Advanced Placement
Students may be awarded credit for an Advanced Placement examinations according to the faculty policy for Advanced Placement.
A student who achieves a score of four or five on an Advanced Placement examination given by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) may be granted two course credits, or one course credit in the case of Advanced Placement courses covering the equivalent of one semester of college work. A student achieving a score of three on an examination covering the equivalent of two semesters of college work may be granted one course credit, upon approval of the chair of the appropriate department. No credit is granted for a score of three on an examination covering the equivalent of one semester of college work.
Individual departments and programs decide whether an Advanced Placement examination covers the equivalent of one or of two semesters of college work, whether any Advanced Placement credit permits exemption from their particular courses or major requirements, and whether Advanced Placement credits in their discipline provide exemption from any General Education requirements.
A maximum of four non-Bates credits, including Advanced Placement credit, may be awarded. Junior Semester/Year Abroad credit does not count towards this “non-Bates” maximum.
In order for credit to be awarded, students must request that The College Board send their official scores to Bates. To do this, contact The College Board through their testing website or mailing address: The College Board P.O. Box 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541-6671.
Bates College – College Board Code: 3076
AP Equivalent Chart
Credit awards are based on the following equivalencies. See below for General Education questions.
| TEST | Score of 3 | Score of 4 | Score of 5 |
| Art History | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Art Studio Drawing | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Art Studio General | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Art Studio 3D Design | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Biology | 1 unspecified | 2 unspecified | 2 unspecified |
| Chinese | none | 102 | 201& 1 unspecified |
| Chemistry | none | 107A-108A | 107A-108A |
| Computer Science A | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Computer Science AB | 1 unspecified | 2 unspecified | 2 unspecified |
| Economics – Micro | none | 150 | 150 |
| Economics – Macro | none | 150 | 150 |
| English Language | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| English Literature | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Environmental Science | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| French Language | none | 201 | 201 & 1 unspecified |
| French Literature | none | 201 | 201 & 1 unspecified |
| Human Geography | None | 2 unspecified | 2 unspecified |
| German Language | none | 201 | 201 & 1 unspecified |
| Government & Politics – US | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Government & Politics – Comp. | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| History – American | none | 2 unspecified | 2 unspecified |
| History – European | none | 2 unspecified | 2 unspecified |
| History – World | none | 2 unspecified | 2 unspecified |
| Italian | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Japanese | none | 102 | 201 |
| Latin – Vergil | none | 201 | 201-202 |
| Latin – Literature | none | 201 | 201-202 |
| Mathematics – Calculus AB | none | 105 (Math)** | 105 (Math)** |
| Mathematics – Calculus BC –AB subscore | none | 105 (Math)** | 105 (Math)** |
| Mathematics – Calculus BC | none | 105-106 (Math)** | 105-106 (Math)** |
| Music – Listen & Lit | student must see department chair | student must see department chair | student must see department chair |
| Music Theory | student must see department chair | student must see department chair | student must see department chair |
| Physics 1 | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Physics 2 | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Physics C Mechanics | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| Physics C Elec & Mag. | none | 1 unspecified | 1 unspecified |
| (Both C tests) | none | 107 & 1 unspecified | 107 & 1 unspecified |
| Psychology | none | 101 | 101 |
| Spanish Language | none | 201 | 201 & 1 unspecified |
| Spanish Literature | none | 201 | 201 & 1 unspecified |
| Statistics | none | Math 101* | Math 101* |
Credit awarded as “Unspecified” counts towards the 32 credits needed for graduation but does not satisfy any major, minor or general education requirements unless noted in the Catalog.
*Students may seek Economics credit instead of Mathematics. Contact the Registrar’s Office.
**Credit may not be earned for both the Calculus AB and BC tests.
General Education:
Advanced Placement credit may only count if the credit awarded is accepted as a direct equivalent to a specific Bates course (see table above). Credit awarded without an equivalency (unspecified) may not count. The writing requirement may not be satisfied with Advanced Placement credit.