1. INTRODUCTION

Advanced Placement Program (AP®) designed and administered by the College Board (the U.S.) enables students to take university-level courses and exams while they’re still in secondary school. It’s recognized by universities worldwide. Through AP courses, students learn to think critically, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issue—skills that prepare them for college and beyond.

Recognized by over 4000 universities in more than 60 countries globally, AP exam scores are the “entrance tickets” to almost all universities in the U.S. and Canada and other advanced universities worldwide.

In Vietnam, since the school year 2023 – 2024, IIG Vietnam is authorized by College Board to administer the AP Exams. 

The AP exams are administered annually during the first two weeks of May. Most AP Exams can be taken without the corresponding AP course. Some subjects such as AP Computer Science Principles require students to be enrolled in the course in the same year they take the exam.

2. BENEFITS OF TAKING THE AP EXAMS

• Accelerated College Credit: AP exam scores provide students with the opportunity to earn college credits even before they set foot on a university campus. This means that most AP students enter college with a head start, having already earned valuable undergraduate degree credits.

• Time and Money Savings: Many universities around the world recognize AP exam scores and allow students to waive some credits or skip introductory courses, enabling them to focus on their chosen majors. This not only saves time but also reduces the overall cost of education, as students can complete graduation requirements more efficiently.

• Competitive Edge in Admissions: AP exam scores and the successful completion of AP courses greatly enhance a student’s application to universities and colleges. By taking AP courses, students signal their commitment to academic excellence and their willingness to embrace challenging coursework. This proactive approach to education impresses admission boards and can significantly improve a student’s chances of acceptance into top-tier institutions. Furthermore, students with strong AP scores often have a competitive advantage in receiving scholarships compared to those without AP experience.

• Diverse Educational Opportunities: Earning undergraduate degree credits through AP opens up a world of educational possibilities. It provides students with the flexibility to change majors, pursue a second degree, explore international study opportunities, or engage in valuable internships.

3. STUDENTS ELIGIBLE TO AP EXAM

Secondary or High school students who want to study in the U.S. or at universities/colleges recognizing AP exam scores or want to pursue an in-depth major.

4. AP EXAMS

Advanced Placement is an internationally recognized curricular program with 38 university-level courses, each culminating in a rigorous, standardized exam across seven disciplines.

• Arts
• English
• History and Social Sciences
• Mathematics and Computer Science
• Sciences
• World Languages
• AP Capstone

5. STRUCTURE

AP exams will be administered as paper & pencil exams. The structure of each exam may vary. Most exams are 2–3 hours long and include 2 parts: multiple-choice and free-response. These two sections both contribute 50% to the final score.

* Multiple-choice

In this part, students will choose 1 of 4–5 answer choices for each question. Students use a pencil to mark your choices on the AP answer sheet. For questions about Literature or language, candidates need to write their own answers.

Your total exam score on the multiple-choice section is based only on the number of questions answered correctly. You won’t receive or lose points for incorrect answers or unanswered questions.

* Free-response

The second part of the exam usually consists of free-response questions that require you to generate your own responses. Depending on the exam, your responses could be in the form of an essay, a solution to a problem, or a spoken response.

In addition, some other subjects such as Art will require outputs and public presentations for final scoring.

6. SCORE SCALE

For most AP Exams, student’s score is a weighted combination of the scores on the 2 sections, multiple-choice and free-response. The final score for each AP Exam is reported on a 5-point scale that offers a recommendation about how qualified you are to receive college credit and placement:

5 = Extremely well qualified

4 = Very well qualified

3 = Qualified

2 = Possibly qualified

1 = No recommendation

7. AP EXAM REGISTRATION WITH IIG VIETNAM

• Candidates are required to first complete online registration via IIG Vietnam’s registration portal: https://online.iigvietnam.com/

• Following registration and payment, candidates must then also register for the exam through the College Board’s system (myap.collegeboard.org), adhering to provided instructions.

=> Students please refer to the detailed AP exam registration instructions HERE

Note: Registering on the College Board system without finalizing payment on IIG Vietnam’s registration portal will render candidates ineligible for the exam. Likewise, completing payment on IIG Vietnam’s portal without registering on the College Board system will result in exam ineligibility.

8. TEST RESULT

Students can view their scores through the account created at myap.collegeboard.org after 2 months from the test date.