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Advanced Placement Test Scores

Students may earn credit for College Entrance Board Advanced Placement (AP) tests with scores of 3, 4, or 5. AP scores can be used to meet American River College associate degree general education requirements, California State University (CSU) general education (GE) requirements, and Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC).

A student may receive credit for AP exams they have successfully passed once the following requirements are met:

  • Official copies of test scores are on file with Admissions and Records
  • Student has completed twelve (12) units of credit and has a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA)

Students should be aware that other colleges and universities have the right to accept, modify, or reject the use of AP scores towards their graduation requirements. Check with your counselor to determine whether these test results will be accepted at the transfer institution of your choice.

American River College General Education Advanced Placement Credit

The use of AP exam scores for American River College course credit and general education is determined by American River College policy. A score of 3 or higher on the AP test is required for the course to fulfill the following GE at American River College.
AP Exam Exam Score ARC Course Credit Semester Units Satisfies ARC GE Area
Art History 3, 4, 5 ARTH 300 3 I
Biology 3 BIOL 300 3 IV
Biology 4, 5 BIOL 310* 4 IV
Biology 5 BIOL 400* 5 IV
Calculus AB 3, 4, 5 MATH 400 5 II(b)
Calculus BC 3, 4, 5 MATH 400 and MATH 401 10 II(b)
Calculus BC/AB Subscore N/A N/A 3 II(b)
Chemistry (taken prior to Fall 2009) 4, 5 CHEM 305 or CHEM 400* 5 IV
Chemistry 3, 4, 5 CHEM 305 or CHEM 310 5 IV
Chemistry 4, 5 CHEM 400* 5 IV
Chinese Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
Comparative Government and Politics 3, 4, 5 POLS 302 3 V(b)
Computer Science A 4, 5 CISP 300 3 N/A
Computer Science AB 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 N/A
Computer Science Principles 4, 5 CISC 310 N/A N/A
English Language and Composition 3, 4, 5 ENGWR 300 3 II(a)
English Literature and Composition 3, 4, 5 ENGWR 300 3 II(a)
Environmental Science (taken prior to Fall 2009) 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 IV
Environmental Science (taken Fall 2009 or later) 3, 4, 5 NATR 300 3 IV
European History 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I or V(b)
French Language (taken before Fall 2011) 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
French Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
French Literature (taken before Fall 2009) 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
German Language (taken before Fall 2011) 3, 4, 5 GERM 401 4 I
German Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
Human Geography 3, 4, 5 GEOG 310 3 V(b)
Italian Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
Japanese Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
Latin Literature N/A N/A 3 I
Latin: Vergil (taken before Fall 2009) N/A N/A 3 I
Macroeconomics 3, 4, 5 ECON 302 3 V(b)
Microeconomics 3, 4, 5 ECON 304 3 V(b)
Music Theory (taken before Fall 2009) 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
Music Theory (taken Fall 2012 or later) 3, 4, 5 MUFHL 321 and MUFHL 400 3 I
Physics 1 3, 4 N/A 4 IV
Physics 1 5 PHYS 350 4 IV
Physics 2 3, 4, 5 N/A 4 IV
Physics B 3, 4 PHYS 310 and PHYS 312* or PHYS 310 3, 4 IV
Physics B (taken between Fall 2009 and Fall 2015) 3, 4 PHYS 310 and PHYS 312* or PHYS 310 3, 4 IV
Physics B (taken between Fall 2009 and Fall 2015) 5 PHYS 350 or PHYS 410* 4 IV
Physics C (electricity / magnetism) N/A N/A 4 IV
Physics C (mechanics) N/A N/A 4 IV
Psychology 3, 4, 5 PSYC 300 3 V(b)
Seminar 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 N/A
Spanish Language (taken Spring 2014 or earlier) 3, 4, 5 SPAN 401 4 I
Spanish Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 SPAN 401 4 I
Spanish Literature (taken Spring 2013 or earlier) N/A N/A 3 I
Spanish Literature and Culture 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 I
Statistics 3, 4, 5 STAT 300 4 II(b)
Studio Art – 2D Design 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 N/A
Studio Art – 3D Design 3, 4, 5 N/A 3 N/A
Studio Art – Drawing 3, 4, 5 ART 300 3 I
US Government and Politics 3, 4, 5 POLS 301 3 V(a)
US History 3, 4, 5 HIST 310 and HIST 311 6 I or V(b)
World History – Modern 3, 4, 5 HIST 307 and HIST 308 6 I or V(b)
  • * With department approval upon review of lab reports.

CSU Advanced Placement Credit

Visit CSU's AP Credit webpage to find information on how credit is granted for admission and general education. Please note that each campus in the CSU system individually determines how it will apply external examination credit in the major. For more information about AP credit, consult a counselor.

IGETC Advanced Placement Credit

This table describes how credit is granted for admission and general education using the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern. For more information about transferring to the University of California (UC), see how UC awards credit for AP.
AP Exam Exam Score IGETC Area Semester Credits Toward IGETC
Art History 3, 4, 5 3A or 3B 3
Biology 3, 4, 5 5B and 5C 4
Calculus AB 3, 4, 5 2A 3
Calculus BC 3, 4, 5 2A 3
Calculus AB Subscore from BC Exam 3, 4, 5 2A 3
Chemistry 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C 4
Chinese Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Comparative Government and Politics 3, 4, 5 4 3
Computer Science A 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
Computer Science AB 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
Computer Science Principles 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
English Language and Composition 3, 4, 5 1A 3
English Literature and Composition 3, 4, 5 1A or 3B 3
Environmental Science 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C% 3
European History 3, 4, 5 3B or 4 3
French Language/Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
French Literature 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
German Language/Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Human Geography 3, 4, 5 4 3
Italian Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Japanese Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Latin$ 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Macroeconomics 3, 4, 5 4 3
Microeconomics 3, 4, 5 4 3
Music Theory 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
Physics 1 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C 4
Physics 2 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C 4
Physics B (taken before Fall 2015) 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C 4
Physics C (Electricity/Magnetism) 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C% 3
Physics C (Mechanics) 3, 4, 5 5A and 5C% 3
Psychology 3, 4, 5 4 3
Spanish Literature and Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Spanish Language and Culture 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Spanish Language (taken before Spring 2014) 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Spanish Literature (taken before Spring 2013) 3, 4, 5 3B and 6A 3
Statistics 3, 4, 5 2A 3
Studio Art – 2D Design 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
Studio Art – 3D Design 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
Studio Art – Drawing 3, 4, 5 N/A N/A
US Government and Politics 3, 4, 5 4 and US-2** 3
US History 3, 4, 5 (3B or 4) and US-1** 3
World History 3, 4, 5 3B or 4 3
  • % AP test meets IGETC science course and lab requirement but only grants three units toward IGETC. Students will need to earn at least seven units in IGETC Area 5 to be certified.
  • $ Offered May 2013 and beyond.
  • ** Students need to complete a course that covers California State and Local Government to complete CSU American Institutions requirement.