AP exams separate students from the rest of pack | College Connection

Susan Alaimo
Updated ·2 min read
11

College-bound students know the GPA and SAT scores listed on their college applications are scrutinized by college admissions officers. But so too are additional numbers: the scores on their AP exams.

AP stands for Advanced Placement. It’s the term for college-level courses, created by College Board (the same folks who bring you the SAT exam), that provide high school students with the opportunity to earn colleges credits if they score high enough on end-of-year exams.

AP exams are currently offered in 38 subjects, including the Arts, English, History and Social Science, Math and Computer Science, Science, and World Languages and Cultures, although not all courses are offered at every high school. AP exams were introduced in the 1950s and have greatly increased in the number of options and in popularity over the years. Currently, some 2.8 million students take AP exams each May. Students who score 3 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 5) are offered college credits by many of the nation’s colleges and universities.

The most popular AP exams, according to College Board, are English Language and Composition, United States History, Psychology, Calculus AB, and Spanish Language and Culture. When choosing AP courses, students should consider their college and career plans and select the most relevant courses. Students planning a pre-med course of study often take AP Biology and AP Chemistry as part of their high school curriculum. Those planning to pursue a college major in business often favor AP Statistics, AP Calculus, AP Microeconomics, and AP Macroeconomics.

More College Connection: Students get unlimited 'do-overs' on SAT exam

More College Connection: How to prepare for National College Decision Day on May 1

Participation in AP courses is very popular in Central Jersey as it aids students in the college application process. When deciding which students to admit, college admissions officers compare students to their peers – classmates from their high school. So in order to be competitive, students often strive to take as many AP courses as they can successfully complete and aim to score a 5 on each of the culminating exams.

In 2022, 74% of students at Princeton High School took at least one AP exam, according to statistics from U.S. News & World Report. The participation rate was reportedly 67% at Montgomery High School, 52% at Hillsborough High School, and 44% at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

As the admission process to highly prestigious colleges and universities grows increasingly more competitive, students find that demonstrating success on AP exams is a great way to stand out among their peers.

Susan Alaimo is the founder and director of Collegebound Review which offers PSAT/SAT® preparation and private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: AP exams in the college admissions process