Advanced Placement Exams & Credits
Advanced Placement Exams and Credits for College Board AP, International Baccalaureate (IB), and Selected Other National Examinations.
Advanced Placement for First-year students
Trinity’s academic departments will consider applications from entering first-year students for advanced placement. A maximum of nine course credits will be awarded for any of the exams listed below.
Documentation should be submitted as early as possible, ideally prior to starting at Trinity, as some exams replace Trinity courses or allow advanced study in a subject. Students who receive AP credit from a department that indicates that the work is equivalent to Trinity course or courses (e.g., AHIS 101, 102) may not take those courses for credit. If no equivalent course is listed, that exam awards elective credit towards the credits required for graduation. These credits may not be used to satisfy general education requirements except for the second language foundational requirement.
Receipt of an official advanced placement score report will be considered an application for advanced placement credit.
College Board AP Exams
Students taking the College Board AP exams must receive a score of 4 or 5 to earn Trinity credit.
Biology
One course credit for the AP Biology exam. This course credit may not be counted toward the biology major or minor, nor does it exempt students from any of the courses required for the major or minor.
Chemistry
One course credit for the AP Chemistry exam. This course credit may not be counted toward the chemistry major or minor, nor does it exempt students from taking any of the courses required for the major or minor. The AP Chemistry exam will fulfill the chemistry requirement for the engineering major.
Classics
One course credit for the AP Latin exam. Students receiving credit who wish to continue studying Latin need to consult with the Classics Department for proper course placement.
Computer science
One course credit (CPSC 110) for the AP Computer Science Principles exam or the AP Computer Science A exam
Economics
One course credit for either the AP Macroeconomics or AP Microeconomics exam. This does not count toward the economics major, exempt students from taking ECON 101, or meet the ECON 101 prerequisite for courses.
One course credit (ECON 101) for both the AP Macroeconomics or AP Microeconomics exams.
English
One course credit for AP Language and Composition and/or the AP Literature and Composition exam(s). These course credits may not be counted toward the English major or minor, nor do they exempt students from any of the courses required for the major or minor.
Environmental science
One course credit (ENVS 149L) for the AP Environmental Science exam.
Fine arts/art history
One course credit (AHIS 101, 102) for the AP Art History exam.
History
One course credit each for the AP European History Exam, the AP United States History Exam, or the AP World History: Modern exam. These course credits may not be counted toward the history major or minor, nor do they exempt students from any of the courses required for the major or minor.
Language and culture studies
One course credit for a score of 4, or two course credits for a score of 5, in each foreign language and literature exam. These course credits may not be counted toward any of the Plan A or Plan B majors or any of the minors, nor do they exempt students from any of the courses required for the major or minor.
Students receiving one AP language or literature credit (i.e., for a score of 4) may not enroll for Trinity credit any lower than a fourth semester course in that language. Students receiving two AP language or literature credits (i.e., for a score of 5) may not enroll for Trinity credit any lower than a fifth semester course in that language. Subject to departmental approval, students may opt to enroll in lower than a fourth or fifth semester course, but they will not be granted AP credit. First-year students entering with AP credit are strongly urged to consult the department before finalizing their initial course selection.
Mathematics
Two course credits (MATH 131, 132) for the AP Calculus BC Exam.
One course credit (MATH 131) for the AP Calculus AB Exam.
One course credit (MATH 107) for the AP Statistics Exam.
No course credit will be awarded without the official AP scores. However, students who have at least a year of high school calculus and who wish to obtain advanced standing in calculus may take a qualifying examination administered by the Department of Mathematics during first-year student orientation in the fall. Students who exhibit a satisfactory level of competence on this examination, as determined by the department, may receive exemption from (but not credit for) either MATH 131 or MATH 132.
Music
One and one quarter course credits (MUSC 101) for the AP Music Theory exam.
Physics
| College Board AP Exam | Score | Phys 101 | Phys 102 | Phys 141 | Phys 231 | And admission to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | 4 or 5 | | | ● | | Phys 231 |
| AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 or 5 | | | | ● | |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics & AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 or 5 | | | ● | ● | Phys 232 |
| AP Physics 1 | 4 | ● | | | | Phys 102 |
| AP Physics 1 | 5 | ● | | | | Phys 102 or Phys 231* |
| AP Physics 2 | 4 | | ● | | | |
| AP Physics 2 | 5 | | ● | | | Phys 231* |
| AP-B (discontinued) | 4 or 5 | ● | ● | | | Phys 231* |
One course credit will be awarded for each course as indicated above.
* provided the student’s general background in physics and mathematics is found to be satisfactory after review by the department.
Students who wish to obtain advanced standing in physics but lack advanced placement credit may contact the chairperson of the Department of Physics and request to take a qualifying exam. Students who perform satisfactorily on this exam may, at the discretion of the department, receive placement in Phys-231 or Phys-232 (but no course credit).
Students can earn no more than one advanced placement credit for exams in the Phys-101 / Phys-141 category, and no more than one advanced placement credit for exams in the Phys-102 / Phys-231 category. Students may not earn credit for both a course and its advanced placement equivalent, and may not earn credit for more than one introductory mechanics course (Phys-101, Phys-141, and their advanced placement equivalents).
Political Science
One course credit (POLS 102) for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP United States Government and Politics Exam.
One course credit (POLS 103) for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Comparative Government and Politics Exam.
Credit for these AP exams will not count toward the Political Science major, but will fulfill prerequisites for upper level courses. These exams will count toward other majors requiring POLS 102 or POLS 103.
Psychology
One course credit for the AP Psychology Exam. This course credit may not be counted toward the Psychology major, nor does it exempt students from any of the courses required for the major.
International Baccalaureate and other national examinations
Students who wish to receive credit for international or foreign examinations (listed below) must have the official results sent to the Registrar’s Office for review. Course credits, not to exceed two per subject, may be granted. A maximum of nine course credits will be given for any combination of these results.
Specific course equivalencies will be determined by the academic departments, and students need to consult with the departments for appropriate course placement and to ensure they are not duplicating the credits earned when enrolling in Trinity courses. In determining whether to grant credit and how much credit to grant, an academic department may require the student to submit additional information (copies of the syllabi, examination questions, etc.) and/or pass a departmentally administered examination.
The following scores must be earned:
Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) – score of I or II
French Baccalaureate – scores of 12-20
German Arbitur – scores of 7-15 (“befriedigend” or better)
International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations – scores of 5, 6, or 7, specific department equivalencies are listed below.
- Computer Science: score of 5 or higher on the IB Higher Level Computer Science examination will be awarded 1 course credit in place of CPSC 110.
- Economics: score of 5, 6 or 7 is equivalent to ECON 101
- Mathematics: score of 5 is equivalent to MATH 131, scores of 6 or 7 are equivalent to MATH 131 and MATH 132
- Physics: scores of 5 or 6 are equivalent to PHYS 101 and 102, score of 7 is equivalent to PHYS 101 and 102 and admission to PHYS 231 provided the student’s general background in physics and mathematics is found to be satisfactory after review by the department.
Singapore Cambridge “A” Level Examinations – grades of A, B, or C
Swiss Matura – scores of 5 or 6
United Kingdom “A” Level General Certificate Examinations – grades of A, B, or C, specific department equivalency is listed below.
- grades of A or B are equivalent to PHYS 141, placement into PHYS 231
Students who have been granted credit in a particular area may not enroll for courses at Trinity that will repeat his or her work in the subject.
Credit by examination
Any department is allowed to give quantitative or qualitative credit, or both, to an entering first-year student on the basis of its own special examination.
