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Do AP exams affect your chances of getting into college?
What happens if you fail an AP exam?
Are AP tests good for college students?
What percentage of students fail AP exams?
In short, there are thousands of students winding up with failed AP tests each year—which is no good for them or their schools. You could argue that the experience of taking an AP class helps students prepare for college, but the fact remains that rapid expansion is not leading to the best outcomes for many students.
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Every year in July A2C gets flooded with questions about how much AP Scores matter for admissions. We see TONS of questions like: Should I report my AP scores if I got a 1/2/3/4/5? Will my 3 on [x] AP Exam hurt my application? How much do AP scores matter? The first thing to recognize is that every college views these differently.
#1: You Can Get a Challenging, Rigorous Academic Experience. AP classes exist to expose high school students to college-level courses. Even though you're taking the class at your high school, AP classes tend to have harder, more detailed curriculums than your typical high school classes do.
There is no negative marking for wrong answers or unanswered questions. The first part is multiple-choice. The second part consists of free-response questions that can be answered in an essay, verbal (conversational), or problem-solution format. Can anyone take AP classes? It depends on your school’s policy.
- Pros of AP Classes
- Cons of AP Classes
- The Bottom Line
1. You may receive college credit.
Many colleges offer college credit for students who receive certain scores on their AP exams. At selective schools, that’s typically a 4 or 5, though some schools may offer credit for a score of 3. Just make sure you look up their policies because most colleges only apply credit for select exams. In some cases, for example, you’ll receive credit for a 3 on AP Calculus BC, but not for a 5 on AP English Literature and Composition. In some cases, albeit rare ones, you could even save moneyon you...
2. The rigor better prepares you for college.
Research showsthat AP students — especially high scorers on AP exams — are more likely to have higher GPAs in their first year of college than those who didn’t take any AP exams. This suggests that participation in the AP program correlates to better preparation for a college curriculum.
3. Weighted grades can boost your GPA.
Many high schools weight GPAs, adding as much as a full point for participation in AP courses. That means that if you earn a B, typically a 3.0 in a regular course, it could be assigned a value of 4.0. Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work hard in AP courses, or that the weighting will save your GPA. Colleges take many aspects of your transcript into account, including the rigor of the courses and the grade you received, as well as how your performance compares to that of your classmates.
1. Coursework is time-consuming.
When you enroll in an AP course, you should be aware that the work will take longer than that in regular-level classes. These curricula are meant to be college-level, so you’ll need to invest more time and effort than you would in less rigorous classes. Be honest with yourself about your time commitments; the last thing you want to do is spend every waking hour on academics. Take care to budget time for extracurriculars, friends, family, and self-care.
2. Exams are expensive.
AP exams generally cost $95 each, at least in the US, US territories, Canada, or DoDEA schools. Students outside of these areas will pay $125/exam. The two exceptions are AP Seminar and AP Research, whose exams cost $143 in all locations. If exams are ordered late, they will incur a $40 additional fee. If a student takes a handful of AP exams, that’s easily several hundred dollars! Fortunately, students who are enrolled in or eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program can re...
3. Many selective schools don’t take AP credit.
Some more selective schools won’t accept AP scores as college credit. More still accept certain subjects but not others. While you may not receive credit, taking the course and the exam will still demonstrate that you’re up to the task of handling rigorous, college-level work. In fact, some colleges use the exam for placement purposes; for example, a 4 or 5 on a math or language exam could allow you to start at the 200-level, rather than the 100-level.
Even if you don’t earn college credit with your AP scores, the courses and exams are still helpful. You should certainly take as many as you can handle if you’re applying to top 30 colleges and universities. If you’re applying to less selective schools, such as the top 30-100, you don’t need to overload on APs. However, you should still take some i...
Nov 25, 2020 · The answer is complicated. While colleges definitely seek out students whose transcripts are peppered with plenty of Advanced Placement courses, the AP exam scores are unlikely to have a significant impact on your odds of admission. However, that doesn’t mean you should skip the AP classes in favor of a less rigorous course of study.
Per the 2023 score distributions, about 40 to 50 percent of students “fail” their AP exams. What Happens if You Fail an AP Exam? If you fail an AP Exam, you won’t get college credit. However: You’ll have valuable test-taking experience that can improve your efforts on future APs.
