Research Studies
Assessing the performance of AP students in college classrooms
The AP Program regularly conducts research studies to assess whether AP students perform as well as, or better than, their non-AP peers in higher-level college courses.
An Examination of College Outcomes for Low-Income Students Who Received an AP Fee Waiver as Compared to Low-Income Students Who Took No AP Exams (2011) (.pdf/1.12MB)
Authors: Jeffrey Wyatt and Krista Mattern
Method: The College Board offers fee waivers to students based on eligibility for free and reduced-price lunch in an attempt to introduce the benefits of AP Exam participation to students most at risk in the educational system. This report examined college outcomes of low-SES students with a focused investigation comparing students who took an AP Exam and received a fee waiver to students who did not take AP Exams. Students were classified as low SES if they reported that their annual household income was $30,000 or less.
Findings: Students who completed an AP Exam using a College Board-issued fee waiver had higher four-year college-going rates, retention rates and first-year grade point averages (FYGPA) than did their non-AP peers. Additionally, these results held generally even when the data were disaggregated by demographic variables (gender, ethnicity, parental income or parental education) or by academic variables (high school GPA or SAT score).
Is AP Exam Participation and Performance Related to Choice of College Major? (2011) (.pdf/1.1MB)
Authors: Krista Mattern, Emily Shaw and Maureen Ewing
Method: Previous research has found a positive relationship between AP participation/performance and various college outcomes. Building on this work, the current study investigated the relationship between AP participation/performance and choice of college major. Specifically, this study examined whether students who take an AP Exam in a certain content domain are more likely to major in that domain than students who did not take an AP Exam in that area, controlling for relevant student characteristics.
Findings: Results revealed a positive relationship between AP participation and majoring in a related field in college. This was true across all content areas examined; however, the effect was stronger for some areas than others. For example, there was a strong link between taking an AP Exam in computer science and majoring in computer science in college. Alternatively, taking an AP Exam in humanities or social sciences was not as strong of an indicator of a student subsequently majoring in that respective area in college. Additionally, students' AP scores in that content domain were also related to their likelihood of majoring in that domain. Results showed that students who did not take AP Exams were more likely to be undeclared.
Advanced Placement Exam-Taking and Performance: Relationships with First-Year Subject Area College Grades (2011) (.pdf/2.11MB)
Authors: Brian Patterson, Sheryl Packman and Jennifer Kobrin
Method: This study examined the effects of AP Exam participation and performance on college grades for courses taken in the same subject area as students' AP Exam(s). Students' first-year college subject area grade point averages (SGPAs) were examined in nine subject areas: mathematics, computer science, engineering, natural science, social science, history, English, world language, and art and music, using cross-classified multilevel modeling for each subject area separately, and controlling for gender, racial or ethnic identity, socioeconomic status and prior academic ability.
Findings: As average AP Exam score in each subject area increased, expected SGPA increased.
A Comparison of College Performances of Matched AP and Non-AP Student Groups (2009) (.pdf/3.39MB)
Authors: Daniel Murphy and Barbara Dodd
Method: This study compared the college performance of three groups of AP students who took the AP
Exam and either earned course credit, did not earn course credit, or earned course credit but elected to take the entry-level college course to three groups of non-AP students matched on SAT scores and high school rank in 10 AP subject areas. In addition, the performance of the AP groups was compared to matched groups of students who were concurrently enrolled in a college course in the same subject area as the AP students. Student records for four entering classes (1998-2001) at the University of Texas at Austin were analyzed. The college outcome measures were credit hours taken and GPAs: overall, during students' first years, and in a particular subject area. In addition, sequent course grades were analyzed in those subject areas where there was a required sequent course.
Findings: AP students who earn course credit consistently outperform their matched non-AP group on most of the college outcome measures. The findings also revealed that AP students take significantly more credit hours their first year than the concurrently enrolled non-AP students.
The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes (2009) (.pdf/1.39K)
Authors: Krista Mattern, Emily Shaw & Xinhui Xiong
Method: This study focused on the relationship between students' performance in AP English Language, Biology, Calculus, and U.S. History, and their subsequent college success. Subsequent college success was measured by students' first-year college grade point average (FYGPA), retention to the second year, and institutional selectivity.
Findings: Even after controlling for students' SAT scores and high school grade point average as measures of prior academic performance, students with an AP score of 3 or higher outperformed the other two groups. Additionally, students with an AP score of 1 or 2 tended to outperform students with no AP scores except in terms of FYGPA.
College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences (2008) (pdf/658 KB)
Authors: Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin and Barbara G. Dodd.
Method: Performance was examined for five cohorts of 1998-2002 Texas public high school graduates through their first year and 1998-2001 cohorts through their fourth year of Texas public higher education. Student performance on college outcomes included (a) first- and fourth-year grade point averages, (b) first- and fourth-year credit hours earned, and (c) four-year graduation status. Outcomes were compared across students who varied by three types of AP (course only, exam only, and both course and exam) and two types of non-AP (dual enrollment only and other course only) experiences in high school.
Findings: AP students generally earn higher GPAs than non-AP students. Students who earn credit and placement for AP exam scores tend to earn more credits overall, particularly in the subject in which they took the exam. AP students have higher four-year completion rates than non-AP students.
A Comparison of College Performances of AP and Non-AP Student Groups in 10 Subject Areas (2008 ) (pdf/1 MB)
Authors: Leslie Keng and Barbara G. Dodd.
Method: This study sought to compare the performance of students in the College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP) compared to non-AP students on a number of college outcome measures. Ten individual AP Exams were examined in this study of students in four entering classes (1998-2001) at the University of Texas at Austin.
Findings: The study's results support previous research that AP students performed as well if not better than non-AP students on most college outcome measures.
AP Students in College: An Analysis of Five-Year Academic Trends (2007) (pdf/289 KB)
Authors: Rick Morgan and John Klaric.
Method: The purpose of the study was to explore the academic careers of students who took AP Exams and to compare their careers with those who did not take AP Exams.
Findings: For most AP Exams, students with AP grades of 3 or better had higher grade averages in intermediate college courses than did non-AP students who first took an introductory course.
How Well Do Advanced Placement Students Perform on the TIMSS Advanced Mathematics and Physics Tests? (2001) (.pdf/1.86MB)
Authors: Eugenio J. Gonzalez, Kathleen M. O'Connor, and Julie A. Miles
Findings: This study by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) International Study Center demonstrated that AP students who score a 3 or higher on the AP Physics and Calculus Exams outperform physics and advanced math students from the United States and other countries in mathematics and science achievement.