Should I submit a 4 on an AP exam to Ivies? (2024)

FAQs

Should I submit a 4 on an AP exam to Ivies? ›

Let's answer them for Ivy Coach's readers. In short, all scores of 5 on AP exams should be reported to elite colleges. However, for scores of 4 or 3, submitting the scores is dependent on the student's coursework and other AP results. Scores of 2 or 1 should never be shared.

As far as reporting your score to Ivy League schools, each school may have a slightly different preference, but generally, a 4 is considered a 'well-qualified' score and should not necessarily hurt your chances. In fact, many colleges and universities even offer credit or advanced placement for scores of 4.

AP tests are scored on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high). Get a 4 or higher, and you may be able to earn college credit without paying college tuition!

Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes. Harvard has general academic requirements that all students must take.

Ivy League

To be a competitive candidate for admission, you will need to take at least 8 AP® classes, more if you can. It is a good idea to take 1 AP® course in each of the following core disciplines: English, Foreign Language, History, Math, and Science to impress the admissions officers.

You should base this decision on the selectivity of the school you're applying to. If you want to report AP scores, you should definitely report tests on which you received a five, and for many schools, a four is also very impressive. Only for highly selective schools should you consider not reporting a four.

Here are a few things to remember as you plan your Princeton course load with AP® results in mind: Princeton accepts AP® scores of 5 (and rarely 4) for course credit. These requirements vary by department. Princeton has certain classes that everyone has to take called distribution requirements.

Usually, a 70 to 75 percent out of 100 translates to a 5. However, there are some exams that are exceptions to this rule of thumb. The AP Grades that are reported to students, high schools, colleges, and universities in July are on AP's five-point scale: 5: Extremely well qualified.

What Ivy League schools value the most are your transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations. However, strong AP scores can indeed be a positive addition to your application, as they show your commitment and ability to handle college-level courses.

If you are concerned about college credit, usually a 3 or 4 will earn you credit for one or more classes; however, many colleges now require a 5. If your college accepts AP scores you will receive credit but not a grade. High school is super competitive. Colleges see two extremely impressive candidates.

Does Yale accept 4 on AP? ›

In subjects for which an AP score of 4 or 5 earns acceleration credit, a score of 6 or 7 on II B higher-level exams, or B or A on A-levels, is required; in subjects that require an AP score of 5 for acceleration credit, a score of 7 on the IB higher-level or an A on the A-level is required.

Cornell accepts AP® scores of 3, 4, & 5 for course credit. These requirements vary by undergraduate college. The required general education classes vary by undergraduate college. You can use AP® credits to opt out of these requirements, as well as certain major requirements.

UCLA awards college credit for AP exams with scores of three or higher.

College counselors recommend that students strive to take 5-8 AP classes throughout their high school career, especially if they are interested in attending a highly-selective institution such as an Ivy League college. That said, you shouldn't feel pressured to take more AP classes than you can comfortably manage.

Not submitting AP scores for AP courses students take at their high school can raise red flags. But there are no hard and fast rules, such as not submitting 4s or 3s, as some suggest because, in some cases, students should submit those lower scores since admissions officers will assume even worse if they withhold them.

Aim for four to eight AP exams in your junior and senior years. For competitive Ivy League schools, admission officers also want to see AP courses for core subject areas and additional courses. If possible, aim to pass about seven to 12 AP exams if applying to these highly selective schools.

So, this gives you some flexibility in sharing them only if you feel they'll help your application. The general rule is only to report tests if you score a three or higher, especially if schools do not require AP tests. But, if you're applying to a selective school, that number should be a four or higher.

What Ivy League schools value the most are your transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations. However, strong AP scores can indeed be a positive addition to your application, as they show your commitment and ability to handle college-level courses.

In terms of Ivy League and Top 20 schools, even a 4 is a relatively low score to earn on an AP exam. It is routine for Ivy League admissions officers to review applications from students who have scored 5s on multiple AP tests.

Be sure to read what the colleges you're interested in are saying about AP scores on a school-by-school basis. For applications, I suggest self-reporting all fours and fives on your applications. Some colleges do use them to evaluate your applications and they can benefit your app for some college.