AP Exams Explained
Advanced Placement (AP) exams are end-of-year tests for AP courses, which are college-level courses taught in high school. Published by College Board, AP exams offer students the opportunity to earn college credit, demonstrate academic rigor to admissions offices, and challenge themselves beyond standard coursework.
How AP Exams Work
AP exams are given in May each year. Each exam typically lasts 2–3 hours and includes a combination of multiple-choice questions and free-response questions (essays, problem sets, or lab analyses depending on the subject). There are over 30 AP subjects available, spanning sciences, mathematics, history, languages, arts, and computer science.
How Are AP Exams Scored?
AP exams are scored on a 1–5 scale:
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Extremely well qualified |
| 4 | Well qualified |
| 3 | Qualified |
| 2 | Possibly qualified |
| 1 | No recommendation |
Score reports arrive in early July. Each college sets its own policy for awarding credit. Most selective colleges require a 4 or 5 for credit; some accept a 3 in certain subjects. Check the specific policy at each college your child is considering.
Do AP Scores Affect College Admissions?
AP scores arrive after admissions decisions are typically made, so scores themselves usually don’t directly influence admissions. However, taking AP courses and doing well in them strengthens a transcript. Colleges can see which AP courses a student took, even before scores are reported. Very low scores (1 or 2) on an AP exam do not typically need to be reported to colleges unless required by a specific application.
AP and GPA Weighting
Many high schools award weighted grade points for AP courses — for example, an A in an AP class might count as 5.0 rather than 4.0 on a 4.0 scale. This means that AP enrollment can raise your child’s GPA above 4.0 (unweighted) on a weighted scale. College admissions offices typically recalculate GPAs on a consistent scale, so the weight of any single AP course varies in impact.