How do AP credits transfer in college?

I'm taking a few AP courses this year and I'm wondering how these credits transfer if I go to college out of state. Does the College Board provide a list of universities and their AP credit policies, or is it all individual research?

Transferring AP credits actually has less to do with going in-state or out-of-state, and more to do with the individual policies of each college. Every university sets its own policy regarding the awarding of credit for AP Exam scores, including which exams they accept, what scores are necessary, and how those scores translate into university credits.

Unfortunately, the College Board does not provide a consolidated list of all universities' policies. Instead, you would need to do individual research for each university you're considering. Most universities have a webpage dedicated to their AP credit policy within their admissions or registrar’s area of their website. Typically, a search like "[University name] AP credit policy" will lead you to the right place.

As an example, a university might give you college credit equivalent to a 101-level course in biology if you get a 4 or 5 on your AP Biology exam. However, another university might require a score of at least 5, and another might grant credit for a 3. Some may even allow higher scores to be equivalent to more advanced courses.

As you're considering potential colleges, you'll want to explore each institution's policy to calculate how many credits you may enter college with, and how this could potentially allow you to place out of some general education requirements, pursue a minor without additional coursework, or possibly graduate early. Importantly, some colleges might limit the amount of AP credit they accept, which is another good reason to check individual policies.

Ultimately, receiving a high score can be advantageous because even when universities do not grant course credit, they may take your AP accomplishments into consideration during the admission process. It demonstrates that you've taken challenging courses and done well in them.