Exam Information

How is the exam scored?

Your test will be graded on a five-point scale (“5” is the perfect score):

5 indicates you are extremely well-qualified.

4 indicates you are well-qualified.

3 indicates you are qualified.

2 indicates you are possibly qualified.

1 indicates that you are not qualified to receive college credit. (Remember that your grade consists of a 45% multiple choice score and a 55% essay score.)

The multiple-choice section is machine scored. Students receive one point for each correct answer. Each essay is read by a different AP Reader, who has attended a week-long session to learn how to evaluate student essays. The Readers, who are college English professors and secondary school AP English Language and Composition teachers, score the essays using a 0- to 6-point scale. The scores for the multiple-choice section (45 percent of the total grade) are then combined with the three essay scores. A final grade of 1 to 5 is then derived from this composite score.

Note: Total scores on the multiple-choice section are now based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points are no longer deducted for incorrect answers and, as always, no points will be awarded for unanswered questions.

SC schools Accepting AP Credits (follow links for further information): 

• Search for your college credit here.

• College of Charleston accepts a 3 to replace Eng1EE, a 4 to replace Eng190, and a 5 to replace both 190 and 290. 

• Clemson accepts a 5 and gives credit for 1999 and 1030. 

• Furman accepts 4 or 5 as English General Credit; if you score 4 or 5 on both AP English exams, you receive two English General Credits.

• Presbyterian College accepts a 4 or 5 for general English credits (exempt English 1001). A 4 or above on both lit and lang will exempt you from both English 101 and English 102.

• USC Information (3 on either Lit or Lang exempts 101, 3 on both AP Lit and AP Lang exempts 101 and 102, 5 on either or both exempts 101 and 102)