Hey everyone, when I got my AP scores back, I managed to pull off a 4 on one of my exams. My friends are giving me mixed feedback, and I'm not totally sure if this is something I should be proud of. Is a 4 on an AP exam good enough for top-tier colleges, or should I aim for a 5 if I retake it next year?
Hey there, congratulations on your score! In the grand scheme of AP scoring, a 4 is definitely considered a strong result. It shows that you have a good grasp of the course material and are capable of college-level work, which is exactly what colleges are looking for.
Also note that in many cases, a score of 4 is sufficient for college credit or class exemptions, although policies will vary from school to school and maybe even from department to department. You can check the policies of the schools you're considering using the College Board's AP Credit search tool: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies
For most top-tier colleges, a 4 is seen favorably. However, these institutions also receive applications from many students with 5s, so the context of your entire application will matter as well.
If the subject of the AP exam is related to your intended major or area of interest, scoring a 5 could strengthen your application slightly more—but it's not a make-or-break situation. AP exams cause a lot of students stress, but in reality the scores themselves don't have a major impact in the college admissions process. They can be a nice extra feather in your cap, but schools care more about your overall performance in the class than your performance on one test.
Instead of retaking the exam, focus on maintaining a rigorous course load and broadening your extracurricular profile. Those efforts will be much more meaningful than the marginal difference between a 4 and a 5.
If you're still feeling unsure about what the right decision is, I'd recommend checking out the following blog posts from CollegeVine, which can give you more comprehensive guidance on the pros and cons of retaking an AP exam, and on the role of AP scores in the college process:
- Retakes: https://blog.collegevine.com/can-you-retake-ap-exams-should-you
- AP scores and college admissions: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-important-are-ap-scores-for-college-admissions/
Keep up the great work!
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