BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – North Dakota high school students’ 2024 Advanced Placement (AP) exam results will lead to $2.1 million in college tuition savings, State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced Thursday. This milestone is part of a broader state program that has saved students $11.5 million in tuition costs since its launch in 2015.

A media release states that 69 percent of North Dakota students who took AP exams this year scored a 3 or higher, the highest success rate in five years. AP exams, graded on a scale from 1 to 5, offer students the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced standing if they score a 3 or above.

North Dakota high schools provide a variety of AP courses, including subjects such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science, English, history, and environmental science. To support students, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction subsidizes the cost of up to four AP exams in core subjects like math, science, computer science, and English, with the typical exam fee being around $100.

This year, the state funded the AP exam fees for 2,073 tests that earned scores of 3 or higher. With each passing exam estimated to provide four hours of college credit, these results equate to $2.1 million in savings for students, based on an average cost of $257 per credit hour in the North Dakota University System.

The AP exam subsidy program is part of the “Leveraging the Senior Year” initiative, which was introduced by Baesler and approved by the North Dakota Legislature in 2015. The initiative aims to expand opportunities for high school seniors to engage in advanced coursework and better prepare for college by reducing the need for remedial classes. Additionally, students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals can have the cost of up to four AP exams fully covered.

AP exams are administered annually during the first two weeks of May, with a makeup exam period available in the third week of the month.