As the title says ^^
I have the global AP award, so it’s already “obvious” I have good scores, but I want to submit my 4s from the AP physics and calculus exams (the thing is, I’m applying as a physics major, so I don’t want them to think I’m not capable just because I got 4s). What do you guys think? Should I hold off on it, or send it anyways? Thanks!!
2 Likes
You can send your AP score once you get accepted. Some schools like Dartmouth don’t give two hoots about AP scores for any reason. I’m not sure any use AP scores for admission decision purposes.
@skieurope might know? And @Mwfan1921 too…and @MYOS1634
3 Likes
Check each school’s AP acceptance chart to see but it won’t impact admissions.
Most either won’t give credit for AP or perhaps will use for placement.
For admissions it likely won’t matter.
Here’s an example:
1 Like
Our CC said that scores of 4 and 5 substantiate high grades (or refute bad ones) and should be submitted.
They aren’t used for credit but to confirm a strong academic record.
I would submit.
3 Likes
If it is Physics 1, you should absolutely submit a 4. The Physics 1 test has one of - if not the - lowest percentage of 5s of any AP test each year. A 4 on that exam is absolutely something to tout and fewer people get 4 and 5s combined than get 5s on other tests.
3 Likes
I would also send the 4 and 5. If you report it, schools will look at it. Will AP scores be the difference maker? Probably not, but as gardenstategal says they can substantiate high grades.
2 Likes
The difference in score distributions is likely mostly due to student self-selection. AP physics 1 gets a relatively general “most demanding curriculum” student population who takes it as the “most demanding” physics option when they are completing their three basic sciences. But AP physics 2, C mechanics, and C E&M are self-selected for students who have greater interest and academic strength in physics, so they get higher score distributions.
This can also be seen in other subjects, such as AP calculus BC having a higher score distribution than AP calculus AB.
Harvard’s admission director once said that AP scores were stronger predictors of college performance than other high school academic indicators (SAT subject tests, HS GPA, and SAT / ACT, in that order). Granted, that was some years ago, but suggests that AP scores that are present may not be ignored completely at Harvard admissions.
If the college will take it for credit if admitted (or if it is a 5), it is good to send.
Sure - send now or show later - doubtful it impacts the app - but it certainly wouldn’t hurt the app - so I’d send.
Partly that, but mainly because Physics 1 doesn’t include calculus, even though all physics is based on calculus, so all the calculations are done with convoluted algebra or rely on complex tricky questions.
Yes…but in that case one can wait until after deciding to attend to send AP scores…
1 Like
We asked this about my S24 who only took 2 AP classes as a junior (standard at his school) and got a 4 and a 5. People here said to submit but other college counselors say that a 4 does not add to the application so don’t send it if it isn’t mandatory (for highly rejectice schools that is). He did not submit to Williams and was accepted ED. My suggestion is only submit if it adds to your application.
1 Like
Submit 4s and 5s. Those are both excellent scores that do add to the application. In many cases depending on course and context a 3 should be submitted too.
1 Like
I will be the voice of dissent: I would not submit a 4 in the field in which I am interested on an application to an Ivy. It isn’t required and, as you said, if you are listing the global AP award somewhere they will know you have generally high AP scores.
Before I definitively say so, though, are you submitting any test scores?
2 Likes
I used to assume if they could see you took a class and didn’t submit a score, they would think you got a 3 or below. I am telling my own kid to submit his four. But he is going to be a music major and a 4 in AP Physics C isn’t going to hurt him. If he were going to be a physics major, I don’t know. Maybe not submitting is better. Having said that one of my kids had a near perfect SAT and fives on about 10 AP exams including both physics C exams and he still god denied almost everywhere, so test scores might not matter as much as we think they do.
1 Like
Again, I think this is potentially true for everything Except AP physics 1. It is an extreme outlier. Only 46% of people who take it pass (3+). Almost 30% get an 1, And the percentage of people who get a 5 hovers between 7% and 8% most years. And it has the lowest percentage of four and fives of any test by a decent margin. Getting a 4 on AP physics 1 is definitely a sign that you have what it takes to do well in physics.
4s in Physics 2 or Physics C and calculus are much easier to come by than for Physics 1 and some schools might expect to see 5s for those if the physics program is highly selective.
1 Like
Again, this is likely due to student self-selection. Physics 2 (which is not calculus-based, but a continuation of physics 1 into general physics topics not covered in physics 1) and physics C are chosen mainly by students with interest in physics, as opposed by every student wanting to check off the high school physics box in the curriculum with the “most demanding” option available.
3 Likes
That is certainly part of it. There are terabytes of articles, forum posts, and youtube videos trying to figure out why Physics 1 scoring is so skewed. Most students who take AP tests do not have a specific interest in that subject as a college major. I think that Physics 2 and Physics C scores being so much higher than Physics 1 are skewed by self-selection for sure. But the delta between Physics 1 and, e.g. AP Chemistry shouldn’t be so large if it was just based on student self-selection. Over 75% of test takers get a 3+ on AP Chem (vs 45% for Physics 1), and most of them are also just checking off the box for high school chemistry. Physics is just very hard.
For a lot of other sciences, and for all math APs, you can “plug and chug” or apply the clearly applicable formulas. For Physics 1 you can’t do that at all. It is very conceptual and you have to have a deep understanding of physics principles while trying to figure out which non-calculus-based way to solve them.
I genuinely think that there is something wrong with either the curriculum or the test. In theory the test should be set up in a way that more than 7-8% of people taking the class can show mastery on an end-of-the-year exam. Actually, I think the fact that 30% of people get a 1 is the most telling. If 30% of people at the end of the year can’t do better than 1 on the exam, something is wrong.
1 Like
Taking AP classes does not require that you also take the AP exam - so no such assumption applies.
Some high schools have that “internal” policy, because they want to improve their in-state report card, but that’s just specific to that high school.
3 Likes