Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Advanced Placement (AP)
What is Advanced Placement?
Advanced Placement provides high school students with access to college-level curricula and examinations. Students earning a three or higher (five-point scale) on the AP examination have the potential of earning college credit and placement. Colleges and universities in the University of North Carolina System award credit to students who earn a three or higher on Advanced Placement exams.
Students enrolled in AP Courses:
- Get familiar with college-level work
- Enter college more confident in their ability to succeed at collegiate level work
- Develop college skills such as time management, critical thinking, and scholarly writing
- Discover their passion
- Develop new insights and interests in careers from studying a subject in depth
- Earn an additional quality point to their GPA
Contact Us
Kaitlin Brick
Advanced Studies Specialist
980.343.2702
Visit AP for more information
https://ap.collegeboard.org
Advanced Placement in CMS
CMS works diligently to provide access and opportunity to all students, regardless of race, background, location or socioeconomic status, who are ready to tackle the challenge and rigor of AP Courses. CMS offers over thirty Advanced Placement courses in its high schools. Click the links below to learn more about the individual course and exam.
Every CMS High School offers 10 Core AP Courses:
- Biology
- Calculus AB/BC
- Computer Science Principles
- English Language and Composition
- English Literature and Composition
- Environmental Science
- Human Geography
- Psychology
- Statistics
- United States History
Other AP courses that are offered in CMS schools include:
- Arts: Art History, 2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, Drawing, Music Theory
- Sciences: Physics 1: Algebra-Based, Physics 2: Algebra-Based, Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, Physics C: Mechanics, Chemistry, Physics
- World Languages: Chinese Language, French Language, German Language, Japanese Language, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature and Culture
- Social Studies/History: African American Studies, European History, Government and Politics: Comparative, Government and Politics: United States, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, World History
- Math & Computer Science Principles: Computer Science A, Precalculus
- Interdisciplinary: Seminar, Research, Capstone
Benefits of AP
Students should consider taking AP courses to enhance their critical thinking skills, challenge themselves academically, build their skill sets in anticipation of the rigor of additional coursework after high school, and potentially earn college credit before enrolling in postsecondary education.
To learn more about the Advanced Placement Program, click on the links below:
- What is AP?
- Advanced Placement for Parents & Guardians
- Choosing Your AP Courses
- FAQs
- Graduation Credit for AP Courses
Advanced Placement Exam Schedule
- 2026 AP Exam Dates
- AP Exam Scores for the 2024-2025 school year will be released in July 2025 at apscore.org
Helpful Resource Links