AP Calculus AB Credit Policy

By Wiingy on Mar 25, 2023

Updated Mar 12, 2025

AP Calculus AB Credit Policy

If you are good at Math, then choosing AP Calculus courses can be very advantageous for your academics. Colleges and universities grant credit or advanced placement for scoring the required AP score. Colleges grant these credits because it shows a great deal of hard work and commitment on the student’s part.

In this guide, we will discuss in detail the AP Calculus AB credit policy, the difference between credit and placement, how many colleges in the US offer credits for AP Calculus AB, and the credit policy of the top 20 colleges in the US.

Find an expert 1-on-1 online AP Calculus AB tutor from Wiingy and give your exam prep a boost!

AP Calculus AB credit policy and advanced placement

Since that AP courses are advanced-level and are equivalent to introductory college-level courses, choosing them shows your dedication and hard work.

So, the biggest advantage of taking an AP course is that you gain either college credits or advanced placement. Getting advanced placement or credits from your college will help you graduate sooner than usual. Let’s now understand the difference between AP credits and advanced placements.

AP credits

Students are awarded credits for taking the AP exam and scoring the minimum required score. Typically, you need to secure a credit of 120 to graduate, which you collect by attending classes, completing projects, etc. So when you have passed an AP exam, college gives you credits even before starting out. Let’s understand this with an example.

For instance, you have secured an AP score of 5 in your AP Calculus AB exam, and the college that you are applying to offers 4 credits for a 5 AP score in the subject. So, that means that you are entering college with 4 credits under your belt even before starting college.

Advanced placement

So, another way of getting benefits from AP courses is advanced placement. So, instead of granting college credits, colleges allow you to skip some classes. These classes can be introductory classes of your major or core courses required by the college.

AP Calculus AB Exam Guide

Do colleges offer credits for AP Calculus AB?

Yes, of course! Colleges do offer credits for AP Calculus AB but their credit policies differ from each other. Some colleges might only be offering credits, some might offer only placement, some might offer both, and some might not offer either.

So, before applying read the college’s credit policy that you are applying to and apply accordingly.

Acceptable AP scoresNo.of colleges
Total no.of colleges offering AP credits for AP Calculus AB1964
No.of colleges accepting 5 AP scores22
No.of colleges accepting 4 or more AP scores446
No.of colleges accepting 3 or more AP scores1484
No.of colleges accepting 2 or more AP scores18
No.of colleges accepting 1 or more AP scores3
No.of colleges offering AP Calculus AB credits

Source: College Board

From the above table, you can clearly see that a total number of 1964 colleges offer credits for AP Calculus AB. Out of these colleges, 22 accepts only 5 AP score, 446 colleges accept 4 or more score, 1484 accepts 3 or more score, 18 colleges accepts an AP score of 2 or more, and 3 colleges accept 1 or more score.

AP Calculus AB credit policy of top 20 colleges

CollegeMinimum score requiredMinimum credit offeredAP credit policy linkAdditional notes
Princeton University

Princeton, NJ
51Princeton AP Calculus AB credit policy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA
518.01A/18.02AMIT AP Calculus AB credit policyA score of 5 on the Calculus AB exam allows you to enroll in the accelerated Calculus sequence of 18.01A/18.02A
Harvard University

Cambridge, MA
54Harvard AP Calculus AB credit policy To be eligible for Advance Standing at Harvard University, students need a total of 32 credits in their AP classes. This can be earned by scoring 5 in four AP exams.
Stanford University

Stanford, CA
56Stanford AP Calculus AB credit
Yale University

New Haven, CT
51Yale AP Calculus AB credit policy
University of Chicago

Chicago, IL
5MATH 15100University of Chicago AP Calculus AB credit policy UChicago offers advanced placement for AP Calculus AB.
Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD
54John Hopkins AP Calculus AB credit policy
University of Pennsylvania5University of Pennsylvania AP Calculus AB credit policyUPenn doesn’t grant credit for the AP Calculus AB exams.
California Institute of Technology0Caltech AP Calculus AB credit policyCaltech doesn’t grant credit for AP exams.
Duke University

Durham, NC
4MATH 21Duke AP Calculus AB credit policyDuke University offers advanced placement for AP Calculus AB.
Northwestern University

Evanston, IL
41Northwestern AP Calculus AB credit policy
Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH
43Dartmouth AP Calculus AB credit policy
Brown University

Providence, RI
4 or 5Math 0090Brown University AP Calculus AB credit policyDuke University offers advanced placement for AP Calculus AB.
Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN
54Vanderbilt University AP Calculus AB credit policy
Rice University

Houston, TX
43Rice University AP Calculus AB credit policy
Washington University in St. Louis

Saint Louis, MO
53Washington University in St. Louis AP Calculus AB credit policy
Cornell University

Ithaca, NY
44Cornell AP Calculus AB credit policy
Columbia
University

New York, NY
43Columbia AP Calculus AB credit policy
University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN
54University of Notre Dame AP Calculus AB credit policy
University of California, Berkley

Berkley, CA
32.6University of California, Berkley AP Calculus AB credit policy
AP Calculus AB Credit Policies of Popular US Colleges

Conclusion

So in conclusion, a total of 1964 colleges offer college credit for AP Calculus AB. This allows you to gain credits even before starting your classes. So, if you have a strong foundation in Math and opt for an AP course in Mathematics, then AP Calculus AB can be a great option for you to gain college credits.

Find an expert 1-on-1 online AP Calculus AB tutor from Wiingy and give your exam prep a boost!

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Do colleges give credit for AP Calc AB?

Yes, of course! In fact, a total of 1964 colleges in the US offer credits for AP Calculus AB.

How many credits is AP calculus AB?

The credit policy for AP Calculus AB varies from college to college so there is no one answer to the question. Read about your college’s credit policy before applying.

Does Yale accept 3 in AP Calculus AB?

No, Yale only accepts a 5 AP score in AP Calculus AB and offers 1 college credit for that score.

Is AP Calculus AB hard?

AP Calculus AB is considered moderately hard in comparison to other hardest AP courses like AP Chemistry, AP Biology, etc, based on the passing rate and students’ opinions shared over online discussion forums.

Is AP Calc BC or AB harder?

AP Calculus BC is considered harder than AP Calculus AB.

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Reviewed by Wiingy

Mar 12, 2025

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