Advanced Placement Exams (AP)

Advanced Placement Test Policy 2025-2026

The California Community College System, the California State University (CSU) System, and the University of California (UC) System all award credit for Advanced Placement (AP) Exams. The San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) grants credit toward its local associate degrees and applies it towards California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) certifications for students who attain scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Exams of the College Board.

AP courses are offered in high schools and allow high school students to take a national, standardized test at the end of the course to earn college credit. If you passed an AP exam with a minimum score of three (3), please request that your official AP test scores to be sent to your SMCCCD college.

Students can earn a minimum of 3-semester units of credit for each AP exam satisfactorily passed. The Advanced Placement Equivalency Guide identifies how AP exam credit can be applied. Students should meet with a counselor for specific information regarding AP exam placement and credits awarded. Students intending to transfer to a four-year institution should consult a counselor or the individual university regarding its AP credit policy.  

If you took an AP exam and received a minimum score of 3 or higher in a subject, you can: 

  1. Request your official AP scores be sent to your SMCCCD College. For information about obtaining your AP scores, contact the College Board. Please Note: If you have submitted your scores to another institution outside our district, you will need to submit your scores again to SMCCCD.
  2. Upon receipt of your official AP scores, credit will be determined according to the SMCCCD AP Credit Equivalency Guide; coursework and units will be posted on your SMCCCD transcripts.
  3. Upon notification, meet with a counselor to determine if you wish to accept, decline, or appeal the application of the AP credit to your transcript.

The following chart outlines the application of credit for AP toward each SMCCCD college’s coursework, associate degree general education requirements, degrees and California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) certifications.

If your SMCCCD college does not offer a course similar in content to an AP exam, the college will award credit for the General Education area shown in the SMCCCD AP Equivalency Guide below. If an AP exam does not align with a general education area, the College may award elective credit.

If only a portion of the credit applicable is deemed beneficial to the student, only that portion will be added to the student record.

Please note: 

  • AP credit will receive a grade of CRE, which does not affect GPA.  
  • The equivalencies defined by the AP Test Policy will be applied based on when the student completed the exam.
  • If you have any questions regarding Math and English placement or AP credit, please contact your counselor. 
  • While SMCCCD does not put a limit on the number of External Exams you may earn credit for, please be aware that transfer schools may have limits. Please check with your Counselor. 
  • AP exams that have been discontinued are not shown on this table. 

If you plan to transfer to another institution, please be aware that every college/university has its own policies about Credit for Prior Learning. What was accepted at SMCCCD may not be accepted at another institution. Please consult a Counselor regarding your intended transfer institution(s).  

For more information on AP regulations for the CSU and UC segments, please see;

All units listed are semester units.

SMCCCD AP Credit Equivalency Guide

Advanced Placement Test Score of 3, 4, or 5

SMCCCD Course Equivalent

SMCCCD Associate Degree GE Area 

SMCCD GE Units

CalGETC Breadth Area 

CalGETC Units

African American Studies

ETHN 105

Area 4

3 Units

N/A

N/A

Art History 

N/A

Area 3A or Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3A or Area 3B

3 Units

Biology 

N/A

Area 5B and Area 5C

4 Units

Area 5B and Area 5C

4 Units

Calculus AB 

Math 251 (4 or 5) Math 241 (3)

Area 2

5 Units

Area 2

3 Units

Calculus BC 

Math 251 and 252 (4 or 5), see AB subscore for (3)

Area 2

5 Units

Area 2

3 Units

Calculus BC / AB Subscore  (3)

If BC score (1,2, or 3) then use AB subscore same as AB test

Area 2

5 Units

Area 2

3 Units

Chemistry 

CHEM 192 (Score: 3,4) CHEM 210 (Score: 5)

Area 5A and Area 5C

CHEM 210 (5 Units), CHEM 192 (4 Units)

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Chinese Language and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Comparative Government and Politics

N/A

Area 4

3 Units

Area 4

3 Units

English Language and Composition

ENGL C1000 or C1000E

Area 1A

3 Units

Area 1A

3 Units

English Literature and Composition 

N/A

Area 1A or Area 3B

3 Units

Area 1A or Area 3B

3 Units

Environmental Science 

N/A

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Area 5A and Area 5C

3 Units

European History 

HIST 101

Area 3B or Area 4

3 Units

Area 3B or Area 4

3 Units

French Language and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

German Language and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Human Geography

GEOG 110 

Area 4

3 Units

Area 4

3 Units

Italian Language and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Japanese Language and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Latin

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Macroeconomics

ECON 100

Area 4

3 Units

Area 4

3 Units

Microeconomics

ECON 102

Area 4

3 Units

Area 4

3 Units

Physics 1 

PHYS 210

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Physics 2 

PHYS 220

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism 

PHYS 260

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Area 5A and Area 5C

3 Units

Physics C: Mechanics 

PHYS 250

Area 5A and Area 5C

4 Units

Area 5A and Area 5C

3 Units

Precalculus

MATH 225

Area 2

6 Units

N/A

N/A

Psychology

PSYC C1000

Area 4

3 Units

Area 4

3 Units

Spanish Language and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Spanish Literature and Culture

N/A

Area 3B

3 Units

Area 3B

3 Units

Statistics

STAT C1000

Area 2

4 Units

Area 2

3 Units

U.S. Government and Politics

N/A

Area 4

3 Units

Area 4

3 Units

U.S. History 

HIST 201

Area 3B or Area 4

3 Units

Area 3B or Area 4

3 Units

World History: Modern

HIST  106

Area 3B or Area 4

3 Units

Area 3B or Area 4

3 Units