As you get ready to apply to college, you might wonder what will happen with all those AP exams you worked so hard to prepare for. Depending on a college’s AP credit policies and your scores, you might be able to knock out an entire year worth of college with AP credit, or you might be able to get a bunch of prerequisite or core courses out of the way.
The College Board lets you search the AP score policies of just about any college, but we’ve summarized the policies at top colleges for you here:
| Princeton University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Each exam may replace one or two courses A maximum of two history courses may be replaced with AP credit |
| Harvard College | Requires 5 to earn credit
Credit toward graduation is offered only when the student activates Advanced Standing by earning at least 32 credits through AP exams, which requires a score of 5 on four to eight AP exams |
| University of Chicago | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Some subjects confer placement in a higher course rather than credit Decision to award credit is made at the end of the first year of residence and credits will appear on the student’s official transcript |
| Yale University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Credit only offered in certain subject areas |
| Columbia University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Each satisfactory AP exam score confers 3 or 6 credit hours |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Requires 5 to earn credit
Credit is only awarded for certain subjects To earn credit for certain subjects, students must take the MIT Advanced Standing Exam |
| Stanford University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Credit not offered for all subjects No more than 10 units in a given subject area or 45 units total may be awarded |
| University of Pennsylvania | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Placement offered in lieu of credit for some subjects Not all subjects are considered |
| Duke University | Requires 4 or 5, depending on subject
Departments have different criteria for whether to accept AP courses toward the major |
| California Institute of Technology | AP exams more likely to be used for placement than for credit
From the college: “Course credit and/or placement in an accelerated program is sometimes granted as deemed appropriate by department faculty.” Students won’t know whether they receive credit until fall registration |
| Dartmouth College | Requires 4 or 5, depending on subject
Credit awarded for AP exams does not reduce the 35 credits required for graduation |
| Johns Hopkins University | Requires a 4 or 5, depending on subject
Exception: A 3 on Calculus BC is acceptable Only specific subjects are considered |
| Northwestern University | Requires a 3 to 5, depending on subject
Each undergraduate school determines how credit may be applied to degree requirements |
| Brown University | Used primarily for placement purposes
Score of 3 to 5 required for placement, depending on subject |
| Cornell University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Final decision to award credit up to the appropriate department |
| Rice University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Where applicable, credit counts toward major |
| Vanderbilt University | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Exception: A 3 on Calculus BC is acceptable Credit awarded may vary based on the student’s intended major |
| University of Notre Dame | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Exception: A 3 on Latin is acceptable |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Requires 4 to 5, depending on subject
Exception: A 3 on certain foreign language exams may confer credit if confirmed by coursework at the university A maximum of 15 credits may be awarded for AP work, and credits do not apply to general education requirements |
| Georgetown University | Requires a 4 to 5, depending on subject |
These policies are all subject to change, so you should always check with the college you will attend to clarify their AP credit policies and avoid surprises!
