Will a low AP score hurt?

[Blackjack7]

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So I got into undergrad and am excited to start pre-med soon, but first i had a question about AP exams.

Now, I'm not exactly sure that I'll do well on a couple of them. Would doing poorly on them hurt me in any way in the future?

 

[allantois]

No one will know your AP scores. They show up on your transcript if your institution awarded you credit for it. Med schools are more interested in classes you took in college for credit.

I would focus on getting a 4 on AP Chem if you are taking it.

I'll give you my own experience, I got a 4 on AP Chem and took Gen Chem 2 right away and didn't go to class because I already knew the material. I was able to finish Orgo and Biochem by the end of sophomore year so now I can take the MCAT in the summer a year before applying while not taking any classes.

 

[f4reignbeauty]

A low AP score will not hurt, if anything you will not receive college credit for the class. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, just means you have take an additional course while you're in undergrad. Seems like you haven't taken the AP exams yet, don't set yourself up for failure beforehand.

 

[Shirafune]

So I got into undergrad and am excited to start pre-med soon, but first i had a question about AP exams.

Now, I'm not exactly sure that I'll do well on a couple of them. Would doing poorly on them hurt me in any way in the future?

Nope. Poor AP scores only indicate that you may not be prepared to take on more advanced courses. If you still choose to take those classes and do poorly, then obviously a substantially lower GPA will harm you.

 

[DrShephardWannabe]

So I got into undergrad and am excited to start pre-med soon, but first i had a question about AP exams.

Now, I'm not exactly sure that I'll do well on a couple of them. Would doing poorly on them hurt me in any way in the future?

Nope worst case scenario you make a 1 and don't get credit.

Now my slightly off topic advice: Taking AP exams is awesome prep for college, but don't claim any science exams if you're going into pre-med. Best case scenario you're a science genius, and that just means the intro sciences will be easy A's/GPA boosters. Worst case scenario (Which is a lot more likely) you jump right into upper division science, get destroyed, tank your GPA, and affect your knowledge for the MCAT.

 

[Blackjack7]

Thanks for the info guys. Actually these AP's a junk tests in my current state. (could have been used for pre-reqs for other colleges maybe, but got denied from them)

They aren't science, finished those ages ago. They are US Govt, English Lit, and Japanese. All good experiences, but not worth it if there was any risk. But now I know I can take them without fear of failure.

 

[Lawpy]

Nope worst case scenario you make a 1 and don't get credit.

Now my slightly off topic advice: Taking AP exams is awesome prep for college, but don't claim any science exams if you're going into pre-med. Best case scenario you're a science genius, and that just means the intro sciences will be easy A's/GPA boosters. Worst case scenario (Which is a lot more likely) you jump right into upper division science, get destroyed, tank your GPA, and affect your knowledge for the MCAT.

Your advice is analogous to saying "heads I win, tails you lose". And you can't back up your claim that upper division science courses will likely tank your GPA (hint: it's inaccurate and misguided). I'm happy to discuss this matter further separately, but just wanted to disprove such bizarre misconceptions.

Returning back on-topic:

So I got into undergrad and am excited to start pre-med soon, but first i had a question about AP exams.

Now, I'm not exactly sure that I'll do well on a couple of them. Would doing poorly on them hurt me in any way in the future?

As it's been addressed already, AP scores by themselves mean nothing. What matters is you get AP credit in your official transcript, but I still recommend doing the best you can in the "non-science" AP exams coming this week.

 

[DrHart]

just your pride

 

[bluejay456]

The biggest lie in high school is to take a ton of AP exams because it will make college 'easier' because you wont have to take those classes (assuming you score 4/5 of course). If I could go back, I would take all the intro classes instead of the upper level classes right outta the gate. Great GPA boosters and going over the material again is nice.

 

[northernlights15]

Nobody will give a rat's ass about your AP scores, so don't worry.

 

[moisne]

No - unless you took classes at a college - nothing - I repeat - nothing from high school gets carried over.

 

[mehc012]

Isn't that annoying, though? It really bugs me that APs are only counted if your college counted them. It's a standardized exam. If Bob and I both take the same exam at the same time and get the same score, how is it remotely appropriate that Bob will be able to report that and I would not?
If people are going to be able to report APs as prereq fulfillment (not GPA), everyone should be able to do so. Relying on individual college policies is complete BS.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Medical schools won't really care.

 

[Jagon]

Isn't that annoying, though? It really bugs me that APs are only counted if your college counted them. It's a standardized exam. If Bob and I both take the same exam at the same time and get the same score, how is it remotely appropriate that Bob will be able to report that and I would not?

My school did the double whammy of letting you use APs to qualify to take their own entrance exams to test out of intro courses, but not putting them on the transcript...so I tested out of some intros, but got no credit and was not allowed to retake them. For example, I tested out of Calc 1 and 2. I was therefore not allowed to take those courses, and would have had to start with multivariable and above, which I did not want to do. However, my transcript makes it look as if I took only 1 math class, ever. I never took any intro Bios, as far as my transcript is concerned. And because I tested out of 1 semester of gen chem and there are only 2 total...well, I'm deficient on that front if they care to look closely (they likely won't as I was a chem major, even though all of my upper levels were organic which apparently counts as a separate prereq category).

Anyway, I just find the whole situation annoying. If people are going to be able to report APs as prereq fulfillment (not GPA), everyone should be able to do so. Relying on individual college policies is complete BS.

And this is why I didn't take the AP exams in HS, only the classes. They really don't help for premeds.

 

[mehc012]

And this is why I didn't take the AP exams in HS, only the classes. They really don't help for premeds.

I wasn't a premed. Also, I would not have gotten into the school I did for college without them...and I love my alma mater!
If I'd gone to a lower-ranked undergrad, though, they probably would have showed up, and I'd have 10-11 extra courses on my transcript (though not in my gpa).
Actually, I'd have 10-11 extra standardized tests on there, which is even better for me...standardized tests are my jam.

 

[Blackjack7]

That is impressive.