Proposal Aims To Standardize College Credits For AP Tests

A measure pending in the Illinois legislature would help high school students know what kind of college credit to expect for their advanced placement test scores. 

A score of 3 on your high school Advanced Placement Biology test might earn you college credit at Western Illinois University but not at Illinois State. Same goes for your AP history test, and AP chemistry, and in fact, for all 34 AP tests across all Illinois universities.

State Senator Pat Maguire, a Democrat from Will County, met with education leaders and is now co-sponsoring a measure that would establish a uniform standard.

"I was told there is no standard method," he said. "It's university by university, campus by campus, and perhaps department by department."

Fourteen other states including Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin already accept all AP scores of 3 and above, making them attractive college options for Illinois students.

But Illinois colleges oppose the legislation. Administrations have asked for more time to study the situation.