HoCo Aces The AP

According to this report from WTOP, Maryland students placed first nationally on the College Board's Advanced Placement test performance in 2008.

In Howard County, 83 percent of all exams taken by 3,758 public school students received a score of at least a three [on a four-point scale] in 2009. Twenty-three percent of all high school students in the county completed AP exams, up 4 percent in as many years.

In Montgomery County, 72.3 percent of AP exams taken by more than 28,000 students received a passing grade this year. The number of students taking AP exams in the county increased by 10 percent since last year.

Students in Baltimore County took more than 9,000 exams in 2009, of which 68.4 percent received at least a three. The number of tests taken increased by about 1,000 from 2008.

All three counties had a passing percentage higher than reported state averages.

A score of three is good enough to get course credit at many universities.