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The AP scores are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. Many colleges in the United States give credit and/or advanced placement (which means you can skip the equivalent course once you get to college) for a total score of 3 and above.
Students in high school take AP exams and classes to get an early start on college-level material and earn academic credit for general education courses.
They may obtain college credit for a subject if they pass an AP exam (in addition to high school credit).
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When do AP scores come out?
The AP scores are usually released in July, two months after the exam is held in May every year. In 2022 the AP scores were released on 5th July.
- Step 1: Click here to go directly to the My AP account.
- Step 2: Now, log in to your account by entering your registered email id and password.
- Step 3: You should be able to see your AP scores on your dashboard after logging in.
How can you view your AP scores?
Follow the instructions on how you can view your AP scores:
- Verify that you can access your College Board account
- Log in before the scores are released in July to ensure that you remember your login information. This is the same account you use to log in to My AP or other College Board resources.
- Please ensure that we have your current email address
- If your email address has changed, please update it in your account.
- If you already have an account, do not create a new one
- Duplicate accounts may result in delays in receiving your AP scores. Sign in using the same account you used to register for and enroll in AP classes.
AP scores grading system
The table below shows the recommendation that each AP score provides regarding your eligibility for college credit and placement if you achieve that score.
It also displays the corresponding college course grade for each score.
| AP exam scores | Recommendation | College Course Grade Equivalent |
| 5 | Extremely well qualified | A+ or A |
| 4 | Very well qualified | A-, B+, or B |
| 3 | Qualified | B-, C+, or C |
| 2 | Possibly qualified | — |
| 1 | No recommendation | — |
What is a good AP score?
Typically good colleges need a minimum score of 3, but some demand four or even five. High AP scores can sometimes increase your chances of being admitted to college, so strive for the highest possible score.
When preparing for AP exams, prepare a study plan make a study plan, and begin preparing early. The more time you spend studying, the better you’ll perform on test day. Use AP practice tests to help you familiarize yourself with the timing.
AP score distribution
1. 2022 score distributions: AP Capstone
| AP Exams | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP Research | 12.6% | 25.8% | 44.3% | 13.3% | 4.0% |
| AP Seminar | 11.6% | 19.2% | 51.8% | 11.8% | 5.6% |
2. 2022 score distributions: Arts
| AP Exams | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP 2-D Art and Design | 10.8% | 35.5% | 40.3% | 12.8% | 0.5% |
| AP 3-D Art and Design | 6.4% | 28.6% | 38.5% | 23.8% | 2.6% |
| AP Art History | 14.1% | 21.0% | 26.3% | 26.9% | 11.6% |
| AP Drawing | 14.6% | 38.1% | 35.6% | 10.3% | 1.4% |
| AP Music Theory | 18.7% | 17.7% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 14.4% |
3. 2022 score distributions: English
| AP Exams | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP English Language and Composition | 10.4% | 21.1% | 24.2% | 29.8% | 14.5% |
| AP English Literature and Composition | 16.9% | 27.3% | 33.7% | 14.1% | 7.9% |
4. 2022 score distributions: History & Social Science
| AP Exam | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP Comparative Government and Politics | 15.9% | 24.3% | 30.3% | 16.7% | 12.9% |
| AP European History | 13.5% | 21.0% | 24.4% | 29.7% | 11.4% |
| AP Human Geography | 14.9% | 18.7% | 19.6% | 15.0% | 31.8% |
| AP Macroeconomics | 16.4% | 20.0% | 15.4% | 15.1% | 33.1% |
| AP Microeconomics | 17.7% | 22.5% | 18.8% | 16.9% | 24.2% |
| AP Psychology | 17.0% | 22.2% | 19.1% | 13.1% | 28.5% |
| AP United States Government and Politics | 12.0% | 10.9% | 25.8% | 25.7% | 25.7% |
| AP United States History | 10.8% | 15.6% | 21.9% | 23.0% | 28.8% |
| AP World History | 13.2% | 21.9% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 14.3% |
5. 2022 score distributions: Math & Computer Science
| AP Exams | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP Calculus AB | 20.4% | 16.1% | 19.1% | 22.6% | 21.7% |
| AP Calculus BC | 41.2% | 15.6% | 20.1% | 16.4% | 6.8% |
| AP Computer Science A | 27.3% | 20.4% | 19.9% | 10.4% | 22.1% |
| AP Computer Science Principles | 11.4% | 21.0% | 31.1% | 19.9% | 16.6% |
| AP Statistics | 14.8% | 22.2% | 23.4% | 16.5% | 23.1% |
6. 2022 score distributions: Sciences
| AP Exams | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP Biology | 15.0% | 23.1% | 29.7% | 21.6% | 10.5% |
| AP Chemistry | 12.5% | 17.0% | 24.5% | 23.6% | 22.5% |
| AP Environmental Science | 8.9% | 27.4% | 17.5% | 25.9% | 20.3% |
