Student Standard Press

Last May, over 6.25 million AP exams were taken around the world— a substantial increase from 4.3 million in 2024 (College Board).

With an average pass rate of 60-80% for 28 different subjects, millions of students are on track to receive college credit— but not exactly. Why doesn’t a passing score guarantee college credit? How do I know if I will receive credit? What AP exams should I be taking to maximize my chances?

To explore these ideas further, this article will break down the meaning of individual AP scores, how to find college credit, and when to retake an AP exam.

What is a “Good” Score?

College board scores AP exam scores from 1-5, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest score. Scoring a 3 or higher on an AP exam is considered a passing score that allows a student to receive credit or exemption from prerequisites and other introductory-level courses. However, simply scoring a 3 will not guarantee credit.

Of the 500 universities across 75 countries offering some sort of credit for passing scores, most have varying AP Credit Policies. Surprisingly, less than 8% of colleges in the U.S. accept passing scores in AP Seminar or AP Research courses for credit (usnews). Most of these schools only accept scores of 4 and 5 on either exam for credit. In this case, it is very unlikely to earn applicable credit for a passing score of 3 on either of the AP Capstone courses. 

On the other hand, scoring a 3 on a more difficult exam focusing on a subject in STEM is much more likely to result in college credit. As of 2025, nearly 2,000 colleges in the U.S offer credit for a passing AP Chemistry exam score, with ~75% of these schools offering credit for a score of 3 (wiingy).

When to Self-report Scores?

When applying to colleges, all students who have taken at least one AP exam have the option to self-report their scores. Here are general guidelines to consider when choosing which scores to submit:

Score of 5: Report all

Score of 4: Usually report; for highly selective schools, consider omitting the score if the exam subject directly aligns with your major/plan of study

Score of 3: Report if the school offers credit for that specific score

Score of 1 or 2: Omit all scores

You can choose which scores to send to colleges after taking an exam. While few schools have adopted this policy, some may require either a standardized test score or a full report of all AP exam scores (College Board). To check the AP exam score and AP exam credit policy for individual schools, you can use the College Board’s search tool found here. 

Should I Retake an Exam?

After AP scores are received in July, some students who are dissatisfied with their score on a particular exam may choose to retake it the following year. Reasons for retaking an AP exam may include earning a score lower than 3, which may weaken a student’s academic profile, earning a score not sufficient for college credit at a particular university, or feeling as if a high score was not achieved due to initial circumstances of the exam. 

While the choice to retake an AP exam may seem obvious, there are several pros and cons to consider:

Pros: 

• Increase potential for college credit
• Strengthen overall academic profile
• Increase GPA depending on school’s grading policy
• Meet specific subject requirements (EX: AP Capstone Diploma)

Cons: 

• Exam fee potentially exceeding $100
• Interference with focus on college admissions
• Difficulty self-studying with the workload of other exams
• Potential for the same or lower score

Additional factors to consider: 

• If you are applying to a college that allows for the reporting of all AP scores instead of standardized tests, the school will still see your previous lower score on an exam. 
• Depending on your course load for the following year, retaking an exam may conflict with the testing schedule for other exams, which can interfere with knowledge retention (shiftelearning). 

Ultimately, while AP scores can result in college credit for many students who strategically approach college-level courses, AP exams are only one aspect of how colleges and universities evaluate a student.