AP Grade Reporting

To report the AP test or not to report the AP test, that is this week’s question.

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.

The expert college counselors at International College Counselors 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, say the expert college advisors at International College Counselors. Some of those students took an AP course but found that the class didn’t cover all the information on the test or they didn’t study for the test as much as they should have. (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 send the College Board a Score Cancellation Form AND a written request by mail or fax by June 15. You must include in your letter:

your full name, home address, birth date, high school
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 cancelled
your signature

This service is free but note that the grade report that you and your high 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 our company 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 send them in if you want to.

You can withhold a score if you already sent them in, but if you took them this year, expert college advisors at International College Counselors recommend waiting until early July. Beginning July 1, grades by phone are available for the 2012 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 written request by mail or fax by June 15. You must include in your letter:

1. your full name, home address, birth date
2. the year(s) that you took AP Exams
3. the name, city, and state of the college you specified
4. 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.)
5. a check for the exact amount due made out to “AP Exams.” There is a $10 fee per score, per college.
6. your signature

Note that unlike a canceled score, a request to withhold a grade does not permanently delete your grade. A withheld AP grade will be sent to your high school. It will count in your AP average and affect AP scholar designations. This means you can choose the scores that work to your advantage and feel confident to take some extra AP exams.

Make sure you keep a copy of all your correspondence with the College Board.

Contact the College Board
For more information straight from the College Board on AP grade reporting services, including addresses, phone and fax numbers:

Contact International College Counselors
For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986

About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.

International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.