How to Submit AP Scores to Colleges Guide

Understanding AP Score Submission Basics

When you take Advanced Placement exams through the College Board, your scores become part of your academic record. Many colleges and universities want to see these scores as part of your application materials. Submitting your AP scores to colleges is a process you control—you decide which institutions receive your results and when to send them.

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The College Board maintains your official AP scores. Once your exam is graded, you have several options for sharing those results. You can send scores during the college application process, after you've already submitted your application, or even after you've been accepted. Understanding how this process works helps you make informed decisions about which schools should receive your scores.

As of recent years, the College Board reports that over 2.3 million students take AP exams annually across the United States. Approximately 90% of four-year colleges and universities grant credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP scores. This means most institutions you're considering will likely accept AP scores as part of your application or for course credit decisions.

Your AP scores remain available to you indefinitely. You're not working against a clock to submit them. This gives you flexibility in deciding when and where to send your results. Some students choose to submit scores only to their top-choice colleges, while others send scores to every institution where they've applied.

Practical Takeaway: Gather information about each college's AP score policy before deciding where to send your results. Visit each school's admissions website to learn whether they require, recommend, or simply accept AP scores.

How to Access Your AP Scores Online

Your AP scores become visible through your College Board account, typically in early July following the May exam administration. If you took AP exams in May, you can generally view your scores starting in early July. For November exams, scores typically appear in mid-December. You don't have to wait for paper score reports to arrive in the mail—you can see your results online first.

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To access your scores, log into your College Board account at collegeboard.org using the username and password you created when you registered for AP exams. Once logged in, navigate to the "My AP" section. Your scores will display alongside the exam date, subject area, and score scale information. The AP score scale ranges from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score.

When viewing your scores online, you'll see your total score along with subscores in different skill categories for most AP subjects. For example, AP English Language and Composition scores include subscores for reading and writing skills. These detailed breakdowns can help you understand where your strengths lie within each subject area.

If you have trouble logging into your College Board account, you can reset your password through the login page. If you registered for AP exams through your school, your school counselor can also help verify your account information. Having secure access to your College Board account is the first step in managing your score submission process.

You can also request to see your scores before official score release dates in some situations. If you took an exam at a school testing site, your school may have early access to your scores. Contact your school's AP coordinator to ask whether early viewing is an option.

Practical Takeaway: Create a reminder to check your College Board account on the official score release date. Write down your scores and screenshot your online score report for your records.

The Official AP Score Submission Process

Submitting your AP scores through the College Board involves a straightforward process with specific steps. Within your College Board account, you'll find a section for managing score reports. You can send your official score report directly to colleges through this system. The College Board charges a fee for each score report sent to institutions—as of recent years, this fee is approximately $15 per college or university.

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To send scores, you'll need the College Board institutional code for each college where you want scores sent. These codes are four-digit numbers that identify each institution in the College Board's system. You can find institutional codes through the College Board's code search tool on their website, or by checking your college's admissions website where they often provide this information.

When you request score reports, you specify which AP scores to send. You're not required to send all your scores. Some students choose to send only their highest scores, while others send all scores taken. Colleges generally want to see your complete testing history, so most admissions offices recommend sending all AP scores. However, this choice remains yours.

The College Board transmits official score reports electronically to institutions. This transmission typically takes several business days. After you request score reports, the College Board sends you a confirmation showing which scores were submitted to which institutions and the submission date. You can view the history of all score reports you've requested in your College Board account.

Timing matters when considering score submission. Many students send scores after submitting their college applications. Others prefer to send scores during the application process if early scores help their case. There's no single best time—it depends on your particular situation and the colleges' timelines.

Practical Takeaway: Create a spreadsheet listing each college you're applying to, its institutional code, and which AP scores you want to send there. This organization prevents mistakes and helps you track what's been submitted.

Understanding Score Withholding and Selective Submission

The College Board allows students to withhold specific AP scores from being sent to colleges. This means you can choose not to include certain scores in your official report. Score withholding differs from score reporting—withholding means those scores don't appear on the report you send, while reporting means including them.

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Some students consider withholding scores if they're dissatisfied with results in particular subjects. However, colleges have different perspectives on withheld scores. Some institutions want to see all scores, including lower ones, because they believe this shows a complete academic picture. Other schools don't penalize students for withholding scores. Before deciding to withhold any scores, research each college's specific policy on score withholding.

It's important to understand that withholding scores from colleges is different from canceling scores entirely. Score cancellation removes a score from your record permanently, and the College Board typically charges a fee for this service. Withholding is temporary and free—you can release withheld scores later if you change your mind, though there may be additional fees involved.

Many admissions professionals suggest submitting all scores unless a college specifically indicates they have a "score choice" policy allowing selective submission. Even scores you're not proud of demonstrate your commitment to challenging yourself academically. A 3 on an AP exam still shows you studied college-level material. Colleges understand that not every student scores 5 on every exam.

Some colleges actually require students to send all scores and don't allow score withholding. These institutions want a complete record of all AP testing. Check each college's admissions policy before assuming you can choose which scores to send. This information is usually found on the admissions or financial aid website.

Practical Takeaway: Before submitting any scores, visit each college's admissions website and search for their score submission policy. Note which schools allow score choice and which require all scores to be sent.

Submitting Scores as Part of Your Application Timeline

Understanding when to submit AP scores requires looking at each college's application timeline. Some students take AP exams in May and want to include scores with their applications submitted in October or November. Others take exams in November and submit scores later in the application cycle. Your test timing and application timeline should inform your submission strategy.

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Many colleges don't require AP scores for admission decisions—they're optional supplementary information. This means you can submit your application without AP scores and add them later. This approach works well if you're waiting to see how you performed on May exams before deciding which schools get those results. You might apply to a college in October, then send AP scores in July once they're released.

Early decision and early action applicants should consider their timelines carefully. If you're applying early decision or early action, most colleges want to review all available information before making decisions. This might mean waiting to receive AP scores before submitting your application, or communicating with admissions that scores are coming. Contact the admissions office if you're unsure whether to include AP information in your application.

Regular decision applicants have more flexibility. You can submit applications by January or February deadlines, then send AP scores whenever they're available. Many regular decision applicants take the May AP exam