What if my AP score is lower than expected?

A “lower score than the university's required minimum” (such as a 2) is something that might be disappointing, but low AP scores absolutely won't hurt your chances of admission to a college or university.

What happens if you get a low AP score?

Sometimes low AP scores happen. That's ok though because the best thing about a low AP score is that it really doesn't have any negative consequences for you. You are not defined by your AP score, just as you are not defined by your grades or performance. You are more than any number.

Should I withhold a low AP score?

If a student does not take an AP course at their high school and instead self-studies for the exam, admissions officers will not expect to see a score. As such, it's safe for students not to report a score for such an exam if it's lower than they had hoped.

Should I cancel a low AP score?

But here's the thing: it's very rare that a 'bad' AP score would significantly impact your college application, simply because AP scores are not the central focus. For top colleges, your course rigor and the grades you get in those courses are what really count.

Is a 1 on an AP exam bad?

The College Board has observed that students who get a score of 1 or 2 on their exams tend to do better on future AP exams, meaning that even if you score a 1 or 2, there's still a benefit to it! The most failed AP exam is Physics 1. This test has a pass rate of around fifty percent.

What happens if I fail my AP exam? // The TRUTH about scoring a 1 or 2 on AP tests!

Is getting a 2 on an AP test bad?

Generally speaking, a 2 is not a good AP score, as it is not considered a passing score by the College Board. If you get a 2 on your AP exam, it might be better not to submit that score to the colleges you're applying to.

Is a 2 on an AP exam a fail?

If you were to get a 2, then the College Board has determined that you are “possibly qualified” to pass a college level class of the same subject level. This score is usually not accepted by colleges unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Will bad AP scores hurt me?

A bad AP score is often correlated with a poor grade in the corresponding course, which can hurt your GPA. While AP courses benefit you by improving your weighted GPA, it may not be worth it if your overall grade in the course is very poor.

Does a 3 on an AP exam look bad?

The AP College Board defines a 3 as being Qualified. Generally, most colleges won't accept a 3 for credit in most AP courses ( There are some exceptions like Environmental Science). A 3 means you passed the test and are sitting just over 50% in most cases.

Is it bad to send low AP scores to colleges?

Will a bad AP exam score impact college admission decisions? No, colleges consider many factors outside of AP scores when deciding whether to admit an applicant. Generally, students should only submit high AP scores and for subjects related to their major.

How do I hide my bad AP scores?

Should I send a bad AP score?

If you have consistently high grades but low test scores, this can indicate to colleges that there's grade inflation at your high school. However, because you're probably going to self-report your AP scores anyway, there's nothing wrong with simply not reporting one or two scores you're not satisfied with.

Does it matter if I send a bad AP score?

The college will not do anything for a bad AP score. This means they will not rescind your admission, but they also won't let you skip the class. All it shows is that you tried to take a college level class and didn't do well on the exam that covered the content in the class.

Do colleges care if you fail AP exam?

Now, to address your concerns: Failing an AP exam isn't ideal, but it's not necessarily a deal-breaker for college admissions. Colleges generally care more about the rigor of your coursework and your grades than your AP exam scores.

Are AP tests curved?

Tests with a similar curve include the AP language tests and AP Calculus BC, which are also considered to be tests with hard content. There is also another related reason for this curve. These classes self-select, meaning that most students who take it are already highly-qualified for the course.

Can you get a 0 on an AP exam?

For example, for AP English, multiple choice is worth 45% and free response is worth 55%. Often, composite scores are between 0 and 100, or 0 and 150. The composite score is then converted to a number on the scaled score range 1-5.

What is the most failed AP exam?

1. Physics 1: AP Physics 1 is the hardest AP class with the least passing rate of 51.6. It means almost half of the students fail this exam.

Should I retake an AP exam if I got a 4?

If you score a 3 or above on an AP test a retake unless you're absolutely set on earning college credit for your work. Ultimately, your AP score will have minimal impact on your admission chances unless you're applying to the most selective colleges with 1s and 2s.

Is getting a 4 on an AP exam bad?

AP scores carry little to no weight in the admissions process, and a 4 is a very good score, particularly on an exam where more than half fail. That is a great score.

What is a 60 percent on an AP test?

Yes, a 60 is considered a passing grade in AP classes. In AP, the average passing rate is 60-70%.

Should I report a 3 on an AP exam to Ivy League?

An AP Score of 3 or 4 will likely not get you any college credit or respect at a top school like Stanford/Ivies/MIT. A score of 5 may not either — top colleges like to think that their courses are more rigorous than APs and thus should not be passed out of, and earning a 5 is simply expected for top admits.

Will any college accept 2 AP score?

While a score of 2 on an AP exam is typically considered below the threshold for college credit, there are some exceptions. Some smaller schools or less competitive colleges may be more lenient and accept a 2 for placement purposes or elective credit, rather than for specific course credit.

Is it better to take an AP test and fail or not take it?

If you fail an AP exam, you will not receive college credit for that course. The good news is that a failed exam does not affect your GPA. In addition, you can retake the AP exam the next year.

How do I appeal my AP score?

Download the AP Score Appeal Form. The form can be found on the College Board website. Complete the form. The form requires your AP teacher to provide information about your exam, including your name, the exam you took, and the score you received.

Can I cancel a bad AP score?

Also, would there be any negative consequences to doing this? Absolutely, you can cancel your AP exam scores if you decide that's the best course of action for you. To cancel your scores, you need to send a written, signed request to the College Board indicating which scores you want to cancel.