AP Scholar Awards

If you have taken or are planning to take multiple AP exams, you may qualify for an AP Scholar Award. These awards recognize students who demonstrate outstanding achievement across AP exams. College Board has granted AP Scholar Awards since 2002, and they remain one of the most common academic honors on high school resumes. This guide covers exactly what each award level requires, how they work, and how much they actually matter for college admissions.

All 5 AP Scholar Award Levels

There are five levels of AP Scholar Awards, each with progressively higher requirements. Here is what you need to earn each one:

1. AP Scholar

Score a 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams. This is the entry-level award and the most commonly earned. If you take three AP courses and pass all of them, you qualify. Most students who take AP courses throughout high school will reach this level by junior or senior year.

2. AP Scholar with Honor

Earn an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and score a 3 or higher on 4 or more exams. This level rewards both breadth and consistency. Note that the average is calculated across all AP exams you have ever taken, not just the ones you scored 3 or higher on. That means a low score on one exam can drag down your average even if you have strong scores elsewhere.

3. AP Scholar with Distinction

Earn an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and score a 3 or higher on 5 or more exams. This is a meaningful step up from AP Scholar with Honor and shows strong performance across a wide range of subjects. You need to maintain a high average while taking at least five exams, which typically means mostly 4s and 5s with few scores below 3.

4. State AP Scholar

Awarded to the one student in each state with the highest average score on all AP exams taken, provided they scored 3 or higher on 3 or more exams. Previously, College Board selected one male and one female student per state, but this gender-based distinction has been discontinued. Now only one student per state earns this award each year, making it extremely competitive.

5. National AP Scholar

Earn an average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken and score a 4 or higher on 8 or more exams. This is the highest AP Scholar Award and requires exceptional performance across a large number of exams. You need at least eight exams with scores of 4 or 5, and your overall average across every AP exam you have ever taken must be at least 4.0. This award is earned by a relatively small number of students nationwide.

How Awards Are Determined

AP Scholar Awards are calculated automatically by College Board — you do not need to apply or submit any paperwork. Here is how the process works:

• All AP scores count. College Board looks at every AP exam you have ever taken when calculating your average. This includes exams from previous years. If you took AP Human Geography as a sophomore and AP Biology as a junior, both scores factor into your cumulative average.
• Awards are cumulative. You can earn higher award levels as you take more exams. If you earned AP Scholar after your junior year, you could earn AP Scholar with Distinction after senior year if you add more strong scores.
• No minimum number of years. A sophomore who takes 3 AP exams and scores 3 or higher on all of them qualifies for AP Scholar immediately, even in their first year of taking AP courses.
• Cancelled or withheld scores are not included. If you cancel an AP score, it will not factor into your award calculation. However, if you simply withhold a score from colleges, it still counts in your College Board record and therefore counts toward your award eligibility.

When Awards Are Announced

AP Scholar Awards are announced when AP scores are released, which typically happens in July. When you log in to your College Board account to view your scores, your award status will be displayed if you have earned one. Your high school is also notified of all students who earned AP Scholar Awards that year. Some schools recognize AP Scholar recipients at graduation ceremonies or awards assemblies, though this varies by school.

If you earned an award in a previous year and take additional AP exams, your award level will be updated when the new scores are released. For example, if you were an AP Scholar after junior year and your senior year scores qualify you for AP Scholar with Distinction, your award will be upgraded automatically.

Do Colleges Care About AP Scholar Awards?

Honestly, AP Scholar Awards look nice on a resume but are not a major factor in college admissions. Here is what admissions officers actually care about when it comes to AP performance:

• Course rigor matters most. Colleges want to see that you challenged yourself by taking AP courses in the first place. The fact that you took AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Calculus says more about your academic ambition than the AP Scholar Award those scores might earn.
• Individual scores matter more than the award. A student with a 5 on AP Physics C and a 5 on AP Calculus BC demonstrates strong STEM ability. The AP Scholar Award those scores contribute to is secondary information.
• The award provides a quick summary. Where AP Scholar Awards are most useful is as a shorthand. Listing "National AP Scholar" on your application tells admissions officers at a glance that you performed at a high level across many exams without them needing to review each score individually.
• It will not make or break your application. No student has ever been admitted or rejected based on an AP Scholar Award. It is one small data point among many. Your GPA, essays, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation carry far more weight.

That said, there is no downside to listing an AP Scholar Award on your application. It is a legitimate academic honor, and it demonstrates consistency across multiple subject areas. Just do not overestimate its impact on admissions decisions.

How to List AP Scholar Awards on College Applications

List your AP Scholar Award in the honors and awards section of your college application. Here is how to do it effectively:

• On the Common App: Add it under the "Honors" section. Select "School" or "National" as the recognition level depending on the award type. AP Scholar and AP Scholar with Honor/Distinction are national-level awards. State AP Scholar is state level. National AP Scholar is national level.
• Use the full award name. Write "AP Scholar with Distinction" rather than just "AP Scholar." The distinction between levels matters.
• Include the year. Specify which year you earned the award, or note if you earned it in multiple years at increasing levels (for example, "AP Scholar with Honor (2025), AP Scholar with Distinction (2026)").
• On your resume: Include it in an honors or awards section. It is particularly useful for scholarship applications where you need to demonstrate broad academic achievement.

Can You Lose an AP Scholar Award?

No, you cannot lose an AP Scholar Award once you have earned it. The awards are based on your cumulative AP scores at the time they are calculated. Even if you take additional AP exams in future years and score lower, your previously earned award stands. In fact, taking more exams only gives you the opportunity to qualify for a higher award level — it cannot take away an award you already received. Your cumulative average might change with new scores, but College Board does not revoke awards retroactively.

Predict Your AP Scores

Planning which AP exams to take to earn an AP Scholar Award? Use our free score calculators to estimate your performance and figure out which exams you are most likely to score well on.

• AP Biology

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• AP Calculus AB

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• AP World History

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• AP Psychology

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• AP Statistics

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• AP Chemistry

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Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is based on publicly available College Board policies regarding AP Scholar Awards as of early 2026. Award criteria may change at College Board's discretion. Visit AP Students for the most current information. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.