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Advance Placement (AP) Exams

AP Policy Overview 

NSC recognizes AP coursework as a challenging academic program that provides excellent preparation for college. College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams are scored on a scale of 1 – 5. At NSC, scores of 3 or higher are considered for college credit awards. The table below shows NSC departmental policies for awarding course equivalencies and credits for each exam.  
Students who complete two exams with duplicate or overlapping content (e.g. AP and IB), or who complete an exam and a college course with duplicate or overlapping content will be awarded credit for only one exam or course. 

Applicability toward NSC graduation requirements 

The following abbreviations show which graduation requirements apply to the course assignments indicated for each subject exam in the table below. 
Requirement Abbreviations 

  • NW = Natural World 
  • QSR = Quantum/ Symbolic Reasoning 
  • VLPA = Visual Learning Performing Arts 
  • ICS = Individual Cultural Studies 
  • GS = Global Studies 
  • USC = U.S. Culture 
  • HUM = Human Relations 

African American Studies
AP Score: 3
NSC Courses: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA

African American Studies
AP Score: 4
NSC Courses: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA

African American Studies
AP Score: 5
NSC Courses: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA

Art History  
AP Score: 3

NSC Courses: Art& 100  
Credits awarded: 5  
Requirements Met: VLPA

Art History

AP Score: 4

NSC Courses: Art& 100 
Credits awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA

Art History
AP Score: 5

NSC Courses: Art& 100 
Credits awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

Art: Studio Art – Drawing 
AP Score: 3

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

Art: Studio Art – Drawing 
AP Score: 4

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA  

Art: Studio Art – Drawing  
AP Score: 5

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

ART 2D Design 

AP Score: 3

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

ART 2D Design

AP Score: 4

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

ART 2D Design
Design
AP Score: 5

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

ART 3D Design

AP Score: 3

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

ART 3D Design

AP Score: 4

NSC Course: XFERH 900  
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

ART 3D Design

AP Score: 5

NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

Biology
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: BIOL& 160 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Biology
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: BIOL& 160 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Biology
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: BIOL& 160 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Calculus AB
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: MATH& 151 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: QSR

Calculus AB
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: MATH& 151 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: QSR

Calculus AB
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: MATH& 151 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: QSR

Calculus BC
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: MATH& 152 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: QSR

Calculus BC
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: MATH& 152 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: QSR

Calculus BC
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: MATH& 152 
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: QSR 

Chemistry
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: CHEM& 161
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Chemistry
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: CHEM& 161
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: NW

Chemistry
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: CHEM& 161, CHEM& 162 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: NW
 

Chinese Language & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERF 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA

Chinese Language & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERF 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA

Chinese Language & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERF 900, XFERF 950 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: VLPA

Computer Science A
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERE 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science A
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: CS 142
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science A
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: CS 142
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science B
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science B
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science B
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science Principles 
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: CSC 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science Principles
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: CSC 900
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Computer Science Principles 
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: CSC 900
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective 

Economics Micro
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: ECON& 201 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Economics Micro
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: ECON& 201 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Economics Micro
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: ECON& 201 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Economics Macro
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: ECON& 202
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Economics Macro
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: ECON& 202 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Economics Macro
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: ECON& 202
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

English: Language & Comp.
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERE 900
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

English: Language & Comp.
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: ENGL& 101
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Composition

English: Language & Comp.
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: ENGL& 101
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Composition

English: Literature & Comp.
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA

English: Literature & Comp. 
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA

English: Literature & Comp. 
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERH 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: VLPA 

Environmental Science 
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: ENVS& 100
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: NW or ICS, Global Studies

Environmental Science
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: ENVS& 101
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: NW or ICS, Global Studies

Environmental Science
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: ENVS& 101
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: NW or ICS, Global Studies 

European History
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: HIST& 116
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

European History
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: HIST& 116
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

European History
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: HIST& 116
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

French Language & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: FRCH& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

French Language & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: FRCH& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

French Language & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: FRCH& 121, FRCH& 122 Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective
 

French Literature & Comp
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: FRCH& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

French Literature & Comp
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: FRCH& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

French Literature & Comp
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: FRCH& 121, FRCH&122 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

German Language & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERF 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

German Language & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERF 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

