What is Advanced Placement?
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program gives high school students a chance to do college level work in a variety of subjects ranging from calculus to chemistry. The AP exam is graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 3 or higher considered qualifying scores, sometimes referred to as passing scores. If students score well enough on an AP test, students can earn course credit or placement in advanced credit courses at most colleges and universities. The AP program has established a track record of positive results. In a state-wide Texas study, AP success correlated with much greater success in college. Six-year college graduation rates rise from ~15 percent for African-American and Hispanic students to ~60 percent if they have scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam. Students enrolled in AP courses are also competitive internationally–while the U.S. ranked below the international average on the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), students who had taken the AP Ca
