About 12% of Missouri’s 2017 high school graduates scored a 3 or better on Advanced Placement or AP tests they sometimes receive college credit for. The figure is an increase of nearly 1% from the previous year. Scores range from 1 to 5, with colleges mostly requiring a 3 or higher for students to be eligible for credit.
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, AP classes offer several advantages for students, including portability of scores to a variety of colleges and universities in Missouri and across the country. Students who score 3 or higher have been shown to earn higher grade point averages in college, and they are more likely to graduate from college in four years.
The achievement gap based on race continues to linger. According to data from the College Board, the organization that operates AP programs, Asian students had the highest AP exam average – 3.46, white students followed with 3.13, Hispanics averaged 2.66, and African-Americans had the lowest – 1.92. The 2017 average scores based upon are virtually the same as the previous year.
More than 26,000 Missouri seniors took the college-level tests in 2017 – an increase of over 1,000 from the previous year.
AP participation is one of several measures Missouri uses to determine college and career readiness. About 43% of 2017 graduates were enrolled in dual enrollment or dual credit classes. An additional two percent were enrolled in International Baccalaureate courses.
To see Missouri’s data, click here.