- BY KRISTEN MOON*
As May approaches, students are preparing for their AP Exams. AP Exams will be administered over two weeks in May.
Competitive colleges do not simply look at a student’s GPA; they examine the rigor of the courses. If you are a student aspiring for the Ivy League or other highly competitive universities, make sure your academic record has AP courses.
An AP Scholar is someone who receives an award from the College Board for outstanding performance on several AP exams. There are different award levels depending on how many exams the student scores highly on. Being an AP Scholar offers a lot of advantages. For starters, you can list it on your college applications and resume.
AP Award Levels:
- Scholar – This is awarded to students who score 3 or more on at least three AP exams.
- Scholar with Honor – This is awarded to students who have averaged a minimum of 3.25 on the AP exams they take and score 3 or more on at least four of those exams.
- Scholar with Distinction – This is awarded to students who average a minimum of 3.5 on all their AP exams and score 3 or more on at least five of these exams.
- State Scholar – This is awarded to one male and female student in each state. The student must have a score of 3 or more on the highest number of AP exams, as well as the highest average score on all the exams they take.
- National Scholar – This is awarded to students who average at least a score of 4 in all the AP exams they take and score 4 or more in at least 8 of these exams.
- DoDEA Scholar – This is awarded to one male and female student attending one of the Department of Defense Education Activity schools. Whoever has the greatest average score on the highest number of AP exams among all the students in the school receives this award. A minimum score of 3 is mandatory.
- International Scholar – This is awarded to one male and female student attending a school outside the United States or Canada with the greatest average score on the highest number of AP exams. A minimum score of 3 is mandatory.
- Seminar and Research Certificate – This is awarded to students who score 3 or more in both AP Research and AP Seminar.
- Capstone Diploma – This is awarded to students who get a score of 3 or more in AP Research and AP Seminar and any four additional AP exams of their choice.
Deadlines:
 If you want to qualify for any of these awards before you apply for college, you need to take the requisite exams by the end of your junior year so that you can get the award by fall of senior year.
*About the author:
Kristen Moon is an independent college counselor and founder of MoonPrep.com. She specializes in Ivy League, BS/MD Programs, and International Students.
