For Immediate Release

Contact: Ryan Brown

803-734-5080
rybrown@ed.sc.gov

South Carolina Students Outperform Nation on AP Exams

Columbia, SC For the second year in a row, South Carolina students outpaced the national
average on nine out of the top ten subjects of Advance Placement exams. Additionally, SC
students showed growth on all three areas of the SAT as well as the overall composite score.
This level of success is the byproduct of the high level of support and preparation our state
has put into our Advanced Placement programs, said State Superintendent Molly Spearman.
I am so proud of the performance of our students and know that this success will only
continue to grow in years to come, concluded Spearman.
South Carolina saw growth in all three major areas of AP participation and performance. The
number of students taking exams increased 6.5% from 2015 to 28,487. The number of exams
increased 6.6% to 45,093 exams. South Carolina students scoring three or higher on AP exams
increased 6.8% to 25,841 exams.
AP exam scores of three indicate a candidate who is qualified to take college-level
courses. Scores of four indicate someone who is well-qualified and a five indicates someone
who is extremely well-qualified. Colleges and universities often grant class credit and use AP
scores of three or more to place students in higher course levels.
The number of minority students participating in AP exams increased 15% from last year.
Minority students receiving scores of three of more increased 7.3%.
Finally, 6,587 students were named AP Scholars, meaning they scored three or higher on three
or more AP exams.
SAT
During the 2015-2016 school year, the test maker of SAT, the College Board, redesigned the SAT
assessment. The majority of the class of 2016 took the old SAT which was last administered in
January 2016. The redesigned SAT was administered first in March 2016.
A total of 19,327 public schools students within the class of 2016 took the SAT assessment prior
to March 2016.
The mean scores for critical reading, mathematics, writing, as well as the overall composite
score all rose from 2015 numbers.

Percentage of SC Students with Scores of 3+ on Top 10 AP Exams

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

AP Exam
English Language and
Composition
United States History
Human Geography
English Literature and
Composition
Calculus AB
Biology
Psychology
United States Government
and Politics
Statistics
World History

Number of
Exams (SC
Public)

Percentage of
Exams with Scores
of 3+ (SC Public)

Number of
Exams (US
Public)

Percentage of
Exams with Scores
of 3+ (US Public)

6106
5443
4578

54%
56%
53%

488715
429449
174830

53%
50%
51%

4555
2928
2664
2623

54%
60%
65%
64%

346828
252708
203959
260903

52%
58%
58%
63%

2328
2164
2031

57%
57%
55%

263918
177936
261975

50%
60%
50%

2015 vs. 2016 SAT Mean and Composite Scores

Mean Scores 2015
Critical
Math
Writing
Reading
483

483

Mean Scores 2016

Critical
Math
Writing
Reading

462

490

490

466

Mean Composite Score**

2015

2016

Difference

1428

1446

18

** Composite scores are calculated using the actual (before rounding) mean scores for all tests.
SAT Data can be found by following this link.
AP Data can be found by following this link.

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