You’ve finished your AP exams, but now you’re worried about one low score being sent to your first-choice college. It can feel unfair when one bad test result might distract from all the hard work you’ve done in other classes.
The good news is that you have a choice. The College Board lets you withhold AP scores, which means you can decide which colleges or scholarship programs get to see certain scores.
This guide explains what withholding means, why students do it, and how to do it step by step.
What Does It Mean to Withhold an AP Score?
Withholding an AP score means stopping a specific college, university, or scholarship program from seeing that score.
The score is not deleted. It stays in the College Board system forever unless you cancel it. It’s simply hidden from the schools you choose.
This is different from cancelling a score. Cancelling permanently deletes the score, and you can never get it back.
You can also withhold scores from one college, but still send them to another. This gives you control over what each school sees your AP exam scores.
Reasons You Might Want to Withhold an AP Score
Many students decide to withhold AP scores for perfectly valid reasons. Usually, it’s because they got a score that was lower than they expected, and they are afraid it will look bad on their application. It can be a strategic move, and it gives students total control over their personal academic profile. It can be beneficial if the score is low, but it’s in a subject that is not relevant to their major.
For some students, it’s a good move that allows them to present a stronger academic record without getting rid of the exam score altogether. Here are some of the reasons you might choose to withhold an AP score.
- Manage Lower Scores. If you score a 1 or a 2 on a difficult test, but you got As in the class, withholding the low score keeps it from overshadowing your good grades.
- Strategic Management. Withholding lower scores lets you send just your best scores (usually 4s and 5s) to specific colleges. It can make your application look stronger.
- Flexibility. Withholding a score is more like hiding it, and it doesn’t permanently remove the score. It is still on your College Board record, ready to be sent if you want to.
- Relevancy. If you are applying as an English major, having a low score on AP Calculus might raise too many questions, even though math isn’t your focus of study.
How to Withhold Your AP Scores
The process for withholding AP scores is simple, but timing is critical.
1: Download the form
Go to the College Board website and download the AP Score Withholding Form. You’ll need to print it.
2: Fill out the form
Add your personal information, AP number (if you have one), and list the specific scores you want to withhold. You must also name the college or scholarship you’re withholding the score from.
3: Sign the form
Your signature confirms the request. If you’re under 18, a parent or guardian can sign.
4: Pay the fee
The cost is $10 per score per college.
Examples:
- 3 scores withheld from 1 college = $30
- 1 score withheld from 2 colleges = $20
A credit card is the only payment option.
5: Send the form
Mail the completed form to:
AP Services
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Or fax it to: 610-290-8979
6: Wait for processing
Requests usually take 15 business days. Once processed, the change will appear in your online AP account.
What If You Change Your Mind?
Withholding an AP score isn’t permanent. You have the option of releasing a withheld score at any time. All you have to do is send a written request to AP Services requesting the score to be released. You don’t have to pay a fee to remove the withhold, but you may have to pay the normal score-sending fee.
This flexibility means you can withhold a score initially and then release it later if your circumstances change. Perhaps you’ve taken the exam again and improved your score, or you’ve decided the original score actually aligns well with your application.
To release a score, write to:
AP Services
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Include your name, date of birth, AP number (if you have one), the score you want to release, and the college that should receive it.
Withholding vs Cancelling an AP Score
Withholding: Keeps a specific AP score from being sent to designated colleges. The score remains on your record and can be sent later if desired.
- Temporarily hides a score from specific institutions
- Score remains in College Board records
- Costs $10 per score per recipient
- Can be reversed at any time for free
- Institution-specific (you choose who doesn’t see it)
Canceling: Permanently removes the AP score from your College Board record — it cannot be retrieved later.
- Permanently deletes the score from all records
- Cannot be undone
- No fee charged
- Affects all future score reports
- If the exam is being scored, it won’t receive a score; if already scored, that score is permanently deleted
When to Withhold AP Scores
- You scored lower than expected but may want to send the score later
- You’re applying to a college that doesn’t require or accept AP scores for credit
- You’re unsure whether the score will help or hurt your application
When to Cancel AP Scores
- You’re certain you don’t want the score on your record permanently
- You had a bad test day due to illness or personal circumstances
- The score has no value for your future academic plans
How to Cancel an AP Score
- Download the Score Cancellation Form from the College Board website
- Submit by mail or fax (no email submissions accepted)
- Request must be received by June 15 of the year you took the exam
- No fee is charged for cancellations
Deadlines and Processing
- Requests after June 15 apply to future score sends, not the initial release
- Always confirm that your request has been processed by checking your score report
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I withhold a score from some colleges but not others?
Yes — you choose which colleges see each score.
Can I cancel one score but keep others?
Yes — each exam score can be canceled or withheld individually.
Does withholding a score look bad to colleges?
No — colleges will not know a score was withheld.
If I cancel a score, can I take the exam again?
Yes — you can retake the exam in a future year.
Can colleges see that I withheld a score?
No, colleges cannot see that you’ve withheld a score. When you withhold a score from a specific institution, it simply doesn’t appear on the score report sent to that college. There’s no notation or indication that scores were withheld.
Is it better to cancel or withhold an AP score?
Withholding is generally the better option. It gives you flexibility because the score remains in College Board records, and you can release it later if needed. Cancellation is permanent and cannot be reversed. Only cancel if you’re absolutely certain you’ll never want any institution to see that score.
What’s the deadline for withholding my AP score?
The deadline is June 15th of the year you took the exam if you want to prevent your free score recipient from receiving the score. After this date, you can still withhold scores from other institutions, but the free recipient will have already received all your scores. Make sure to submit your withholding form well before the deadline to allow time for it to be processed.
