The AP Chemistry exam was taken by over 122,000 students in 2011. Most colleges and universities have a science and lab requirement, so a high score on the AP Chemistry exam will sometimes fulfill this requirement.
The chart below presents some representative data from a variety of colleges and universities. This information is meant to provide a general overview of the scoring and placement practices related to the AP Chemistry exam. You'll need to contact the appropriate Registrar's office to get AP placement information for a particular college.
For more information on AP classes and exams, check out these articles:
The mean score for the AP Chemistry exam was 2.77, and the scores were distributed as follows (2011 data):
- 5 - 17.0%
- 4 - 18.4%
- 3 - 19.5%
- 2 - 14.6%
- 1 - 30.4%
| AP Chemistry Scores and Placement | ||
| College | Score Needed | Placement Credit |
| Georgia Tech | 5 | CHEM 1310 (4 semester hours) |
| Grinnell College | 4 or 5 | 4 semester credits; CHM 129 |
| Hamilton College | 4 or 5 | 1 credit after completing CHEM 125 and/or 190 |
| LSU | 3, 4 or 5 | CHEM 1201, 1202 (6 credits) for a 3; CHEM 1421, 1422 (6 credits) for a 4 or 5 |
| MIT | - | no credit or placement for AP Chemistry |
| Mississippi State University | 3, 4 or 5 | CH 1213 (3 credits) for a 3; CH 1213 and CH 1223 (6 credits) for a 4 or 5 |
| Notre Dame | 4 or 5 | Chemistry 10101 (3 credits) for a 4; Chemistry 10171 (4 credits) for a 5 |
| Reed College | 4 or 5 | 1 credit; no placement |
| Stanford University | 5 | CHEM 33; 4 quarter units |
| Truman State University | 3, 4 or 5 | CHEM 100 Chemistry (4 credits) for a 3; CHEM 120 Chemical Principles I (5 credits) for a 4 or 5 |
| UCLA (School of Letters and Science) | 3, 4 or 5 | 8 credits and Introductory CHEM for a 3; 8 credits and General CHEM for a 4 or 5 |
| Yale University | 5 | 1 credit; CHEM 112a, 113b, 114a, 115b |
