WWC Quick Review: AP Courses and Exams and College Performance Study April 2009

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What is this study about?

The study examined whether taking Advanced Placement Program^® (AP) courses and exams in high school improves students’ college performance.

The study included students who graduated from Texas public high schools between 1998 and 2002 and then went on to attend a Texas public college or university.

Data on students’ college grade point average (GPA), credits earned, and graduation rates were drawn from a statewide database.

The study compared the college outcomes of students who took both an AP course and exam in a particular subject to other groups of students who did not. When making these comparisons, students were grouped according to their SAT scores and socio-economic status.

What did the study authors report?

The study reported that students who took both the AP course and the AP exam had higher college GPAs, earned more credits, and had higher graduation rates than students who took only the AP course or a non-AP course in the same subject area. The study reported no differences between students who took both the course and the exam and students who took only the exam.

The WWC does not consider these results to be conclusive because the study does not provide evidence that the students were initially equivalent. The reported differences might reflect initial differences in the types of students who take AP courses and exams rather than the effect of AP courses and exams on college outcomes.

WWC quick reviews are based on the evidence published in the report cited and rely on effect sizes and significance levels as reported by study authors. WWC does not confirm study authors’ findings or contact authors for additional information about the study. The WWC rating refers only to the results summarized above and not necessarily to all results presented in the study.