Studying the Relationships Between the Number of APs, AP Performance, and College Outcomes

Abstract

High school students enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and take AP exams for a variety of reasons. However, a lack of information about the extent to which there are incremental benefits associated with taking multiple AP exams has fostered a perception that students must take many APs to be prepared for college. Conversely, many American students graduate from high school without even one AP, raising questions about whether such experiences should have been more strongly encouraged. Our article investigates the incremental gains in college student outcomes that are associated with taking and performing well on numerous AP exams. Using postsecondary transcript records, we examine the relationships between college outcomes (first-year grades and bachelor's degree attainment) and AP (number of AP exams taken and number of AP exams with passing scores of 3 or higher). After controlling for achievement, demographic characteristics, and other factors, we find that the biggest predicted boost in first-year grades and on-time bachelor's degree attainment are associated with AP participation changing from zero to one AP exam and from one to two AP exams. Taking and performing well on more than four to six AP exams does not markedly alter predicted first-year college grades and on-time bachelor's degree attainment rates.

The Potential of Advanced Placement to Improve College Outcomes and Narrow Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities

“…While multivariate analyses suggest the relationship between AP participation and performance on one hand and college outcomes on the other is weak, findings are consistent with prior research on the relationship between AP performance and college matriculation (Speroni, 2011), persistence (Mattern et al, 2009), and graduation (Ackerman et al, 2013; Burns et al, 2019; Klopfenstein, 2010; Morgan & Klaric, 2007; Speroni, 2011). Findings also extend Beard et al’s (2019) work on AP participation, demonstrating a significant association between exams taken on one hand and all three college outcomes on the other. They also confirm prior research finding that black, Latino, and low-income students, on average, participate in AP at lower rates than non-low-income white students and score lower on AP exams (College Board, 2014; Malkus, 2016a).…”

“…However, new evidence from The College Board suggests the number of AP exams a student takes may be a better measure of AP participation than enrollment in an AP course. In one recent study, first-year college GPA and 4-year college completion rates were much higher for students who took one to two AP exams compared with students who took no exams and increased slightly with each successive exam taken up to five (Beard et al, 2019). This finding is generally consistent with prior research examining the relationship between AP exams taken and first-year GPA (Ackerman et al, 2013).…”

Broadening Participation and Success in AP CSA: Predictive Modeling from Three Years of Data

“…Even given this backdrop of questioning the importance of AP CS A in terms of its relative impact toward students' pursuit and success in introductory computer science courses at the postsecondary level, inquiry into who participates in AP courses and the extent to which those populations are successful at achieving college credit at the high school level still remains a pertinent area of research across all disciplines [24,26]. Indeed, the impact of AP coursework on undergraduate degree attainment is still a prevalent predictor to improve equitable participation and success across any disciplinary coursework beyond high school [1,14,38]. What is also of great importance when considering AP CS A course success is if, and how, prior experience with an introductory computer science course, such as Exploring Computer Science (ECS) [20,36], may play a role in supporting an initial content groundwork presentation of CS from which AP CS A coursework could build upon to increase success in AP CS A exam passing.…”

Improving Student Access to and Teacher Training for Advanced Placement

“…Taylor and Yan (2018) note in their study of a single cohort of Arkansas students that AP participation predicts college enrollment and persistence to the second year. Beard et al (2019) also find that greater gains in college outcomes, measured as first year GPAs and completion of a Bachelor's degree, accrue from AP performance than from merely participation in AP courses. These effects plateau with the greater number of AP exams taken and passing scores received.…”