How To Send AP Scores to Colleges (2024)

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Taking Advanced Placement, or AP, classes in high school can be a great way to challenge yourself, earn college credit, and prepare for college-level classes. After spending the whole school year working hard in your AP course, AP tests are where you get to show all your knowledge.

Having AP courses on your high school transcript is great, but it is passing the AP Exam in the spring that can give you college credit. In order to get that college credit, however, you need to send an official score report. Like most things in this process, timing is important. This guide will explain exactly how to send in an official report!

While you are applying

Many students apply to schools the fall of their senior years, several months before their spring AP Exams of their senior years. Because of this, most schools and applications have a self-report feature for the AP exams already taken. Almost all schools won’t require official score reports until you are accepted and committed to attend.

Self-reporting your scores is usually optional, but if you scored well on AP exams, it’s a great way to show off a little extra for any colleges you are applying to!

Be careful! Do not confuse this with ACT and SAT score reports. You must send those reports directly from the testing agencies to colleges in your applications. Similarly, you often have to send in official high school transcripts when you apply.

It’s always important to double-check each school’s requirements. Even though most won’t want an official score report, some might, so be sure to look online!

Using Your Free Score Report

All AP test-takers have one free score report they can send to the college of their choice. You must select which school you want to receive your score report before June 30.

You can select which college, university, or organization you want to receive your score report by logging on to MyAP through College Board. Again, most schools only need this to give you college credit!

Paying a Fee

There are a couple of reasons you might have to pay a fee to send your score report.

1. If you miss the June 30 deadline, you will have to pay a fee to send your AP scores to the college of your choice.
2. If you need to send your scores to an additional school or organization, you will have to pay a fee, even if it is before June 30.

The fee is $15 per score report.

Do I Need To Send a Score Report Twice?

That depends. If you sent a score report your junior year and didn’t take any new exams your senior year, you don’t need to send your report to the same school again.

However, in the above scenario, if you took more AP courses and exams your senior year, the report you send your junior year won’t be automatically updated. As such, you will need to send an updated report your senior year.

Can I Select Which Scores I Send?

Unfortunately, not at this time. While some AP courses are certainly easier than others and you may only want to send your best scores, a score report includes all AP exams you have taken.

Remember, though, you typically won’t be sending scores until after you are accepted to college! If that’s the case, no need to worry. Even if you haven’t been accepted yet, many schools look at a wide variety of things before and/or in addition to AP scores, including your GPA, applications, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, rigor of classes you took, essays, and personal statement.

Conclusion: How to Send AP Scores to Colleges

Sending an AP score report is a little different than sending SAT and ACT score reports. Make sure to do your research and ask questions if you have any. The College Board is a great resource with lots of FAQs!

With a little bit of planning ahead and research, sending your AP scores can be a stress-free endeavor that can help you save a ton of money in college!