College Board - Improving Access & Equity For Students Of Color

College Board, with significant support from the National Science Foundation, launched AP CSP to address a well-documented shortage of women and students of color studying science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in high school and college and ultimately pursuing STEM careers.

This foundational course was designed to change the invitation to computer science education and engage traditionally underrepresented students. The gap in STEM education is not our fault but addressing it is our responsibility. In new research, College Board finds nationwide that students who take AP CSP in high school are more than 3 times as likely to major in computer science in college, compared to similar students who did not take CSP. Differences are similarly large for female, Black, Hispanic, and first-generation college students. There are many other things that we are doing to increase equity and access:

Student Search, which helps colleges grow and diversify their applicant pool and increases college going among students who participate.

College Board Opportunity Scholarships, which rewards student efforts to plan and pay for college. At least half of all scholarships (over $2 million) are designated for students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year. In addition to the twenty-five $40,000 Complete Your Journey winners from the class of 2021, nearly 4,000 students from 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands earned $3.6 million in smaller scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,000. We have already given away over $10 million dollars to students.

Official SAT Practice in partnership with Khan Academy, which offers free, personalized practice resources. Four times as many students use Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy instead of paying for commercial test prep.