Is a 4 on an AP exam considered a strong score? (2024)

FAQs

Is a 4 on an AP exam considered a strong score? ›

A good AP score for you is one that's high enough to earn you credit at your target colleges. Many schools require a minimum of 3, but some require a 4 or even 5. High AP scores can sometimes boost your chances of getting admitted to college, so strive to get the highest score you can.

For these reasons, an AP® score like a 4 looks great on your application. If you score a 3 or higher, then more selective colleges will begin to accept your AP® exam scores. The score of 4 is deemed by the College Board as “well qualified”, meaning that you know the material and could do well in the college class.

Getting a 4 on an AP exam is definitely an accomplishment. As far as reporting your score to Ivy League schools, each school may have a slightly different preference, but generally, a 4 is considered a 'well-qualified' score and should not necessarily hurt your chances.

Colleges are generally looking for a 4 (“well-qualified”) or 5 (“extremely qualified”) on the AP exam, but some may grant credit for a 3 (“qualified”). These scores mean you have proven yourself capable of doing the work in an introductory-level college course.

AP Exam scores of 4 are equivalent to grades of A-, B+, and B in college. AP Exam scores of 3 are equivalent to grades of B-, C+, and C in college.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you pick out your classes at Harvard: Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes.

The answer is yes!

If you don't do well on an AP exam, you can retake it the next time it's offered the following May. However, you should consider this decision carefully before committing. If you score a 3 or above on an AP test a retake unless you're absolutely set on earning college credit for your work.

In subjects for which an AP score of 4 or 5 earns acceleration credit, a score of 6 or 7 on II B higher-level exams, or B or A on A-levels, is required; in subjects that require an AP score of 5 for acceleration credit, a score of 7 on the IB higher-level or an A on the A-level is required.

As a general guide, though, you can consider roughly more than 70% correct as being in the 5 range, 50-69% for a score of 4, 40-49% for a score of 3, 30-39% for a 2, and below 30% would likely be a 1. Again, these ranges are approximations and can vary by subject and by year.

For a score of 4 or 5 the student will receive course credit and exemption and advanced placement (except that in foreign languages and chemistry a score of 5 is required for credit); for a score of 3, only exemption and/or advanced placement (except in Chemistry, English Language, English Literature, Physics C, and ...

Is 4 AP exams too much? ›

College counselors recommend that students strive to take 5-8 AP classes throughout their high school career, especially if they are interested in attending a highly-selective institution such as an Ivy League college. That said, you shouldn't feel pressured to take more AP classes than you can comfortably manage.

Generally, getting a three score is considered the average or mean score in AP exams.

Rather than the traditional 4.0 scale, AP classes are weighted on a 5.0 scale — in an AP class, an A is equivalent to 5.0 instead of 4.0, and a B is equal to 4.0 instead of 3.0. This means students who take AP courses can end up with a GPA higher than 4.0, which can set them apart when applying to colleges.

So is 4 a good AP score? An AP score of 4 is like getting a B on the AP test. Most schools accept a 4 for credit. Before you take any AP exam, check with the colleges you're considering to find out what their policies are for granting AP credit.

In short, all scores of 5 on AP exams should be reported to elite colleges. However, for scores of 4 or 3, submitting the scores is dependent on the student's coursework and other AP results. Scores of 2 or 1 should never be shared.

Scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on any AP® exam is generally considered good. Typically, a 3 is defined as 'qualified,' 4 as 'well qualified,' and a 5 as 'extremely well qualified. ' Most colleges and universities have well-established AP® Credit Policies for students that score in these ranges.