The highest AP Scholar award currently offered by the College Board is AP Scholar with Distinction. To earn it, you need scores of 3 or higher on at least five AP Exams and an average score of at least 3.5 across all AP Exams you’ve taken. Before 2021, a higher tier called National AP Scholar existed, but the College Board discontinued it after the 2020 exams.
How AP Scholar with Distinction Works
AP Scholar with Distinction has two requirements that work together. First, you must score 3 or higher on five or more AP Exams. Second, your average score across every AP Exam you’ve ever taken must be at least 3.5. That second requirement is important because it counts all your exams, not just your best ones. A low score on even one exam drags down the average, which means consistency matters more than volume.
For example, if you take seven AP Exams and score 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3, and 2, your average is 3.71, and you have six exams at 3 or higher. You’d qualify. But if that 2 were a second low score (say another 2 instead of a 3), your average would drop to 3.57, still qualifying but with less margin. The incentive is to only take exams you’re genuinely prepared for, since every score counts toward your average.
The Full Award Hierarchy
AP Scholar with Distinction sits at the top of three standard tiers. Below it are two other levels:
- AP Scholar: Scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
- AP Scholar with Honor: An average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams.
- AP Scholar with Distinction: An average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams.
You don’t apply for any of these. The College Board reviews your scores automatically and grants the highest award you qualify for.
What Happened to National AP Scholar
Until 2020, the top award was National AP Scholar, which required an average score of at least 4 across all AP Exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more exams. That was a significantly harder bar to clear: eight exams, all at 4 or above, with a 4.0 overall average.
The College Board discontinued it after the 2020 exam cycle, along with other awards that, in the College Board’s words, “encouraged students to take a large number of exams.” The concern was that chasing the award pushed students into AP courses they didn’t need or weren’t ready for, rather than focusing on depth in subjects that matched their interests. With National AP Scholar gone, AP Scholar with Distinction became the highest standard award.
AP Capstone and International Diplomas
Two specialized recognitions exist alongside the standard AP Scholar awards, though they work differently. The AP Capstone Diploma is tied to completing a specific two-year program (AP Seminar and AP Research) plus four additional AP Exams, all with scores of 3 or higher. It’s only available at schools that offer the AP Capstone program.
The AP International Diploma is designed for students attending schools outside the United States or sending scores to a university outside the U.S. It requires scores of 3 or higher on five or more AP Exams spread across four content areas, including language, global perspectives, and math or science. Like the standard awards, it’s granted automatically when you meet the requirements.
Neither of these sits “above” AP Scholar with Distinction in a strict ranking. They’re parallel recognitions with different eligibility criteria and purposes. Most students searching for the highest AP Scholar award are looking at the standard tier, where AP Scholar with Distinction is the top.
How Much the Award Matters
AP Scholar awards appear on your AP score report, and you can list them on college applications or a resume. That said, colleges see your individual AP scores directly, so the award itself doesn’t tell admissions officers anything they wouldn’t already know from your transcript. Where the distinction carries slightly more weight is on a resume after high school, where it serves as a quick shorthand for strong academic performance without listing every exam score.
The practical value of AP Exams comes from college credit and placement, not the award label. A score of 4 or 5 on a single exam can let you skip an introductory college course, saving tuition dollars and freeing up your schedule. The award is a recognition of the work you’ve already done, not a separate credential that opens doors on its own.