How does rank affect your acceptance (vs GPA) and do AP self-studies help?

Marie1024
Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:54:32 +0000

The value of self-studying to take AP tests depends upon your goals. Do you want or need credit for the course to meet a HS requirement (such as AP US History to meet the US History requirement), do you want the AP credit so you can transfer the credits to your future college and spend less time (and money) as an undergraduate, or are you trying to impress the Admissions staffs? You may also be self-studying because your high school does not offer that AP course or you cannot fit it into your schedule.

Since many of the ivies do not offer AP credit (but will usually allow you to bypass the intro courses), the credit may not matter as much as you think. Although colleges may say they care more about how you do in the class over the course of an entire year, they often discount your “A” in the class, if you only score a 3 or 4 on the test. Not fair, but unfortunately true.

If you are a good test taker, I would encourage you to self-study and take lots of AP tests — by the end of your Junior year. Taking them as a Senior will not help you in admissions, but maybe necessary if you need a certain AP credit for college.

My daughter is brilliant (seriously), but she does not test well under timed conditions. So even though she can be the top student in her AP classes, she can only score 4s on her exams. We are encouraging her to take the equivalent college class through our State’s dual enrollment program, rather then the AP class at her high school.

As for class rank in Admissions. Class rank in very important in the most competitive colleges. If you attend a smaller school it will be harder then those at large schools to have a competitive class rank. Most private schools do not rank their students because they know it will hurt them. Many public schools only provide quartile rankings for the students below the top tenth percentile. You should meet with your guidance counselor and find out exactly where you currently rank in your class.

With our public school, the GPA they report is you “cumulative GPA” that is based on “completed” classes. If you are a senior, the GPA they will report is based on what you earned by the end of Junior year. They will also provide a current report card with your first quarter or first semester grades and GPA.