Key takeaways
Understanding how to send your AP scores is crucial for maximizing their benefits in college admissions. AP scores can enhance your application and potentially earn you college credit, but knowing the right timing and process is essential to ensure you make the most of them.
- Students can send one free AP score report each year if chosen by June 20; after that, it costs $15 per college (College Board).
- Sending AP scores early can strengthen your application, but it’s also acceptable to wait until you finalize your college plans.
- Most colleges do not require official AP score reports until after enrollment decisions are made, but some, like the University of California, have specific deadlines (July 15 for credit).
- You can choose which scores to send; colleges only see what you decide to share, allowing you to withhold or cancel lower scores if needed.
Contents
Advanced Placement (AP) scores do more than show you took a challenging class. They can help you earn college credit, boost your application, and prove you’re ready for college-level work. But to actually benefit from them, you need to know how to send them—and when it makes the most sense to do it. If you’re still getting familiar with what the AP program is and how its scoring system works from the ground up, our guide on What Does AP Mean? covers the full picture of the AP designation before you dive into the logistics of score reporting.
Our AP experts at Legacy Online School break down exactly how to send AP scores to colleges, including timing and how admissions teams actually use them.
How Do I Send My AP Scores to Colleges (How to Send AP Scores)?
If you’re wondering how to send AP scores, the process is simple. You’ll handle sending AP scores through your College Board account:
- Go to collegeboard.org and log in.
- Click Send Scores.
- Find your college by name or code.
- Pick standard or rush delivery.
- Pay if needed and confirm.
Heads-up from our teachers: When you send scores, you send your full AP score history. If there’s anything you want to hide, you’ll need to request a cancellation or withholding first.
What Is the Process for Sending AP Exam Scores?
You get one free score send every year. Pick your college by June 20 in your account to use it. If you miss that window, you can still send scores later, but you’ll need to pay.
You can send scores:
- Before decisions are made, to strengthen your application.
- After you’ve been accepted, to get credit or placement.
Just make sure the scores arrive in time. Some colleges want them before orientation.
When Should I Send My AP Scores?
There’s no one right answer. Sharing your results during the application process can give you an edge, but holding off until you’re sure about your college plans works just as well.
Most colleges do not require official AP score reports until after you have accepted an offer of admission. According to the College Board, students can send scores at any time, and colleges typically ask for official reports only after enrollment decisions are made.
However, if you plan to use your AP scores to place into a higher-level class or receive college credit, it is important to check the deadline. Some colleges expect scores to be delivered before orientation begins. For example:
- The University of California requires that AP scores used for credit arrive by July 15, as stated in their Next Steps for First-Year Students.
- Boston University advises students to submit AP scores as soon as possible to ensure proper credit and placement, as noted in their Early Decision Checklist.
If you are unsure, visit the admissions or registrar’s website of your chosen college to find score deadlines specific to AP credit or placement.
How Much Does It Cost to Send AP Scores?
Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Service | Cost |
| First score send (if chosen by June 20) | Free |
| Standard report (after June 20) | $15 per college |
| Rush report | $25 per college |
| Score cancellation | Free if requested by June 15 |
| Score withholding | $10 per score, per college |
Rush delivery takes about 5-9 days. Standard reports usually take 7-14 days.
For more details, refer to the College Board’s official page on sending scores.
What If My Scores Are Low?
“Deciding whether to submit scores should always be a strategic choice based on each college’s policy and the strength of the overall application. In our advising work at Legacy Online School, we explain that while some colleges encourage you to send scores, students are rarely required to submit their entire score history, including AP test scores, if those results do not strengthen their profile.”
You don’t have to send every score. Colleges only see what you choose to send. If there’s a score you’d rather not share, you’ve got a couple of options:
- Withhold the score so it doesn’t show up for one or more colleges. You can still send it elsewhere later. This option costs $10 per score per college.
- Cancel the score completely. It won’t show up in your history at all, but this step is permanent. There is no fee for this service if requested by June 15 of the year you took the exam.
Most schools don’t penalize you for not sending a score. But if you’re applying to super-selective colleges, it’s smart to double-check their policy. Students who want to understand how competitive their scores are before deciding what to send should also explore our Hardest AP Classes Ranked guide, which breaks down score distributions and pass rates across subjects to help put your results in context.
How Do Colleges Use AP Scores?
Colleges see AP scores as one more way to understand your academic potential. They can add context to your transcript, highlight strengths, and support your choice of major. But the weight colleges give to these scores depends on the school, the program, and when they receive the scores.
If you include your AP scores on your application, admissions officers might use them to:
- Confirm your rigor. A strong score can support the A you earned in class.
- Compare applicants. In competitive pools, a 5 in AP Calculus or AP Physics may help you stand out.
- Show subject interest. Scoring well in multiple science APs, for example, may back up your interest in engineering or pre-med.
That said, AP scores are usually just one part of the picture. Most colleges care more about your performance during the school year than a single test. If you got a 3 or 4 on an exam, but earned an A in the class, many colleges will still see that as a success.
It’s also common for students to report only their strongest AP scores. Most colleges do not expect you to submit every AP score, and omitting lower scores is generally acceptable.
Examples from specific colleges:
- Princeton University allows students to use AP credits to enter upper-level courses or fulfill certain requirements, such as the foreign language requirement. However, AP credits cannot be used to fulfill the writing requirement or reduce the course load in a given term.
- According to Harvard’s Advanced Standing Program, students who earn a score of 5 on at least four AP exams may be eligible for Advanced Standing. This status can allow students to graduate in three years or to pursue an A.B./A.M. (bachelor’s + master’s) degree within four years.
For detailed information on AP credit policies, it’s advisable to consult the official admissions websites of the colleges you’re interested in.
Do I Have to Send Official AP Score Reports?
