Does Dartmouth accept AP credit for course placement or graduation requirements?
I’m starting to finalize my college list and Dartmouth is near the top. I’ve taken a bunch of AP classes throughout high school (Calc BC, US History, Chem, etc.), and I’m wondering how much those AP scores will help me if I get in. Will they let me skip introductory courses, or even count towards any graduation requirements? I’ve heard some Ivy League schools are really strict about AP credit and was wondering how Dartmouth compares.
If anyone has experience with Dartmouth’s policies, especially recent changes, I’d really appreciate hearing about it. Also, if you know if it’s different by subject, that would be super helpful too! Trying to figure out if my AP efforts will actually pay off in college.
If anyone has experience with Dartmouth’s policies, especially recent changes, I’d really appreciate hearing about it. Also, if you know if it’s different by subject, that would be super helpful too! Trying to figure out if my AP efforts will actually pay off in college.
5 days ago
•
13 views
Grayce Gibbs
• 5 days ago
Advisor
Dartmouth is known for being fairly selective with how it awards AP credit, especially compared to many public universities. They do review your AP scores, but in most cases, high AP exam results help with course placement rather than granting direct credit toward graduation.
For example, if you score a 5 on AP Calculus BC, you might be able to place directly into a higher-level math course or satisfy prerequisites for certain classes. Similarly, in subjects like Chemistry, a strong AP exam score (typically a 5) could let you skip introductory courses and move straight into more advanced ones. Take note, though: the opportunity to skip ahead isn’t always granted just by the AP score—you may have to take a departmental placement test or consult with an academic advisor during orientation.
Dartmouth generally doesn’t count AP credits as part of the credits required for graduation. In other words, you can use your AP experience to avoid repeating material and enroll in upper-level courses, but you still need to complete the full Dartmouth graduation requirements in terms of total courses/classes.
Policies can vary by subject. For instance, in the sciences (like Chemistry or Physics), Dartmouth previously required placement exams even for students with top AP scores. In History and other humanities, you’re more likely to get exemption from introductory requirements but not actual credit toward the number of courses needed to graduate.
I recommend checking Dartmouth’s Registrar or department-specific websites for the most current details (as policies do change occasionally), and you’ll often find tables spelling out which AP scores lead to placement or exemption—sometimes with short explanations for each department’s approach.
For example, if you score a 5 on AP Calculus BC, you might be able to place directly into a higher-level math course or satisfy prerequisites for certain classes. Similarly, in subjects like Chemistry, a strong AP exam score (typically a 5) could let you skip introductory courses and move straight into more advanced ones. Take note, though: the opportunity to skip ahead isn’t always granted just by the AP score—you may have to take a departmental placement test or consult with an academic advisor during orientation.
Dartmouth generally doesn’t count AP credits as part of the credits required for graduation. In other words, you can use your AP experience to avoid repeating material and enroll in upper-level courses, but you still need to complete the full Dartmouth graduation requirements in terms of total courses/classes.
Policies can vary by subject. For instance, in the sciences (like Chemistry or Physics), Dartmouth previously required placement exams even for students with top AP scores. In History and other humanities, you’re more likely to get exemption from introductory requirements but not actual credit toward the number of courses needed to graduate.
I recommend checking Dartmouth’s Registrar or department-specific websites for the most current details (as policies do change occasionally), and you’ll often find tables spelling out which AP scores lead to placement or exemption—sometimes with short explanations for each department’s approach.
Grayce Gibbs
Denver, CO
Dartmouth College (AB); Colorado School of Mines (MS)
Experience
4 years