CONCORD, NH (February 27, 2024) — New Hampshire ranks first in the nation for the percentage of Advanced Placement (AP) exams taken by public school students in the Class of 2023 who scored in the mid to top tiers.
About 71% of the state’s recent graduates who participated in an AP exam earned either a three, four or five on at least one exam, which equates to 2,425 students earning average or high scores. Overall, 3,400 New Hampshire students in the Class of 2023 took at least one AP exam, as educators continue to encourage a wider and more diverse population of students to participate in AP.
“This cohort of students, given that they had two years of interrupted learning, is an ambitious and disciplined group of young people who understand the value of academics and the importance of continuous learning,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. “I congratulate their efforts and high-performing scores, while also acknowledge that New Hampshire still has work to do in order to increase AP participation.”
In 2013, New Hampshire had 3,309 students complete at least one AP exam. A decade later, participation remains slightly stagnant with 3,400 Granite State students taking at least one AP exam – or about 27.5 percent of the entire 2023 graduating class, which is lower than the national average of nearly 35 percent.
Still, in 2023, New Hampshire had 79 schools eligible for the AP School Honor Roll. In addition, 89 percent of public high schools in New Hampshire currently offer at least one AP course, with about 65 percent offering five or more AP courses, which substantially exceeds the national average of 66 percent and 47 percent, respectively.
“We congratulate the hardworking teachers, school leaders and policymakers in New Hampshire for recognizing the value of AP and making student access a priority,” said Trevor Packer, head of the Advanced Placement Program. “Having access to advanced coursework can be life-changing for students, and we have found that taking even one or two AP courses has a positive impact on students’ college success.”
