The College Board is raking in cash as it promotes its AP exam among low-income students, many of whom are failing it

• In 2023, a record number of low-income students took Advanced Placement exams.
• The College Board made about $500 million in revenue as a result.
• The problem? A sizable number of those low-income students didn't pass.

For high school students across the United States, Advanced Placement courses offer a curriculum that not only exposes them to university-level work but can give them credits for college should they score high enough on end-of-course exams.

For many students from low-income and working-class backgrounds, the benefits of AP coursework can be the difference between saving tuition money from earned credits or forgoing college due to a lack of funding.