AP classes and exams, explained

What AP is

There are 42 AP subjects in 2026-27, from Calculus and Biology to Art History and Computer Science. Two new career-focused courses, AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity, have their first exams in May 2027.

AP classes show colleges you took on a harder schedule, and many high schools give them extra weight in your GPA. See weighted vs unweighted GPA.

The 1–5 score

Scores come out in July.

How colleges give credit

Every college sets its own rules, and they differ a lot. Two real examples:

• MIT gives credit only for a 5, and gives none at all for some exams, including AP Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science and Statistics.
• UC Berkeley gives credit for a 3 or higher on many exams, and the details depend on which college you enter. In its College of Chemistry, for example, a 3 or 4 on Calculus BC counts as Math 1A, and a 5 counts as Math 1A and 1B.

Look up each college's "AP credit" page. Even when a school doesn't give credit, a strong AP record still helps your application.

Exam fees and deadlines

• $99 per exam in the U.S., U.S. territories and Canada ($129 at most schools elsewhere). Your school may charge a little more or less.
• Students with financial need get a $37 College Board reduction, and schools are expected to give up their $9 share, so the exam costs $53. Many states and schools cut it further.
• Schools must order exams by November 13, 2026 for most courses. Late orders and unused or cancelled exams usually cost $40 each, with some exceptions (for example, for courses that start later in the year).
• May 2027 exams run over two weeks: May 3–7 and May 10–14.

AP Scholar awards

• AP Scholar: 3 or higher on 3 or more exams.
• AP Scholar with Honor: an average of at least 3.25 on all exams, and 3 or higher on 4 or more.
• AP Scholar with Distinction: an average of at least 3.5, and 3 or higher on 5 or more.

The State, National and International AP Scholar awards were discontinued, so older guides that mention them are out of date.

AP or dual enrollment?

AP credit depends on one exam score, which each college judges differently. Dual enrollment is a real college class with a college transcript. Read the dual enrollment guide to compare them.