To report the AP test or not to report the AP test, that is this week’s question.
By Mandee Heller Adler, president of International College Counselors
After taking one of the many various AP tests, there are usually three ways a student will feel: Great! Good. And Awful.
If you think you did great or good, congratulations!
If you’re sure you did awfully and scored a 1 or a 2, or you’re not sure how you did. You can withhold or cancel your score.
Because AP grades are released in July, any request for changes in reporting must be received by June 15.
Note that it’s not likely that any one AP grade you submit, no matter how low, will fatally wound you.
Canceling vs. Withholding
Canceling AP grades
Canceling an AP grade permanently means you’ll never, ever see the grade and it’s deleted from your record forever.
The option to cancel a score helps a number of students. Some of those students took an AP course but found it didn’t cover all the information on the test. (And this happens more than we’d like to think.) This option also encourages the risk takers, the students who take an AP exam in a subject they might not have taken the class for. (They’re the ones who study a lot on their own).
To cancel a score, you must notify the College Board by sending them assigned request by mail or fax with your signature. You should include in your letter:
- your full name, home address, birth date, and AP number(s)
- the year(s) that you took AP Exams
- the name, city, and state of the college you specified
- the name(s) of the exam(s) for which you want a grade canceled.
This service is free but note that the grade report that you and your school receive will indicate that the grade has been canceled.
Withholding AP grades
Withholding a score means you may have one or more grades withheld from the colleges you indicated on your answer sheet. This gives you the chance to see your scores before the colleges.
You may later release the grade to that college by sending AP Services a signed written request and a small fee.
What we suggest to the students we work with at International College Counselors is to not send your scores to any colleges in May.
Our reasoning is as follows: with your test, as explained to me by an AP representative, you only get to send your scores to one school free, any others are $15. In other words, if you choose to withhold your scores from all the colleges until you see them, you’re only “losing” $15. Many students can think of the $15 as “insurance”. It’s easy to see your scores and then end them in if you want to.
You can withhold a score if you already sent them in, but if you took them this year, we recommend waiting until early July. Beginning July 3, grades by phone are available for the 2009 exams. It’ll cost you a few extra dollars to get your scores by phone, but it’s a very small price to pay in the larger scheme of things.
To withhold a score, you must notify the College Board by sending them a letter with your signature. You should include in your letter:
- your full name, home address, birth date, and AP number(s)
- the year(s) that you took AP Exams
- the name, city, and state of the college you specified
- the name(s) of the exam(s) for which you want a grade withheld. (All your grades will still appear on the reports sent to you and your high school.)
- a check for the exact amount due made out to “AP Exams.” There is a $10 fee per grade, per college.
Note that unlike a canceled score, a request to withhold a grade does not permanently delete your grade. A withheld AP grade counts in your AP average and affects AP scholar designations. This means you can choose the scores that work to your advantage and feel confident to take some extra AP exams.
For more information on AP grade reporting services straight from the College Board go to:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_rep.html
If you need a college advisor or have any other college questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Please write me here or at my personal email which can be found on this International College Counselors website.
Mandee Heller Adler, Founder of International College Counselors and lead college advisor
www.internationalcollegecounselors.com