Hello College Confidential,
How influential are AP test scores in admissions decisions? I’m planning on sending my scores to my reach schools, but should I spend the money to send them to my safety and match schools? Or is it necessary to send them before I’m accepted to receive college credit?
If it makes a difference, my safety and match schools are: Lehigh, University of Rochester, UVA, Penn State.
Also, I got a 34 on my ACT (35W, 35E, 33M, 31S) and a 1480 on my SAT (800M, 680 R/W). Should I send these scores to my safety/match schools, or just my ACT since its better? Does having an 800 in Math affect my chances of getting merit aid? (I’m applying to engineering major)
You can self-report AP scores during the application process. No need to send official AP scores anywhere until you decide where you are attending. They are primarily used for placement/credit.
@college_query Thank you! One more question, if a school does not require you send all of your SAT scores, should I only send my highest SAT scores? Is there any advantage to sending my lower scores? (It is free to do with the SAT, so I’m considering it). Thanks.
If the college “superscores” SAT scores, meaning if you submit multiple SAT tests, it will use the highest section scores from the combined tests in determining admission, you should send any tests that would provide your highest section scores. There are also some colleges that don’t necessarily superscore but give some consideration to a high section score in a second test for certain programs, e.g., UIUC’s engineering department mainly uses that test with the highest composite to determine admission but will also consider another test’s higher math score in the evaluation. For those that just use the test with the highest composite, there is neither an advantage nor disadvantage (they do not use the lower scores against you) to sending other scores.
Penn State is a safety - the others are match-ish but not safeties- right?
also - see where your ACT and SATs fit in the college profile and send whichever one makes you look more favorable
Most schools will take one or the other and dont need both
@swampdraggin I also consider Rochester a safety. I won an award that qualifies me for a lot of merit aid, and received a letter notifying me that they would grant me even more merit based aid on top of that, so I’m inclined to believe that I would be accepted. I guess Lehigh is considered a match, but practically everyone from my school with similar stats as me has been accepted to Lehigh. UVA would probably be the hardest school for me to get into from that group.
And regarding my SAT, is there any advantage to sending it since I have an 800 in math? Could that qualify me for aid or raise my chances at all? Thanks!