How important are AP scores?Answered
I'm a junior taking 3 AP classes and I have already taken one AP class (I got a 4 in AP World). I don't think I'm doing well in AP Chem. My AP Chem teacher doesn't really teach well (he's a retired chemist who probably only teaches for the fun of it) and I think I'm probably going to have to self-study, but I'm not confident in my self-studying skills. I'm scared that I might get a 3 on the AP exam. Maybe a 4 if I'm pushing it.
And, honestly, I don't think I'll be able to get a 5 on the other AP classes either. APUS I think I'll get a 4. AP Lang I might get a 3 or a 4.
Is it alright to report 3's and 4's on the AP exams? Will it affect my admissions into top schools like Vanderbilt or Wellesley? Should I just not report at all?
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3 answers
Hey! Usually the most prestigious colleges won't accept anything under a 4 (and there should only be a few fours and more fives for top top colleges like Stanford). However, the AP class is more important than the AP test score, so if you have a good grade in the class, that can contribute to your application. There's also the SAT and ACT scores to consider, so if you have a good SAT/ACT score compared to the other Vanderbilt applicants you still have a decent chance. If your school uses Naviance, I recommend checking out the stats of people who applied from your school and got in (usually stats would be on a scatter plot with SAT/ACT scores and GPA and different colored dots for accepted/denied/waitlisted accepted/waitlisted denied/waitlisted unknown). Good luck!
One college counselor I sometimes listen to on her blog - says that for some of the very selective schools - not to report anything below a 5... you can take the class, take the test, but not share the score. Crazy, but that's where it is now a days...
@liv.luv.life
I would only submit it if you get maybe a 4 or higher I wouldn’t worry too much it’s mainly for college credit but I would worry about doing well in the class cause that means more
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