Advanced Placement Information College Board

General Advanced Placement Information

AP Courses are college-level courses offered in high school. Students can register to take AP Exams at the end of the course in May, measuring their mastery of college-level work. Students will receive a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, with a score of 5 being the highest. A score of 3 or higher on an AP Exam can typically earn students college credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college.

Overview of AP Research Findings

Research shows AP students are better prepared for college. When compared to non-AP students, AP Exam
takers are more likely to:
   ▪ Enroll in a four-year college
   ▪ Return to college for a second year
   ▪ Graduate college on time in four years

Students who earn a score of 3 or higher on AP Exams have higher overall first-year college GPAs compared
to similar students who don’t take AP Exams. In addition, AP STEM students are more likely than non-AP
students to earn degrees in physical science, engineering, and life science disciplines—the fields leading to
some of the careers essential to our future economic prosperity.