The Advanced Placement Program allows the College Board to offer national examinations for you to qualify for advanced placement or academic credit at Iowa State. These exams are administered each May. Official scores must be sent to Iowa State University directly from the College Board. For specific equivalencies, see the chart below.
Art
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Art History | 3-4 | Art History 2800 | 3 |
| | 5 | Art History 2800, 2810 | 6 |
| Drawing | | No Credit | |
| 2-D Art & Design | | No Credit | |
| 3-D Art & Design | | No Credit | |
Biology
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Biology | 4-5 | Biology 1000 | 4 |
Chemistry
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Chemistry | 4-5 | Chemistry 1770, 1780 | 7 |
Depending upon the Chemistry Department's review of the student's AP Chemistry lab notebook, students may receive up to two additional credits: one credit for CHEM 1670L, or one credit for CHEM 1770L, or two credits for CHEM 1770L and 1780L.
Computer science
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Computer Science A | 4 | Computer Science 1270 | 4 |
| Computer Science A | 5 | Computer Science 1270 and 2270 | 8 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4-5 | Computer Science 1000 | 3 |
Economics
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Macroeconomics | 3-5 | Economics 1020 | 3 |
| Microeconomics | 3-5 | Economics 1010 | 3 |
English
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| English Language & Composition | 3-5 | English 1500 | 3 |
| English Literature & Composition | 4-5 | English 1000 or 1500 | 3 |
If you have earned an ACT English score of at least 24 or an SAT ERW score of at least 600, you do not need to take the English Language/Composition Exam as you will automatically be placed into English 2500. If you earn a grade of C or better in English 2500 taken at Iowa State University, you will be awarded test-out credit for English 1500.
Environmental science
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Environmental Science | 3-5 | Environmental Studies 1000 | 3 |
Foreign language
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Chinese Language & Culture | 3 | Chinese 1010 | 4 |
| Chinese Language & Culture | 4 | Chinese 1010, 1020 | 8 |
| Chinese Language & Culture | 5 | Chinese 1010, 1020, 2010 | 12 |
| French Language & Culture | 3 | French 1010, 1020 | 8 |
| French Language & Culture | 4-5 | French 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 | 16 |
| German Language & Culture | 3 | German 1010, 1020 | 8 |
| German Language & Culture | 4-5 | German 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 | 16 |
| Italian Language & Culture | 3 | Italian 1000P | 8 |
| Italian Language & Culture | 4-5 | Italian 1000P, Italian 2000P | 16 |
| Latin | 3 | Latin 1010, 1020 | 8 |
| Latin | 4-5 | Latin 1010, 1020 | 8 |
| Spanish Language & Culture | 3 | Spanish 1010, 1020 | 8 |
| Spanish Language & Culture | 4-5 | Spanish 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 | 16 |
| Spanish Literature & Culture | 3-5 | Spanish 3000* | 3 |
Students who plan to enroll in a foreign language course at Iowa State and who receive a score of 5 on a Foreign Language or Literature AP examination may qualify for foreign language credits in addition to those indicated above.
* Credits earned in Spanish 3000 may be counted toward the following requirements: general education requirements in the humanities; international perspectives; requirements for the Spanish major or minor; Latin American Studies Certificate; or elective credit. NOTE: Students interested in applying these credits to the major or minor in Spanish or U.S. Latino/a Studies should consult with an advisor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
Geography
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Human Geography | 3-5 | Social Science 1000 | 3 |
Government and politics
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| U.S. Government and Politics | 4-5 | Political Science 1110 | 3 |
| Comparative Government/Politics | 4-5 | Political Science 1250 | 3 |
History
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| African American Studies | 4-5 | African American Studies 2010 | 3 |
| European History | 4-5 | History 2010, 2020 | 6 |
| United States History | 4-5 | History 2210, 2220 | 6 |
| World History: Modern | 4-5 | History 1000 | 6 |
Mathematics
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Calculus AB | 4-5 | Math 1650 | 4 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | Math 1650 | 4 |
| Calculus BC | 4-5 | Math 1650, 1660 | 8 |
| Precalculus | 4-5 | Math 1430 | 4 |
Note: All students are required to take a math placement exam prior to registering for classes. If the student’s math placement is not consistent with the credits awarded on the basis of their AP Calculus exam (as indicated above), the student should consult with their academic advisor to determine whether they still wish to accept the math credit they have been awarded.
Music
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Music Theory | 4-5 | Music 2240 | 4 |
Physics
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Physics 1: Algebra-based | 5 | Physics 1310, 1310L | 5 |
| Physics 1: Algebra-based | 4* | Physics 1310, 1310L | 5 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-based | 5 | Physics 1320, 1320L | 5 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-based | 4** | Physics 1320, 1320L | 5 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4-5 | Physics 2310, 2310L | 5 |
| Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism | 4-5 | Physics 2320, 2320L | 5 |
* Students must also earn a minimum score of 3 on the Physics 2 exam
** Students must also earn a minimum score of 3 on the Physics 1 exam
Psychology
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Psychology | 4-5 | Psychology 1010 | 3 |
Statistics
| AP Exam | Score | ISU Course | Sem. Crs. Awarded |
|---|
| Statistics | 3 | Statistics 1010 | 4 |
| Statistics | 4-5 | Statistics 2010 | 4 |
