Advanced Placement Test Fees Are Reduced For 1,000 Eligible Students

Malden - Massachusetts Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll announced today that $46,000 is available to help more than 1,000 eligible, low-income Massachusetts high school students afford to take Advanced Placement (AP) examinations.

In Massachusetts, only 4.8% of all AP test-takers are low-income students, compared with 10% low-income students nationally taking the tests. Last year, only 548 low-income Massachusetts high school students took the AP exams out of a total of 11,429 students taking the exams, and took only 887 exams out of a total of 17,720 exams.

In large part, the reason more low-income students in Massachusetts do not take the exams is because of the $75 per-exam cost. The Advanced Placement Fee Reduction Program, supported by federal dollars, lowers the cost to $25 per exam for eligible students. Eligibility is determined by family income guidelines used to qualify students for free or reduced meals at school.

Commissioner Driscoll said, "With this money available, we expect that twice the number of examinations will be taken. No eligible student should be denied the opportunity to take the Advanced Placement exams because of cost. I urge high school teachers and guidance counselors to inform all students that funding is available."