Advanced Standing
Got high test scores? You can get College credit!
Students who have completed Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge International Examination (CIE) courses while in high school (and who performed well on the corresponding end-of-year tests) may be eligible for advanced standing upon their arrival at Washington College. Similarly, students who have completed a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test may also earn advanced standing. During the Admissions process, you should have your AP Score Report, IB Trancript, CIE Certificate or Official CLEP Transcript sent directly to Washington College from The College Board or International Baccalaureate. Note: WC’s CEEB code is 5888.
Advanced Standing Policies
How many credits of advanced standing can I earn?
The maximum number of credit hours allowable via advanced standing is 32 credits, or the equivalent of one year of full-time study at Washington College. Students who achieve more than 28 credit hours would enter the College with sophomore class standing for the purposes of registration and financial aid. However, students who have been awarded a scholarship for four years (eight semesters) are welcome to remain at the College for the entire duration.
What are my test scores worth?
Printed below are several tables with information on how to translate high test scores to their equivalent courses from Washington College’s curriculum. Each equivalent course listed in the third column is worth four (4) credit hours. Note that some high test scores are equivalent to two courses or eight (8) credits apiece! Most courses also satisfy distribution (general education) requirements. This is noted in the final column on each table.
Advanced Placement (AP)
AP Exam |
Score |
WC Equivalent |
Distribution Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art – History | 4, 5 | ART 200 | Fine Arts |
| Art – Studio | subject to dept. review | Fine Arts | |
| Biology | 4 | BIO 112 | Natural Sciences |
| Biology | 5 | BIO 111 & 112 | Natural Sciences |
| Calculus AB | 4, 5 | MAT 201 | Quantitative Studies |
| Calculus BC | 4, 5 | MAT 201 & 202 | Quantitative Studies |
| Chemistry | 4, 5 | CHE 111 & 112 | Natural Sciences |
| Comparative Government | 4, 5 | POL 194 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| Computer Science A | 4, 5 | CSI 201 | Quantitative Studies |
| Economics – Macro | 4, 5 | ECN 111 | Social Sciences |
| Economics – Micro | 4, 5 | ECN 112 | Social Sciences |
| English Language / Literature | 4 | ENG 211 | Humanities |
| English Language / Literature | 5 | ENG 211 & 212 | Humanities |
| Environmental Science | 5 | ENV 101 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| French Language / Literature | 4, 5 | FRS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| German Language / Literature | 4, 5 | GRS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| Government / Politics – U.S. | 4, 5 | POL 102 | Social Sciences |
| History – European | 4, 5 | HIS 103 & 104 | Social Sciences |
| History – U.S. | 4, 5 | HIS 201 & 202 | Social Sciences |
| History – World | 4, 5 | HIS 101 & 102 | Social Sciences |
| Human Geography | 4, 5 | ANT 194 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| Latin – Vergil | 4, 5 | FLS 300 & 400 | Foreign Language |
| Music Theory | 4, 5 | MUS 131 & 132 | Quantitative Studies |
| Physics B | 4, 5 | SCI 100 | Natural Sciences |
| Physics C – Elec. / Magn. | 4, 5 | PHY 112 | Natural Sciences |
| Physics C – Mechanics | 4, 5 | PHY 111 | Natural Sciences |
| Psychology | 4 | PSY 112 | Social Sciences |
| Psychology | 5 | PSY 111 & 112 | Social Sciences |
| Spanish Language / Literature | 4, 5 | HPS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| Statistics | 4, 5 | MAT 109 | Quantitative Studies |
International Baccalaureate (IB)
IB Exam |
Score |
WC Equivalent |
Distribution Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| English HL | 5, 6 | ENG 211 | Humanities |
| English HL | 7 | ENG 211 & 212 | Humanities |
| Psychology HL | 5, 6 | PSY 112 | Social Sciences |
| Psychology HL | 7 | PSY 111 & 112 | Social Sciences |
| Spanish B HL | 5, 6 | HPS 201 | Foreign Language |
| Spanish B HL | 7 | HPS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| U.S. History HL | 5, 6 | HIS 201 | Social Sciences |
| U.S. History HL | 7 | HIS 201 & 202 | Social Sciences |
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) A- or AS-Levels
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CLEP Exam |
Score |
WC Equivalent |
Distribution Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 55 or higher | POL 102 | Social Sciences |
| American Literature | 55-65 | ENG 210 | Humanities |
| American Literature | 66-80 | ENG 209 &: 210 | Humanities |
| Biology | pending | BIO 111 | Natural Sciences |
| Chemistry | 65 or higher | CHE 111 & 112 | Natural Sciences |
| Educational Psychology | 70 or higher | EDU 302 | Social Sciences |
| English Literature | 55-65 | ENG 208 | Humanities |
| English Literature | 66-80 | ENG 207 &: 208 | Humanities |
| Financial Accounting | 50 or higher | BUS 201 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| French Language | 55-65 | FRS 201 | Foreign Language |
| French Language | 66-80 | FRS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| German Language | 55-65 | GRS 201 | Foreign Language |
| German Language | 66-80 | GRS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| Intro to Business Law | 50 or higher | BUS 303 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| Macroeconomics | 55 or higher | ECN 111 | Social Sciences |
| Microeconomics | 55 or higher | ECN 112 | Social Sciences |
| Principles of Management | 50 or higher | BUS 302 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 or higher | BUS 202 | does not satisfy dist’n |
| Spanish Language | 55-65 | HPS 201 | Foreign Language |
| Spanish Language | 66-80 | HPS 201 & 202 | Foreign Language |
| U.S. History I | 55 or higher | HIS 201 | Social Sciences |
| U.S. History II | 55 or higher | HIS 202 | Social Sciences |
| Western Civilizations I | 55 or higher | HIS 101 or 102 | Social Sciences |
| Western Civilizations II | 55 or higher | HIS 103 or 104 | Social Sciences |
When will the credits appear on my transcript?
For newly-admitted students and matriculated students in their first year at the College, the Registrar’s Office posts all test scores immediately upon receipt. Typically the score reports arrive to us directly from the Admissions Office, since you are required to submit them as part of the admissions process. (In other words, if you have already sent your test score to Washington College, you should not need to send it again.) The test scores and equivalent credits can be verified on WebAdvisor by clicking on “Test Summary” or “Transcript” respectively.
Students who have begun their second year at the College should contact the Registrar directly before requesting their test score or transcript for an AP, IB, CIE, or CLEP test to ensure that they are still eligible to receive consideration for advanced standing.
What if I want to repeat the course at Washington College?
Some students decide to take the actual course at Washington College for which the Registrar had previously awarded advanced standing credit. This is permitted; however, the student must confer with his or her first-year advisor and then communicate these wishes to the Registrar’s Office in a timely fashion so that we can remove the advanced standing equivalency from the student’s record. This decision must be made before the end of the Drop/Add period for the semester in question. After the equivalent credit has been removed, it cannot be restored after the end of the Drop/Add period – even if the student decides to withdraw from or does not pass the course.
