2024-2025 Catalog > Degree Requirements and Academic Regulations > Transfer Credit > Advanced Standing

Advanced Standing

Connecticut College encourages prospective students in secondary schools to engage in advanced-level work. Students who meet certain benchmarks on the exams designated below may receive credit toward their degree requirements. Individual departments have the discretion to decide if Advanced Placement and its equivalents should count toward the major or minor and to determine the course equivalency.

Advanced Placement (AP) Examination, sponsored by the College Entrance Examination Board: Students are awarded 4 credits for certain AP examination scores of 4 or 5, which may be applied toward their degree requirements.

International Baccalaureate: Students who present the International Baccalaureate may, on a course-by-course basis, be awarded 4 credits for each "Higher Level" individual exam score of 5 or above.

British A-Level Examinations: Students who present the A-Level certificate may, on a course-by-course basis, be awarded 4 credits for each "Advanced Level" exam grade of "C" or above.

Other Foreign Exams: Students who present the results of certain foreign examinations, such as the German Abitur and its North European equivalents, the Swiss Maturité, the Italian Maturita, and others of similar merit, may, on a course-by-course basis, be awarded 4 credits for each individual course.

A student may apply Advanced Placement credit or its equivalents toward degree requirements in the following ways:

General Education Requirements: AP credit or the equivalent may be used to satisfy General Education requirements, subject to the approval of the department. 

Degree Credit: Students may use AP credit in one of two ways: either to repair credit deficiencies that arise from course withdrawals or failing grades or to accelerate. If a student uses AP credit to repair deficiencies, he/she may not use more than eight credits. If, on the other hand, the student chooses to accel­erate, he/she may use 16 credits of AP to graduate in seven semesters or 32 hours to graduate in six semesters. Students may also use AP credits to cover a leave of absence or withdrawal from the college. Degree credit will not be awarded for AP work if an equivalent introductory course has already been taken, either at Connecticut College or transferred from another institution.