The latest data (.pdf/708 KB) on score outcomes indicate all AP® students benefit from taking both AP courses and exams. By taking AP Exams, students show they can tackle challenging course content and complete college-level work.

Understand that while the exam may be optional, the benefits make it worth a try. Research shows students who take AP courses and exams have better college outcomes than their peers. Even if they don’t earn scores that qualify them for credit or placement, students who achieve AP Exam scores of 2 out of 5:

•Are still more likely to attend college and graduate on time (than academically similar students who don’t take AP).

•Do significantly better in introductory college classes (compared to academically similar students who don’t take that corresponding AP Exam).

•Often earn a higher score on the subsequent AP Exams they take.

This article extends these new findings to real-life perspectives from fellow educators on the impact taking an exam had on their students who didn’t score a 3.