AP Computer Science A Prep, 2024 - Rob Franek 2023

How AP Exams Are Used
Part III: About the AP Computer Science A Exam

Different colleges use AP Exams in different ways, so it is important that you visit a particular college’s website in order to determine how it accepts AP Exam scores. The three items below represent the main ways in which AP Exam scores can be used.

· College Credit. Some colleges will give you college credit if you receive a high score on an AP Exam. These credits count toward your graduation requirements, meaning that you can take fewer courses while in college. Given the cost of college, this could be quite a benefit, indeed.

· Satisfy Requirements. Some colleges will allow you to “place out” of certain requirements if you do well on an AP Exam, even if they do not give you actual college credits. For example, you might not need to take an introductory-level course, or perhaps you might not need to take a class in a certain discipline at all.

· Admissions Plus. Even if your AP Exam will not result in college credit or even allow you to place out of certain courses, most colleges will respect your decision to push yourself by taking an AP course. In addition, if you take an AP Exam outside of an AP course, they will likely respect that drive too. A high score on an AP Exam shows proficiency in more difficult content than is typically taught in high school courses, and colleges may take that into account during the admissions process.

How Will I Know?

Your dream college’s website may explain how it uses the AP Exam scores, or you can contact the school’s admissions department to verify AP Exam score acceptance information.

Some people think that AP courses are reserved for high school seniors, but that is not the case. Don’t be afraid to see about being placed into an AP course during your junior or even sophomore year. A good AP Exam score looks fantastic on a college application and can set you apart from other candidates.