| AP Physics 1 | 7.9% | 17.0% | 18.3% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| AP Physics 2 | 16.3% | 18.1% | 35.3% | 24.1% | 6.3% |
| AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 31.5% | 23.6% | 14.3% | 18.1% | 12.5% |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | 26.4% | 25.7% | 21.3% | 15.6% | 11.0% |
7. 2022 score distributions: World Languages & Cultures
| AP Exams | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| AP Chinese Language and Culture | 49.3% | 19.6% | 18.0% | 5.3% | 7.8% |
| AP French Language and Culture | 13.1% | 23.7% | 34.8% | 22.3% | 6.0% |
| AP German Language and Culture | 20.0% | 19.1% | 26.5% | 22.9% | 11.6% |
| AP Italian Language and Culture | 22.6% | 20.6% | 27.3% | 18.6% | 10.8% |
| AP Japanese Language and Culture | 48.5% | 9.8% | 17.1% | 7.5% | 17.1% |
| AP Latin | 11.2% | 16.1% | 29.8% | 24.8% | 18.2% |
| AP Spanish Language and Culture | 23.6% | 28.5% | 29.7% | 15.0% | 3.3% |
| AP Spanish Literature and Culture | 8.1% | 22.8% | 33.4% | 23.8% | 11.9% |
Special score structure: Calculus BC
If you take the AP Calculus BC Exam, you will acquire a Calculus AB subscore (1-5) along with your regular score. The Calculus AB subscore implies how well you performed on 60% of the exam devoted to Calculus AB topics.
The subscore provides colleges and universities with additional information about your skills. We advise colleges to treat the Calculus AB subscore on the Calculus BC Exam as they would an AP Calculus AB Exam score because common topics are tested at the same theoretical level in both Calculus AB and Calculus BC. Of course, each university and school has its own policy regarding AP Exam credit and/or placement.
Special score structure: Music theory
There are two subscores (1-5) for AP Music Theory: an aural element subscore and a monaural element subscore.
Multiple-choice questions about documented musical examples, two melodic dictation questions, two harmonic dictation questions, and two sight-singing questions comprise the aural component subscore.
The monaural element subscore includes multiple-choice questions that require score analysis as well as questions that are not related to recorded musical examples. It also includes free-response questions about realizing a figured bass, realizing a chord development from Roman numerals, and writing a bass line to fit a given melody.
When music departments offer completely separate courses for written principle and aural skills, the subscores enable them to make appropriate credit and placement decisions.
Although each college or university has its own policy for awarding credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores, it is recommended that subscores be considered alongside the overall score for students continuing their studies in music.
It is also suggested that the overall score be used by the college or university to establish policy for students who are seeking general humanities credits.
Sending AP scores to college
You must request to send an official AP score report to the college to receive college credit or placement for your AP scores. You need to keep in mind the following steps while sending your AP Scores:
- Send your free score by June 20
- Every year that you take AP Exams, you can send your scores to one free recipient. Sign in to My AP, go to My AP Profile, select the Score Send tab, and select the college, university, or scholarship organization that you want to receive your score report from. Make sure to use your 2022 free score and send it before the June 20th deadline.
- Scores can be sent online at any time for a fee
- After the scores are released, you can order as many score reports as you need online. If you are unable to send your scores online, you can send them by mail or fax.
- Score reports include current and previous AP Exam results
- Your score report contains the results of all previous AP Exams you took. Unless you choose to withhold or cancel any of your scores, your entire score history will be sent to your designated college, university, or scholarship program.
- You should look into college deadlines
- Check your college’s AP score deadline if you’re a senior starting college in the fall. We encourage you to send your scores as soon as possible to ensure that they arrive on time.
- Past AP Exam dates can be found online
- If you need to know when you took an AP Exam in the last five years, you can look it up on the College Board website.
How to send a “cancel scores” request?
You can cancel your AP exam scores through the AP program. Your exam will not be scored if you request cancellation, and if it has already been scored, the score will be completely deleted from our records.
A score that has been canceled cannot be reinstated. This service is free, but your exam fee is not refunded. Scores that have been archived cannot be canceled.
Scores can be canceled at any time, but AP Services must receive your request by June 15 of the year you took the AP Exam for your scores to be sent to the college, university, or scholarship program indicated online through My AP.
