Removing Barriers to College Credit: The Impact of Advanced Placement Exam Fee Waivers

• In Event: Consequences of State Policies on Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

We examine the impact of North Carolina's Advanced Placement (AP) exam fee waivers on exam participation and potential college credit attainment. Using student-course level administrative data and difference-in-differences approach, we find that fee waivers increased exam participation by up to 19 percentage points in courses where financial barriers are most likely binding. Approximately 25% of the waiver-induced exams resulted in scores of 3 or higher, typically eligible for college credits. The rise in the pass rate is primarily driven by increased exam participation among historically underperforming groups (e.g., low-income and minority students) and in underutilized AP subjects, characterized by historically low exam participation rate. Analysis using individual fixed effects approach yields further supportive evidence.

Author

• Md Twfiqur Rahman, Georgia State University
  Presenting Author