According to data released this week by the College Board, more Utah high school students participated in and earned college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) tests than in years prior. In 2023, Utah students in secondary schools took 45,308 AP exams, which is 3,559 more exams than in 2022.
Of the exams taken, 68% qualified students to earn college credit with a score of three or higher. The exam with the highest rate of passage was English Literature and Composition, with nearly 92% of students passing, according to the College Board data. This marks a third consecutive year of improvement with respect to AP exams in Utah.
Among Utah’s Hispanic/Latino students, AP participation and success significantly increased for the 2022-2023 cohort. The percentage of Hispanic/Latino students enrolled in AP courses increased by more than 20%. Making up 19.6% of Utah’s public school population in 2022-2023, Utah’s Hispanic/Latino students represented 12.3% of Utah’s AP exam takers and 10.2% of the AP exams that scored a three or higher.
“We are thrilled to see these progressive trends among students, as additional AP participation and success is positively related to degree completion,” said Director of Teaching and Learning Jennifer Throndsen. AP students, including those with average scores of one or two, are more likely to enroll in a four-year college compared to academically similar students who did not take AP in high school. The Utah State Board of Education applauds the ambition of Utah students and encourages continued enrollment in AP courses.
