Do AP Exams Matter?

Are AP exams still worth it? Should my child be taking AP exams? What’s a good score on an AP? We’ve given our advice below:

In an AP class at your high school? Admissions will expect to see an accompanying AP score (4s and 5s only please!).

Even though they may not technically be labeled as AP classes, many upper-division electives taught at independent schools are rigorous and impressive. Taking an AP exam that corresponds to one of these courses can add some sparkle to your academic resume by demonstrating expertise beyond a letter grade and translating your depth of knowledge to college admissions officers who may not be familiar with your school’s coursework.

Taking AP exams allows you to keep your options open! AP scores are part of the admissions requirement at many top international universities, including Oxford, which requires a score of 5 on at least three AP exams, and Cambridge, which requires students to submit the results of five AP exams with a score of 5.

Taking AP exams in high school often allows you to get out of those boring 101 classes and into higher level classes where you can explore things that you’re actually passionate about! Use this handy search tool from the College Board to see colleges and universities (including Ivy League schools) that accept AP credit for scores of 4s and 5s, subject by subject.

More isn’t simply better when it comes to testing, but we do think students poised for easy success on APs benefit from showing high scores. According to data collected by the College Board, 85% of colleges and universities report that AP scores favorably impact their admissions decisions.

Still deciding whether to AP or not to AP? With AP exams coming up in May, March is the ideal time to take a diagnostic and get a sense of which test is right for you.