German Language & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERF 900, XFERF 950 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

US Government & Politics
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: POLS& 202
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

US Government & Politics
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: POLS& 202
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

US Government & Politics
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: POLS& 202
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

Comparative Government & Politics 
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: POLS& 101
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, Global Studies

Comparative Government & Politics 
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: POLS& 101
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, Global Studies

Comparative Government & Politics 
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: POLS& 101
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, Global Studies 

Human Geography
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERC
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

Human Geography
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERC
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

Human Geography
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERC
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS

Italian Language & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERF 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Italian Language & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERF 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Italian Language & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERF 900, XFERF 950
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Japanese Language & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: JAPN& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Japanese Language & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: JAPN& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Japanese Language & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: JAPN& 121, japn& 122 
Credits Awarded: 10 
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Latin Literature
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Latin Literature
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Latin Literature
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Latin: Virgil
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Latin: Virgil
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERH 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Latin: Virgil
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERH 900, XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 10 Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Latin Literature & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: HUM 950
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Latin Literature & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: HUM 950
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Latin Literature & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: HUM 950
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Music Theory
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERM 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Music Theory
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERM 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Music Theory
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERM 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective 

Music Listening/ Literature 
AP Score: 3 
NSC Course: MUSC& 105 
Credits Awarded: 5  
Requirements Met: VLPA

Music Listening/ Literature 
AP Score: 4 
NSC Course: MUSC& 105 
Credits Awarded: 5  
Requirements Met: VLPA

Music Listening/ Literature 
AP Score: 5 
NSC Course: MUSC& 105 
Credits Awarded: 5  
Requirements Met: VLPA 

Physics 1
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: PHYS& 114 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics 1
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: PHYS& 114 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics 1
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: PHYS& 114 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics 2
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: PHYS& 115 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics 2
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: PHYS& 115
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics 2
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: PHYS& 115 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics B
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERN 900
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW (No Lab)

Physics B
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERN 900
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW (No Lab)

Physics B
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERN 900
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW (No Lab)

Physics C (Mechanics)
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: PHYS& 114
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics C (Mechanics)
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: PHYS& 221 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics C (Mechanics)
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: PHYS& 221 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics C (Elect. & Mag.) 
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: PHYS& 115 
Credits Awarded: 5 Requirements met: Elective

Physics C (Elect. & Mag.) 
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: PHYS& 222 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: NW

Physics C (Elect. & Mag.) 
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: PHYS& 222, PHYS& 223 
Credits Awarded: 10 
Requirements Met: NW 

Pre– Calculus
AP Score: 3
NSC Courses: Math& 141
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: QSR

Pre– Calculus
AP Score: 4
NSC Courses: Math& 141, Math& 142    
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: QSR

Pre– Calculus
AP Score: 5
NSC Courses: Math& 141, Math& 142    
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: QSR

Psychology
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: PSYC& 100 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Psychology
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: PSYC& 100 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS

Psychology
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: PSYC& 100 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: ICS 
 

Research
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Research
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective

Research
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5 
Requirements Met: Elective 

Seminar
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: XFERE 900 
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Seminar
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: XFERE 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Seminar
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: XFERE 900
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: Elective

Spanish Language & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: SPAN& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Spanish Language & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: SPAN& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Spanish Language & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: SPAN& 121, SPAN& 122 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Spanish Literature & Culture
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: SPAN& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Spanish Literature & Culture
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: SPAN& 121
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective

Spanish Literature & Culture
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: SPAN& 121, SPAN& 122 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: VLPA, Elective 

Statistics
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: MATH& 146
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: QSR or NW

Statistics
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: MATH& 146
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: QSR or NW

Statistics
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: MATH& 146
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: QSR or NW

US History
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: HIST& 146
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, US Cultures

US History
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: HIST& 146
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, US Cultures

US History
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: HIST& 146, HIST& 147 
Credits Awarded: 10
Requirements Met: ICS, US Cultures 

World History
AP Score: 3
NSC Course: HIST& 126
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, Global Studies

World History
AP Score: 4
NSC Course: HIST& 126
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, Global Studies

World History
AP Score: 5
NSC Course: HIST& 126
Credits Awarded: 5
Requirements Met: ICS, Global Studies