What is a good AP score?
A good AP score is a 3 or higher for most students, because many colleges give credit or placement at 3 and above. A 4 or 5 is the safer target: selective colleges often want at least a 4 before they give credit. Every college sets its own cutoff, so the score that counts is the one your college's AP credit policy asks for.
In more detail
College Board scores every AP exam from 1 to 5: 5 is extremely well qualified, 4 well qualified, 3 qualified, 2 possibly qualified and 1 no recommendation. The label is a recommendation about college credit. Each college decides which scores it accepts, and College Board says many U.S. colleges grant credit or placement for a 3 and above.
In practice the cutoff follows the college. Many public universities give credit for a 3. Selective private colleges often start at a 4, and some give credit only for a 5 or only for certain subjects. A score that earns credit at one school can earn nothing at another, so read the policy for every college on your list before you pick a target.
For admissions, the courses you took matter more than the scores. Colleges mostly look at the rigor of your coursework and your grades, and your scores go only to the colleges you choose to send them to. College Board also gives AP Scholar awards: AP Scholar for a 3 or higher on three exams, AP Scholar with Honor for an average of at least 3.25 on all exams and a 3 or higher on four, and AP Scholar with Distinction for an average of at least 3.5 and a 3 or higher on five.
AP scores and what they usually mean for college credit
| Score | College Board label | Credit at most colleges |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Extremely well qualified | Almost always earns credit |
| 4 | Well qualified | Earns credit at most colleges |
| 3 | Qualified | Earns credit at many public universities, often not at selective ones |
| 2 | Possibly qualified | Rarely earns credit |
| 1 | No recommendation | No credit |
Step by step
- 1
List the colleges you are applying to or considering.
- 2
Open each college's AP credit policy page and find your exam in its table.
- 3
Write down the minimum score for credit in each course, and note the courses it would replace.
- 4
Set your target at the highest minimum on the list, so one score works everywhere.
- 5
Take a timed practice exam under real conditions and compare your result to that target.
- 6
Spend the weeks before the exam on the units where you lost the most points.
How StudyPDF helps
Upload your AP textbook chapters, class notes or review slides, and StudyPDF builds flashcards, quizzes and a timed practice exam from them, then tracks per concept which units still cost you points. You can also try the free practice tests in the quiz bank, such as APUSH Practice Test: Periods 1 to 9 and AP Psychology Practice Test. A free account is needed to make your own materials.
See also
More questions
Is a 3 a good AP score?
Yes for credit at many colleges, since College Board says many U.S. colleges grant credit or placement for a 3 and above. Selective colleges often want a 4 or 5, so check the colleges on your list.
Do colleges see my AP scores if I do not send them?
Only the colleges you designate receive them, either with the free score send or with a paid order. Your school and district also get your scores.
Do it on your own course
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