If you’re unsure how to submit AP scores to colleges, here’s how it works in practice. Most colleges let you self-report your AP scores when you apply. You can list them on the Common App, your school’s application form, or in a separate document. Admissions officers use that information for early review, and they usually trust it.
Once you decide where to enroll, the college will ask for an official score report. That is when you log into your College Board account and send your scores directly.
Some exceptions exist. Some institutions and programs may require official AP score reports earlier in the process:
- NYU’s flexible testing policy allows applicants to submit three AP exam scores in lieu of SAT or ACT scores. In such cases, official AP score reports are required during the application process.
- Gonzaga University requires a more official score report than just self-reported scores. Students can either request them to be sent from the testing companies or provide a screenshot of their online score report that includes their scores, the date of the test, and their name and email.
If you’re applying to scholarship programs or honors colleges, they may also have specific requirements for official score reports. It’s essential to check the admissions pages of each institution or program to understand their policies.
Can AP Scores Help Me Earn College Credit?
Yes, and in many cases, the credit you earn can save you time, money, and stress during your first year of college.
Most colleges award credit for AP scores of 3 or higher. Some will only grant credit for a 4 or 5, especially for courses in STEM or writing-intensive majors. The amount of credit you get—and how it applies—varies by school.
Here are a few common ways AP scores can work in your favor:
- Fulfilling general education requirements. For example, at Indiana University Bloomington, a score of 4 or 5 on the AP English Literature and Composition exam grants credit for ENG-L 198 and fulfills the General Education English Composition requirement.
- Skipping intro-level classes. At the University of Iowa, students who score a 4 or 5 on both AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism exams may bypass introductory physics courses (PHYS:1701 and PHYS:1702) and begin with more advanced courses like PHYS:2703 (Physics III).
- Opening up space in your schedule. With credits already earned, you could take on a second major, pursue electives, or graduate early.
Each college publishes its own AP credit policy. You can usually find it on the admissions or registrar’s website. It’s worth checking that page carefully, especially if you’re choosing between schools. One score could mean six credits at one college—and zero at another. Students who want to calculate exactly how their AP History scores may translate into college credit can use our AP US History Score Calculator to get a precise breakdown of how raw exam scores convert into final AP scores and what that means for placement.
Also, some colleges limit how much AP credit they’ll accept in total, or restrict how it counts toward graduation. If you’re planning around AP credit, make sure you understand those limits ahead of time.
What’s the College Board’s Role?
The College Board is the official organization behind the AP Program. It is the only source colleges accept for verified AP scores.
When you send your scores, they do not come from your school or your counselor. They go directly from your College Board account to the college you choose. That is why colleges consider them official.
The College Board also keeps a complete record of your AP score history. Every score you’ve earned stays in your file unless you cancel or withhold it. When you send a report, you are sending all scores by default.
If you want to leave out a specific score, you have to take action before sending anything. The College Board allows you to:
- Withhold a score from one or more colleges without deleting it.
- Cancel a score permanently, so it disappears from your record.
Both actions require filling out a request form. They also take a few days to process, so plan ahead if you need them.
How Do I Know If My Scores Were Received?
After you send your AP scores, there is no automatic confirmation email from the College Board or the college. So how do you know everything went through?
Start by checking your score and sending history in your College Board account. You will see the names of the colleges you selected and the dates your scores were sent. If that information looks correct, the report was processed.
Next, look at your college’s applicant portal, if they provide one. Some schools update your checklist or profile once they receive your scores. Others do not display that information at all, even if your scores have arrived.
In fact, several students report seeing their AP scores in college portals before the official release date from the College Board. One student shared that their scores appeared early in the University of Texas at Austin’s portal, even while they were still waiting on the College Board site itself.
If you are not sure, wait at least a week, especially during the busy summer months. Then, if you still do not see any update, feel free to contact the college’s admissions or registrar office. Have your College Board confirmation details ready when you call or email—they may ask for them.
Can I Send My Scores Again?
Absolutely. If you forgot to include a college when you first sent your scores, or if you applied to more schools later, you can go back and send your scores at any time.
Just log in to your College Board account, choose Send Scores, and select the school. You do not need to resend all your previous scores unless something changed. The College Board automatically includes your full score history with every report, including any new exams you’ve taken since the last time you sent scores.
There is no penalty for sending scores in multiple rounds. Some students send to one school early, then wait until they finalize their college decision before sending to others. That approach works fine, as long as you meet any deadlines for credit, placement, or final enrollment.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Sometimes things do not go as planned. Maybe you typed the wrong school name. Maybe the college says it never got your scores. Or maybe you changed your mind about which scores to send. Whatever the issue, there are ways to fix it.
Here is what to do:
- Check your send history in your College Board account. Make sure you sent the report to the correct college and that the date looks right.
- Give it time. Score reports are not instant. Standard delivery can take 7 to 14 business days, and rush delivery usually takes 5 to 9.
- Contact the college. If enough time has passed and there is still no sign of your scores, reach out to the admissions or registrar office. They might already have the report on file but not have updated your portal.
- Reach out to the College Board. If there was a problem on their end—like a processing error or a technical glitch—their support team can help you resend or correct it. You can contact them by phone or through the online help center.
Keep records of what you sent and when to avoid future problems. A simple screenshot of your confirmation page can save you a lot of stress later. Students who want expert guidance through both AP preparation and the college application process — from choosing the right AP subjects to getting scores where they need to go — can explore the full range of options available through Legacy AP Courses at Legacy Online School.
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Top Tips from Our Expert |
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Alyssa Mendoza, AP Coordinator and College Prep Specialist
Sources: College Board, Reddit, Harvard University, Princeton University, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Iowa, NYU, Gonzaga University, University of California, Boston University
