Virginia has the nation’s sixth-highest percentage of public high school seniors qualifying for college credit on Advanced Placement examinations, according to data released today by the College Board, the nonprofit organization that manages the AP program.
According to the College Board, 28.3 percent of the commonwealth’s 2016 graduating seniors earned a score of three or higher on at least one AP examination. Nationwide, 21.9 percent of 2016’s graduating seniors achieved a score of three or higher on at least one AP test.
“Virginia students are consistently among the highest performing in the nation on AP examinations,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples said. “I think that speaks to the overall strength of the commonwealth’s public schools and to the commitment of Virginia’s teachers to challenging students to meet high expectations.”
While colleges and universities set their own policies for awarding credit, a score of three or higher on an AP test is generally seen as indicative of college-level work.
The 10 most popular AP courses among Virginia’s 2016 graduating seniors were, in descending order, English Language and Composition, followed by U.S. History, U.S. Government and Politics, Psychology, English Literature and Composition, World History, Calculus AB, Statistics, Biology and Environmental Science.
According to revised data from the College Board, 28 percent of Virginia’s 2015 public high school graduates earned scores of three or higher on at least one AP examination.
— Submitted by Julie Grimes