Skipping an AP exam: what are the actual consequences? (2024)

FAQs

Skipping an AP exam: what are the actual consequences? ›

If you decide to skip it, the main consequences would be the loss of the opportunity to earn college credit, and possibly a loss of money if you've already paid for the exam. Colleges will not see that you registered and then skipped the exam, so it shouldn't have an impact on your college applications directly.

If you don't take an exam, you usually won't face any consequences. Some AP teachers offer extra credit to incentivize students to take the exam, so you may miss out on that. Make sure to check with your AP teacher as some schools might have a rule about taking the exam if you took the class.

If you are allowed to make up your AP test, you will take an alternate form a couple of weeks after the regularly scheduled exam. If you are not allowed to make it up, however, then the exam won't show up on your score report. Go forth and conquer, noble AP adventurers!

But it's not the end of the world if you don't pass. Your class grade won't be affected, and colleges will still be impressed that you took an AP course. Colleges won't see your scores, if you don't report them. So, even if you are unsure if you'll pass, it's a good idea to opt to take an AP course.

Total scores on the multiple-choice section are based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points are not deducted for incorrect answers and no points are awarded for unanswered questions.

If you decide to skip it, the main consequences would be the loss of the opportunity to earn college credit, and possibly a loss of money if you've already paid for the exam. Colleges will not see that you registered and then skipped the exam, so it shouldn't have an impact on your college applications directly.

Absolutely, if you miss your scheduled AP exam due to valid reasons such as illness, religious observances, or family emergencies, the College Board does provide options for taking a makeup exam. The process for setting this up is not automatic and requires you to take proactive steps to secure your makeup date.

$40 per exam for: Exams canceled in AP Registration and Ordering after November 15 and by March 15 (11:59 p.m. ET)

If something unexpected happens that prevents you from taking the AP Exam on the date you were scheduled for or you want to take exams that are scheduled for the same time slot, you can talk to your AP coordinator about taking an exam on a later date.

The only factor impacting your GPA is your final grade in your AP class. Though you might not be able to bring up your GPA with an AP exam, you can still earn college credit if you do well. So, we definitely recommend taking your AP exam. It can't hurt, and can only help!

Has anyone ever gotten a 0 on the AP exam? ›

To answer your question directly, no, you can't score a literal zero on an AP test; the scores range from 1 to 5. Even if you were to leave the entire test blank, you'd still get a 1. Now, to earn that score of 1, it means the test taker demonstrates no understanding of the material.

In summary, focus on doing well in your AP courses, as your grades hold more weight in the admissions process. If you happen not to perform well on an exam, it's not the end of the world - you can always choose not to report that score. Best of luck on your exams!

AP® Score of 1

Since a 1 is the lowest score that you can get on an AP® exam, this is not desirable. Thankfully, not many students leave the exam with a 1 unless complications arise during the test and they need to leave, or they are just trying to take the exam without knowing any of the material.

Most colleges do not require them for admissions. A very few are beginning to recommend them instead of or as a replacement for Subject Tests. Colleges more than likely won't be looking for missing scores and wondering why you don't have them. Lots of kids don't take AP tests even if they've taken the class.

If a student were to pass away during the exam, their exam would likely be voided, meaning it would not be scored. The College Board, which administers AP exams, would handle such situations on a case-by-case basis, considering the circ*mstances and making decisions accordingly.

This year's big AP leak appears to have originated on encrypted social media channels in China, including Xian Yu and Taobao, but students in classrooms across the U.S. also reported on social media that their scores had been canceled. Many of them proclaimed their innocence.

If something unexpected happens that prevents you from taking the AP Exam on the date you were scheduled for or you want to take exams that are scheduled for the same time slot, you can talk to your AP coordinator about taking an exam on a later date.

Regarding penalties, there are typically no academic penalties from your high school for choosing not to sit for the exam. However, no scores will be reported, since the exam wasn't taken, so you obviously won't have that exam score to submit to colleges.

While strong AP exam scores can help your application, they are not the only factor that matters. However, it's fair to note that more competitive schools, like Ivy League institutions, get many applicants who mainly took AP classes by their senior year and did well on the exams.