As students review, prep, and caffeinate their way through AP exam season and other end-of-school-year demands, it is worth stepping back to look at recent developments in the AP world—and what actually matters most about APs. Unlike the ACT or SAT which can be easily retaken, AP exams are offered just once a year, making the annual test dates especially important. For a breakdown of this year’s schedule (which runs May 5th through May 16th) and changes, see our recent blog 2025 AP Exam Schedule: Digital Expansion and Content Changes. This year, 28 of these 39 AP exams will be offered digitally or partially digitally through the College Board’s digital Bluebook platform, so adding familiarity with that interface is an important part of AP preparation, in addition to subject mastery.
TTA TOP TIP: If you’ve taken the SAT since spring 2024, you’re already one step ahead—AP exams are taken on the exact same Bluebook platform!
INTRODUCING AP CAREER KICKSTART
Following recent introductions like AP Precalculus and AP African American Studies, the College Board announced a further expansion of its offerings through its new Career Kickstart initiative. Career Kickstart extends traditional academic AP offerings into more career-focused courses including AP Cyber and AP Business Principles/Personal Finance. The College Board’s move into career prep courses comes during a period of growing skepticism in some arenas about the value of a traditional four-year college degree. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center Survey and Report “Is College Worth It?”, nearly half of U.S. adults believe a 4-year degree is less essential for getting a well-paying job than it was two decades ago, even though employment data usually shows otherwise. Entering into this dynamic landscape at a time when the federal government is also more closely scrutinizing and regulating higher education, the College Board envisions its practical Career Kickstart tracks in cybersecurity, business, and (forthcoming) health science as being particularly relevant to students considering 2-year colleges, technical schools, or direct transitions into the workforce. These AP offerings will therefore have less relevance for students applying to highly selective colleges and universities than the existing academic AP offerings.
AP Cyber: Networking and AP Cyber: Security
- Pilot 2025-2026 / National Launch 2026-2027
This first Career Kickstart two-course sequence in cybersecurity seeks to give students practical skills in safeguarding digital systems. Accompanied by a potential credential exam and pathways to internships/apprenticeships, it helps prepare students for positions in a field with over 500,000 job openings nationwide, from Cloud Architect to Cyber Ops Planner.
AP Business Principles/Personal Finance
- No pilot / National Launch 2026-2027
This full-year course blends personal finance with an introduction to business fundamentals—entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, and management—through case studies and project-based learning such as creating a business proposal. It may also fulfill the personal finance graduation course requirement in 35 states.
AP Exam Tutoring
Our tutors offer customized tutoring designed to fit the needs of each student.
SO…HOW MANY APS DO YOU REALLY NEED?
With evermore APs to choose from, students often ask “how many should I take?” While it is easy to get caught in the “how many” race, it is far more important to take APs that match your academic strengths and goals. For example, for a future history major, taking AP World History: Modern, AP European History, and AP U.S. History is far more strategic than loading up with AP Psychology or the new AP Cyber coursework.
College Private Counseling
Unlock your full potential.
For high-achieving students at schools with the AP curriculum, taking six APs before senior year is a strong benchmark. Some students take many more and, as a former admissions officer at Cornell, I read applications with 12 or more near-perfect AP scores. Although this outcome proves the student is a great test-taker, there are likely better uses of one’s time (in life, as well as for college applications) than self-studying for as many APs as possible. At TTA, we guide our students in building a meaningful path—including AP selection—to showcase depth and avoid the trap of “checking boxes” without a coherent strategy.
AP SCHOLAR AWARDS
The College Board’s AP Scholar Awards are recognition for students who score well across several exams. They offer three levels:
- AP Scholar: Scores of 3+ on three or more AP exams
- AP Scholar with Honor: Average 3.25+ on all exams, with 3+ on at least four
- AP Scholar with Distinction: Average 3.5+ on all exams, with 3+ on at least five
While these awards will not drastically alter admissions outcomes, they signal academic rigor across multiple disciplines and are a worthy and motivating goal for students preparing for AP exams next month. Students applying to highly competitive schools will want to be at the AP Scholar with Distinction level.
Good luck, AP students!
If you enjoyed this post, follow us on Instagram @toptieradmissions for more tips and subscribe to our blog for expert insights & college admissions news!
After attending Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California, Heidi graduated cum laude with an Honors thesis from Dartmouth College as a double major in Classical Archaeology and Comparative Literature. At the University of Pennsylvania, Heidi was a Williams Fellow in the graduate program of Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World. She has conducted archaeological field work in Sardinia, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.
- Deferral Is a Second Chance, Don’t Waste It - December 11, 2025
- ROI in College Admissions - November 18, 2025
- Digital SAT or Enhanced ACT? Your Questions Answered - July 1, 2025
