO’s are aware that not all AP’s are created equal. But glad it worked out for your daughter.
@Lindagaf I have first hand knowledge that AP scores do matter in my discussion w/my alma mater’s area rep/asst director of admissions. But they matter in indirect ways – here’s what I mean:
Obviously, APs and IBs taken late in senior year have not ability to be analyzed by college admissions (unless the kid takes a gap year or otherwise defers applying). Many students take APs & IBs their last semester do for most, they mean nothing in terms of college decision making.
However, the kids’ superior performance as a Soph or Jr only serve to verify a strong candidate. But the converse can indicate some negative traits. A well-known supposedly superior urban school near me regularly had applicants to top schools. The school offered many APs. However, very few of the kids, even their best ones, scored more than 3s. What this did was cause my alma mater to question the real rigor of the school’s AP offerings. It didn’t help that the AP English teacher’s rec letters were rife with grammar issues either. Subsequently, my school wasn’t inclined to take risks and only have admitted clearly superior applicants from that school. True story.
Yes, I am too. I think we are reinforcing that none of us are adcoms. We don’t know definitively what will or won’t impress them. I am of the mind though that good AP scores can’t hurt.
Good AP scores matter for admissions to top colleges. (Sure, that leaves plenty of schools that care less.) It’s not just class rigor, but how the individual performed (separate from teacher grades.)
Self study is tricky. You’re missing the class learning experience. Sometimes, it’s wise. But a number of kids just try to rack up umpteen scores and that can backfire.
Note that the H blurb refers to predicting college grades. Adcoms are concerned students can keep up, contribute and grow. And graduate. But not so much with predicting the actual grades.
@skieurope , the most selective college D got into has a 25% acceptance rate and had no supplemental essays. She is WLed at two colleges with 21% acceptance rates. No idea if her AP psych score helped at all, and I inclined to agree with the poster who said they are probably as helpful as interviews. In her case, I am sure they must have really liked her essay and teacher recs.
If a student has the opportunity to take AP tests and score well, that is helpful in some way. Especially if the student can use the AP scores to get credit or placement for classes in college. Apart from cost, I can’t see any reason why people wouldn’t want to take them and do well.
@kimdy0 , I wouldn’t submit a 3 as a self studied AP, unless for foreign language, and only if the college says they will give credit or placement for a 3. I am not sure if 3 is even considered for any other APs for credit or placement, but many colleges will give something for 3 in FL. It is best to take the AP class if offered.
OP, colleges like to see AP classes as a senior, becasue it shows you aren’t just going to slack off in your senior year. No, they won’t see your scores unless you submit senior year AP scores after you accept.