Academic Policies

Advanced Placement Test (AP)

• Advanced Placement Test Scores

College of San Mateo awards credit based on the results of the Advanced Placement tests from the College Board's Entrance Examinations. The student is responsible for sending official AP results to College of San Mateo and formally requesting from the Office of Admissions and Records, a review of the results related to the student's associate degree general education requirements, California State University General Education certification, and Intersegmental General Education Curriculum (IGETC) certification. For university transfers, AP credit is applied according to the policy of the transfer institution.

Students should be aware that college courses taken after the AP test may duplicate the content of the AP course and test and, in these cases, College of San Mateo and the transfer institution may not award credit for both the course and the AP test. In some cases, AP test results may be considered to advance a student in a course sequence such as mathematics or foreign languages and may be considered to meet course prerequisite requirements.

It is essential for students majoring in Science, Math, Engineering, or Foreign Languages to meet with a counselor before enrollment to determine how the use of AP credit will affect placement in a course sequence at College of San Mateo and affect transfer plans. Advanced placement tests are not applicable for meeting unit load requirements for enrollment status, or for such programs as financial aid, athletic eligibility, veterans' benefits, or for graduation residency requirements.