Advanced Placement (AP) exams are College Board standardized tests that can earn high school students college credit. Homeschoolers can take AP exams without taking official AP courses.
What is Advanced Placement (AP)?
The Advanced Placement program, administered by the College Board, offers 38 college-level courses and exams for high school students. Each May, students take standardized exams scored 1-5, with qualifying scores (typically 3 or higher) earning college credit at many institutions. Here's what matters for homeschoolers: you don't need to take an official AP course to sit for an AP exam. You can prepare independently using any curriculum and still earn the same college credit as students who took year-long AP classes at traditional schools.
Key Takeaways
- Homeschoolers can take AP exams without taking official AP courses
- Exams are scored 1-5; scores of 3+ typically earn college credit
- Must arrange testing at a local school—parents cannot proctor AP exams
- Late fee ($40) is waived for homeschoolers registering after the November deadline
- 38 subjects available including sciences, humanities, languages, and arts
How to Register for AP Exams
Course Options for Homeschoolers
You have three paths to AP preparation. First, enroll in an official AP course through an approved provider like PA Homeschoolers, which offers dozens of College Board-approved AP courses taught online. Second, use AP-aligned curriculum that covers equivalent content without official course designation—many families prefer this for flexibility. Third, prepare independently using textbooks, prep books, and free resources like Khan Academy's AP content. The exam is identical regardless of how you prepared; colleges can't distinguish between test-takers who took formal courses and those who self-studied.
2026 Exam Schedule
Strategic Considerations
Not all AP exams are equally valuable for homeschoolers. Some subjects—like AP Biology with its laboratory component—can be challenging to prepare for independently. Others—like AP U.S. History, AP English Language, or AP Calculus—work well with self-study and widely available prep materials. Consider your child's strengths and your available resources. Some families use AP exams strategically to demonstrate rigor in core subjects while pursuing passion projects in areas where standardized assessment matters less.
The Bottom Line
AP exams offer homeschoolers a standardized way to demonstrate college-level mastery and potentially earn college credit. The independence from required courses makes them particularly homeschool-friendly—prepare however works best for your student, then take the same exam as everyone else. Start the process early by contacting testing schools in fall, take advantage of the late-fee waiver for homeschoolers, and focus preparation on the specific exam format. Qualifying scores can translate to significant college credit savings while strengthening college applications.
