Will colleges care if I fail an AP exam? (2024)

FAQs

Will colleges care if I fail an 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.

Colleges will not look at your score

You will not be required to send your AP score to your colleges unless you want to earn college credit. In that case, you can wait to pay for an official score report to be sent after you've decided where you are enrolling and after you have completed any senior year AP courses.

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.

A bad exam score doesn't affect your application that much if you are taking other AP classes and do well in those, make sure that your GPA isn't affected by this score. Colleges look at AP scores to analyze how well you would do in a basic college course, but don't worry about it too much.

Although there are no consequences from skipping the exam, you might be missing out on some opportunities. The first and most obvious advantage is the college credit. Although many colleges are highly selective about AP results, or don't accept them at all, some still will give you credit.

PSA: NO, AP Tests won't hurt your chances of admission/get you rescinded. I've seen a flood of posts the past few days from people panicking about the bombing an AP test. In short, the only tests colleges look at when you apply are the SAT/ACT and subject test scores.

If you got a 2 on your AP® English Language exam, it is definitely worth trying to retake it. Make it worth the added time and expense by taking these steps to improve your score. Track your scores on the multiple choice section. As you prepare, carefully note your score on the multiple choice section.

At many high schools, AP Physics is notorious for its difficulty level. In addition, it has the lowest overall pass rate of any AP exam.

To clarify, it's quite rare and quite difficult to get a score of 0 on an AP exam. Typically, scores range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest possible score that indicates the student likely wasn't prepared for the level of the content on the exam.

That being said, you need to take this decision of whether or not you should retake AP exams carefully. For instance, if you have a score of 3, a retake may not be necessary. However, if you are applying to the most selective colleges, you may need a higher score. And in this case, a retake is necessary.

Does failing AP exam look bad? ›

Colleges do not see your AP scores unless you report them. So no, colleges do not look at failed AP tests.

Interpreting AP Scores in Admissions is a Human Process

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.

First, it's important to know that you are not alone in this situation. Many students, especially those taking an AP for the first time, will fail to score the 3 needed to receive college credit. It's important for AP students to go through the following checklist and make the best of a bad situation.

Colleges and universities use AP exam scores as a factor in the admissions process, but they do so while considering them alongside the student's GPA, extracurricular activities, and other application information. Said differently, AP exam scores are just one factor in making admissions decisions.

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.

Colleges and universities use AP exam scores as a factor in the admissions process, but they do so while considering them alongside the student's GPA, extracurricular activities, and other application information. Said differently, AP exam scores are just one factor in making admissions decisions.

In the realm of college admissions, AP test scores can be a valuable asset, providing evidence of a student's academic abilities, subject-specific skills, and college preparedness. While the importance of AP test scores may vary among colleges, they can still play a significant role in the admissions process.

But what is a passing AP score? The College Board considers a score of 3 or higher a passing grade. That said, some colleges require a 4 or 5 to award credit. Whether a 3 is a good AP score depends on the colleges you're applying to.