What Is AP Psychology and Do You Need to Take It? (2024)

Advanced Placement Psychology, or AP Psychology, is a course offered by the College Board that allows high school students to earn college credits for an introductory-level psychology course. However, it is important for students to realize that simply taking the course does not lead to earning these credits. In order to receive college credits, students must pass the AP Psychology exam with a score of 3 or better, on a scale of 1 to 5. It's also important to note that the scores accepted by different colleges and universities may vary.

Who Should Take It

AP Psychology is a good choice for students who are interested in obtaining college credits while in high school. Introductory psychology classes are often part of the core class requirements at many colleges and universities, so taking AP Psychology is a great way to get a jump start on your college education.

Students who are interested in majoring in psychology or another social science can also benefit from taking the course. At many high schools, the AP Psychology course is the only psychology class offered, so it is a good way for high school students to gain an introduction to the subject.

AP Psychology courses are taught at the college level, so students should be prepared to work hard in order to learn the information and fulfill the requirements.

How to Enroll

In order to enroll in the AP Psychology course, you will need to check with your high school to learn about specific requirements. Some schools require students to have completed prerequisites or maintain a certain GPA, while others allow any student to enroll. Talk to one of your instructors or your school counselor for more information.

Who Teaches It

AP classes are taught by highly qualified high school teachers who use the course description as a guide. The majority of psychology teachers are state-certified to teach social sciences in general, and 42% are specifically credentialed to teach psychology.

Topics Covered

There are five pillars representing the major content domains of psychology: biology, cognition, development and learning, social and personality psychology, and physical and mental health. Scientific inquiry and research methods are foundational to all domains to support psychology as a science, while culture, diversity, gender, stereotypes, and biases are infused throughout the course.

Some of the topics that may be covered in the AP Psychology course and exam include:

• Research methods
• History and approaches
• Biological bases of behavior
• Sensation and perception
• States of consciousness
• Developmental psychology
• Motivation and emotion
• Testing and individual differences
• Abnormal behavior
• Treatment of abnormal behavior
• Personality
• Social psychology
• Cognition
• Learning

The AP Psychology class is not only a great way to earn college credit while you are still in high school, but it is also an excellent opportunity to build basic knowledge of the subject. This can come in handy for any additional psychology courses you may take in college. It can be particularly useful if you plan on majoring in psychology or social science.

The AP Psychology Exam

Remember, simply taking the AP Psychology course is not enough to earn college credit; students must also pass the AP Psychology exam. The test itself consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, which count for 66.7% of your score, and two free-response questions, which count for 33.3% of your score. You have 70 minutes to complete the multiple-choice section and 50 minutes for the free-response questions. You can find sample tests on the College Board website. You can also find study materials and practice exams available on various sites online.

Other Available AP Classes

Depending on your high school policy and class availability, you may be limited in how many AP classes you can take each year. Currently, with more than 40 AP classes available, high school students can potentially earn college credits in the following subjects:

• AP Art History
• AP Music Theory
• APArt and Design Program
• APEnglish Language and Composition
• APComparative Government and Politics
• AP European History
• AP Human Geography
• AP Macroeconomics
• AP Microeconomics
• AP United States Government and Politics
• AP United States History
• AP World History: Modern
• AP Calculus
• AP Computer Science
• AP Statistics
• AP Research Methods
• AP Biology
• AP Chemistry
• AP Environmental Science
• AP Physics (Algebra-Based, Electricity and Magnetism, Mechanics)
• AP World Language and Culture (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish)

A Word From Verywell

Taking an AP Psychology class and the accompanying exam are a great way to get a jump start on your college education. Such classes an exams allow you to earn college credits while in high school that you can then use to count toward your general education requirements in college.