The score range for AP scores is 1 to 5. When students score either a 3, 4, or 5, they can sometimes receive college credits and/or course equivalents. I say “sometimes” because each college has a different policy around how credit is granted for AP scores. For example, at The Ohio State University, students who score a 3 or 4 on the AP Physics B exam can earn 5 credits for the undergraduate Physics 111 course. However, at Bowdoin College, students who score a 4 or 5 on the AP Physics B exam must earn a C- or better in an undergraduate physics course before earning one credit. Brown University has department-specific policies for whether a credit is granted or not. Now, I must mention that there are a number of colleges that do not grant AP credit regardless of your score.
Whether Ohio students are taking AP courses for the learning experience or future college credit, their 2011 scores were mostly 1, 2, or 3, with an overall average score of 3.05. Twenty-two percent of AP test-takers earned a 4, while 17% earned a 5. The chart below shows the number of test-takers and the score earned:
About 60% of Ohio students scored a 3 or lower on AP tests in 2011
