The inconsistency on the AP scores is alarming.
The VPN hacked worked for my S!
He got:
APUSH 5
AP Spanish 5
AP Lang 4
AP Comp Sci 3
Heās happy overall. Bummed a bit on the Comp Sci since heās a STEM guy, but said it was a hard test and 2 out of the 6 questions he didnāt feel great about so he wasnāt too surprised. Iām sure heād have been happy to switch his Spanish and Comp Sci scores, but oh wellā¦
Since he has test anxiety in general hopefully this gives him a mental boost going into Satās ACT testā¦
@SammoJ The percentage of each score has remained pretty close to last year. I donāt have the exact numbers at my finger tips but, for example, something like 12% got a 5 on AP Lang last year and itās about the same this year. Same for the number of 4s, 3s, etc. And itās the same for all of the tests.
I do think that there will be some inconsistencies, though, since the graders never graded tests like this and the kids had to turn on a dime and learn new rubrics.
I mean, we knew this was a mess when they changed the tests to be so short and then put them all online! Remember that colleges do not ask for AP scores in their applications. Some kids self report them if they are strong but AOs insist that, with so little time to look at each app, they donāt come into play in a big way. Iām sort of on the fence about this yearās APs. On one hand, having great score to report seems like a plus, especially if the student doesnāt have an ACT or SAT to report. On the other hand, Iām guessing that AOs will think less of these shortened, online tests so they likely wonāt move the needle at all.
The bigger bummer will be if a student wants to use them for credit and the structure of the test threw him off and he didnāt do as well as hoped. That stinks.
Yay for VPN hacks!!
AP Psych 5 (her potential major so sheās thrilled!)
AP Gov 5
S17 never did AP classes -does she self-report these when she applies or do i have to pay to send them everywhere???
The website was pretty squirrelly this morning but I got through. Their scores were relatively consistent with the performance I might expect (just knowing them), though not necessarily consistent with grades (higher score than grade and vice versa). Iām just relieved that theyāre sufficient to put in the apps. May not mean much, but a nice addition considering that their spring grades will be viewed skeptically.
Self report them on the Common App. Do not send until she decides where sheās going to school so that she can get credit if they give it.
They can be self reported. You only would pay to send them to the college she attends if she wants to use them for credit.
@AlmostThere2018 Yeah on the scores! Will your S report them? I like hearing everyoneās strategiesā¦
@NJWrestlingmom Sheāll have to self report and once commits to an admission, will have to turn in the official score for credit purpose.
BTWā¦servers were down for a while. D was so annoyed! Woke up at 8 and servers were down until about 10 or so. Good ole College Board!
S21ās scores:
Calc AB and Chem - 3 (stunned by Calc, okay with Chem)
Lit and Gov - 4 (disappointed in Lit, okay with Gov because he got the āweirdā prompt)
Stats - 5 (Huh? The class he did independently, the class he shirked most of the year?)
He has Calc BC next year, so there is a good chance to redeem that.
@SammoJ So, is he more concerned about the credit given as opposed to reporting the scores on his apps? If thatās the case then Iām sure he will get a 4 or 5 on BC Calc. That test has a very high rate of 4s and 5s compared to almost any other AP. Something ike 60% of the kids get a 4 or above. I think itās because the kids that take that test are either (a) super stars who didnāt take AB and went right to BC or (b) kids who took AB and then took BC. The BC test is half AB and half BC material so half of the test is review from last year for the kids who took AB.
@dadof4kids Our D23 was actually told a few months into school last year (yes, when she was a freshman!) that sheād have to decide between her year-round activity, and a spring sport. They eventually compromised and said that she could do the sport at the JV level, but that sheād be pulled from some of the spring activities if she decided to go that route, and that if she were to make the sportās varsity team, which would be likely this coming year, sheād have to decide between the two. I find it ridiculous and frustrating, but the point is that Iām guessing lots of kids decide between two major activities/sports as they move through school.
(ETA that when the director asked her last month which she would choose, we told her to say she was going full steam ahead with the year-round activity, because who knows if either is going to happen this year!)
D21 got her AP scores as well. I also thought the early score thing sounded sketchy, but this is the 3rd year sheās used it, and so far, no negative consequences, @JanieWalker!
@homerdog ā yes, I think so. He also got a 4 on World History as a Sophomore so I think reporting 2 5s, 2 4s, and a 3 makes sense.
Based on recent mock tests, Itās quite possible his final ACT section scores will be higher on English and Reading than Math and Science. Hopefully all 30 or above (knock wood), but during recent mock tests been getting 33-35 on English and Reading whereas math and science heās been getting 30/31s.
I have heard that engineering schools like some kids who are good at verbal too ā but I do worry about the emerging picture of an engineering applicant who scores better on verbal/humanities. He can be the kid who does the project presentations, right? 
Fort., heās got a 4.0 across the board which should help.
Still, not sure what to think, other than it is what it is. Canāt tell the kid not to apply engineering just b/c he tests better in other subjects, right?
Would appreciate any insights ā engineering is a new world to our family.
S21 just checked his scores -
Calc BC - 5
Chem - 4
Physics 1 - 5
Physics 2- 5
English Lang/Comp - 5
He is super happy, especially since his ACT test was canceled this weekend and who knows if heāll get another shot. AP scores arenāt the same thing at all, but he feels like at least these scores are one more piece of information supporting his GPA.
I donāt understand the Lang scores at all and would love to know how they are graded. S21 was sure he bombed that test; he hated his prompt and said it was so different from the practice prompts theyād used in class. He was shocked to see a 5. Iām happy for him, but wonder how accurate it can be.
Disagree 100%.
If the kid was turned off by the interview, then the kid should email the Head of Admissions. If Iām the head and I get a complaint from the parent, Iām thinking āthank god I dodged that bullet. Where else is mommy going to interject themselves into their childās education the next 4 years.ā
@flyawayx2 ā congrats to your S on those great scores!
Just talked to S21 about it, and he was, at first, intrigued by the idea of getting the score today using earlyscores but decided heād rather just wait until tomorrow when his dad can get it (as heās in AZ right now and AZ gets scores tomorrow)ā¦at least we wonāt have to wait until Friday, and since my S21 made the call, Iāll stop being tempted to get the score today, I think.
Congrats to everyone who get the scores they hoped for on at least some of their tests!
Congrats to @flyawayx2 ! Those are amazing scores!!!
I brought up using Earlyscores to my teens. They donāt want to do it because apparently I have successfully passed on the Paranoid Gene to both of them. 
I told them lots of others have gotten their scores early with no issues, but they still want to wait until tomorrow.