Follow these instructions if you need to cancel your score
- Download and fill out the AP score cancellation form
- Fill out the form with your information, including which exam scores you want to cancel, and sign it.
- Score cancellation form
- Send the form. Mail or fax the form to the address or fax number below.
AP Services
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Fax: 610-290-8979
- Key Dates- Thursday, Jun 15, 2023 (Deadline to Request Score Cancellation). Requests to cancel 2023 AP scores must be received by this date to prevent them from being sent to the score recipient indicated online through My AP.
How to withhold your AP scores?
You can ask the AP program to withhold one or more AP exam scores from any college, university, or scholarship program you select as a score recipient. Any potential score reports sent to that college, university, or scholarship program will not include the score.
A proposal to withhold a score does not result in the permanent deletion of your score.
You may later release the score to the recipient by submitting a signed written request to AP services.
There is no fee for releasing scores. AP Services must receive your request by June 15 of the year you took the AP Exam for your scores to be withheld from the college, university, or scholarship program indicated online through My AP.
Follow these instructions to withhold your AP Scores:
- Download and fill out the AP score withholding form
- Fill out the form with your information, including which exam scores you want to withhold and from which recipients, and sign it.
- AP Score withholding form
- Form to request AP Exam score withholding from a score recipient.
- Have a form of payment ready
- The fee to withhold a score is $10 per score recipient. Payment methods include mailing a check or money order or faxing your credit card information.
- Send the form and payment
- Mail or fax the form and payment to the appropriate address below.
If you’re paying by check or money order (payable to College Board):
College Board
P.O. Box 21535
New York, NY 10087-1535
If you’re paying by credit card:
AP Services
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Or fax 610-290-8979
Multiple-choice rescore service
- Download and fill out the AP multiple-choice rescore service form
- Fill out the form with your information, including which exams you want to request the multiple-choice rescore service for, and sign it.
- AP multiple-choice rescore service form
- Have a form of payment ready.
- The fee to rescore is $30 per exam. Payment methods include mailing a check or money order or faxing your credit card information.
- Send the form and payment
- Mail or fax the form and payment to the appropriate address below.
If you’re paying by check or money order (payable to College Board):
College Board
P.O. Box 21535
New York, NY 10087-1535
If you’re paying by credit card:
AP Services
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Or fax 610-290-8979
Free-response booklet request form
If you took an AP Exam and want to review your free-response answers, you can request that your free-response booklet pages be mailed to you. Only booklet pages from the most current exam administration can be sent.
The College Board does not provide rescoring of AP Exam free-response questions. Pupils may request their free-response booklets and consult their responses with their AP teacher in accordance with the College Board’s scoring guidelines.
- Download and fill out the AP free-response booklet request form
- Fill out the form with your information, including which exam(s) you want to get your free-response booklet pages for. Sign the form.
- AP free-response booklet request form
- AP free-response booklet pages are available for AP Exams only if the free-response content is released on the College Board website two days after the regularly scheduled AP Exam administration.
- Have a form of payment ready
- The fee for this service is $10 per exam. Payment methods include mailing a check or money order or faxing your credit card information.
- Send the form and payment
- Mail or fax the form and payment to the appropriate address below.
If you’re paying by check or money order (payable to College Board):
College Board
P.O. Box 21535
New York, NY 10087-1535
If you’re paying by credit card:
AP Services
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Or fax 610-290-8979
Additional Resources
Everything You Need To Know About AP Courses!
Is AP Computer Science A Hard?
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What percent is a 5 on an AP exam?
Normally, a score of 70 to 75 percent out of 100 is a 5. However, there are many exams that deviate from this generalization. The AP Grades are given on a five-point scale and are distributed in July to students, high schools, colleges, and universities. 5: exceptionally skilled.
Do colleges look at AP scores?
The majority of the time, it is up to you whether a college will consider your AP exam results when assessing your application. You don’t have to submit your test results when you apply to the great majority of universities.
What happens if you don’t pass an AP exam?
You will not gain college credit for a course if you don’t pass an AP exam. The good news is that your GPA is unaffected by an exam failure. You can also retake the AP exam the following year.
When do AP scores come out?
AP scores are usually available in the month of July. You can access the information by logging in to your “My AP” account via the College Board website.
How to send AP scores?
You can send your AP scores to one recipient every year that you take AP exams. This can be done for free. Log in to your “My AP” account, then go to “My AP profile”. Now, select the “Send score” option and choose the college, university, or scholarship you want to send the scores.
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Apoorvaa AgarwalReviewed by
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