Colleges view on AP Stats? (2024)

FAQs

Do colleges like to see AP Statistics? ›

Do colleges care about AP Statistics? Yes, colleges favor students who boast hard-won high test scores in difficult subjects like AP Statistics.

If you plan to study engineering, physics, or mathematics in college, taking AP Calculus will be more beneficial as it's a prerequisite for many college-level courses in these fields. If you're leaning towards social sciences, psychology, business, or data-focused fields, AP Statistics might be more applicable.

More schools than ever before are accepting AP scores for credit or advanced placement. To get credit, you'll need to request that College Board send your official score report to the college of your choice. They'll notify you about any credit, advanced placement, and/or course exemptions you've earned.

Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes. Harvard has general academic requirements that all students must take.

In terms of college prospects, both courses can be valuable when admissions officers evaluate your academic rigor. If you're leaning towards a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) major, taking Precalculus would be more beneficial as it's essential for higher-level math courses.

From the perspective of someone who has already taken AP Statistics, it is what you make it. You can take this class because you are interested in statistical analysis, want college credit, or because you want to add some bulk to your course load that you know you can handle alongside your other AP classes.

It's important to consider your own strengths, interests, and academic goals when deciding on which courses to take. If you're not particularly strong in math but still want to challenge yourself, AP Stats might be a good option for you.

That being said, AP Statistics can still be valuable to a pre-med student, as statistics plays a significant role in understanding medical research and clinical trials.

Nine schools give students no credit for AP work. These institutions include some of the top schools in the country: Dartmouth University, Brown University, the California Institute of Technology, Williams College, and Amherst College.

Is AP Statistics difficult? ›

How Hard Is AP Statistics? Students typically classify this AP course as moderately difficult. While you'll need to study for the coveted high score of a 5, you won't have as tough of a time passing this course, especially compared to the hardest AP science classes.

Additionally, learning statistics can help improve critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, which are valuable skills across various disciplines. From a college application standpoint, both courses can bolster your transcript by showing a rigorous math curriculum.

MIT grants credit for a score of 5 on some College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams. It does not grant credit for secondary school courses teaching AP curricula, or partial credit for lower scores.

Yale considers standardized test scores and transcripts together. Scores are evaluated within each student's unique context and are used to augment other academic indicators in an application. I have multiple scores from exams in related subjects (e.g., ACT Math and AP Statistics).

JHU does accept some AP exam credits, but not all. The best resource for a new student to review on this policy is in the University Catalogue. The External Credit Policies page of the catalogue addresses AP credits.

While strong AP exam scores can help your application, they are not the only factor that matters. However, it's fair to note that more competitive schools, like Ivy League institutions, get many applicants who mainly took AP classes by their senior year and did well on the exams.

Overall, AP Statistics is easier than other AP math courses. While it still requires a solid understanding of mathematical concepts, AP Statistics is less focused on solving equations, and more on analyzing data and drawing conclusions. If math isn't your strongest subject, this may be a good option for you.