AP Participation, Successes Increase

Maine exceeds nation in percentage of students scoring 3 or above

February 10, 2010

AUGUSTA – Almost one third of Maine’s Class of 2009 took at least one Advanced Placement exam during high school, almost 5 percentage points higher than the national average. And 18.2 percent of all graduating Maine public school students took an AP exam and scored 3 or above, compared to 15.9 percent nationally. A score of 3 or above translates roughly to a C to B- if the course were taken in college and is predictive of college success, according to the College Board. Students can score between 1 and 5 points on the exams, which are offered in more than 30 subjects.

Increasing evidence shows that taking rigorous courses such as AP courses in high school, leads to greater success in college. Students who score 3 or above on their AP exams are also often eligible for college credit, saving them thousands of dollars and allowing them to advance more quickly to advanced courses once enrolled in college.

The College Board released its 6th annual AP Report to the Nation on Wednesday, and cited Maine for helping pilot an initiative to increase participation. Over five years, Maine showed a 5.4 percent increase in the percentage of students scoring 3 or above on an AP exam. Maine tied with two other states for second place by that measure.

In Maine, the most popular AP exam is English literature, followed by U.S. history, English language and calculus. Other subjects include: biology, statistics, psychology, and chemistry.

View the AP Report to the Nation, including Maine state reports

View more information on the AP in Maine

For more information, visit the Maine Department of Education website

David Connerty-Marin | Director of Communications | 207-624-6880

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AP Participation, Successes Increase