<p>I’m not sure where everyone is getting this idea that AP scores don’t really matter in the admissions process. Clearly no one has read “A Is for Admission” which devotes an entire chapter to the importance of AP scores ON YOUR APPLICATION. Yes, colleges look at them. And yes, they can make the difference between being accepted and not. We’re not talking about Average State U., we’re talking about top colleges.</p>
<p>I went to an underperforming rural school. Outside of 5 APs and a handful of others classes, my school was essential crap, academically speaking (even my AP English teacher admitted this). Literally NO ONE goes to Ivy League or top colleges from my school. Only about half of the class ends up going to college (that is, the part of the class that actually graduates) and I would say the average college bound kid goes to a technical school or a branch campus of a large state u. </p>
<p>When I decided I wanted to go to Penn’s Wharton School, I was daunted. At my school, there seemed to be a cap as to how well the smartest kids were able to do on standardized tests. Generally, it was about a 30 or 31 on the ACT. Even the best students didn’t really have the ability (one cultivated by years of quality education) to score in the 33+ range. I was no exception. I squeezed by with a 2100 on the SAT (ok, 2090 - generously super scored) - so I was definitely not up to par with Penn standards.</p>
<p>The ONLY thing that I can see which could have proved my academic ability and thus caused me to be accepted were my AP scores. I got two 5s my junior year - both in AP classes which hadn’t seen a 5 in their 10 year history at my school. My teachers wrote outstanding recommendations about my performance, thus showing that I can compete at a high level. I was accepted to Wharton and I realize now that this was most likely what made the difference.</p>
<p>While it may be easy to say that AP exams are arbitrary and pointless, for some students it is the only way for them to prove themselves. AP exam scores are a product of a students performance and effort in the class. Unlike SAT and ACT scores which correlate heavily with socioeconomic status and quality of education, AP scores reflect only what a student puts into the class. For students who have fewer academic opportunities, AP courses may be the only way to stand out in the ultra competitive admissions process.</p>