MN asked: Can/do colleges weigh junior (or earlier) AP scores in admissions? Admissions Hero holds the viewpoint that AP scores are in no way as important as SAT scores or SAT II’s. AP scores exist mainly to legitimize the work completed in an AP class. For example, colleges receive applications from all over the country and beyond, with students facing varying academic environments. Some schools are obviously more difficult than others, and this can make comparing applicants very difficult. The AP curriculum is somewhat standardized, affording colleges the ability to compare how applicants perform in one curriculum. Variance in difficulty still exists however, as some AP classes at one school are much more difficult than classes at another. AP scores thus complement the work you have already done in the class. If a student receives an A in AP Chemistry and a 5 on the exam, the score demonstrates that the student is definitely worthy of an A in chemistry and faced the correct level of rigor in his/her class. However, if a student receives close to a 100 in a class but receives a 3 on the exam, this clearly serves to show that the class was not up to AP standards and afforded the students much leeway with their grades. Likewise, if a student received a 70 in a class and still pulled a 5, this could signal that the class was extremely challenging (or to some extent that the student buckled down for the exam). Ultimately however, your grade in the AP class is much more important than the exam and colleges know this. There are many factors that can affect your performance during one test, and it is highly possible that your score does not reflect your ability. Nevertheless, the AP rubric is specifically designed to control for such variances. The range of scores that can receive a 4 or higher is incredibly large, and thus receiving such scores is paramount to gaining admission into top schools. If you are worried about your performance on an upcoming exam, definitely utilize a review book for preparation. If any student completes a decent review book from cover to cover, completing all practice tests and problems, a 4 or higher is generally guaranteed on most exams. Students looking for additional help should also inquire about Admissions Hero tutoring services for complete preparation.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 19:57:22 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015