Be the best of yourself

417 Students Earn 470 AP Scores in the 2025–26 Academic Year

The results are in for the 2025–26 AP examinations, and Guanghua Academy has achieved its strongest AP performance to date.

This year’s results reflect not only a significant increase in participation, but also sustained academic rigor and strong performance across a broad range of subjects.

1. Stronger Participation, Stronger Results

GHA achieved significant growth in both the scale of AP participation and the quality of results this year.

53% Increase in AP Exam Participation

A total of 139 students sat for 470 AP exams this year, representing a 53% increase in the number of exams taken compared with the previous year.

Despite the substantial increase in participation, overall performance remained consistently strong, demonstrating the academic preparation and commitment of GHA students.

73% Earned Scores of 4 or 5

73% of AP exams received a score of 4 or 5, reflecting a strong level of mastery across the AP curriculum.

Meanwhile, 87% of exams received a score of 3 or higher, a score generally recognized by colleges and universities as demonstrating college-level achievement and potentially eligible for college credit or placement, depending on the institution.

The number of students achieving multiple top scores was also notable:

• 74% of students earned at least one score of 5
• 64% earned two or more scores of 5
• 37% earned three or more scores of 5
• 7 students achieved an exceptional five scores of 5

The growth in participation did not come at the expense of performance. Instead, GHA continues to build a high-quality AP learning environment that supports students across the broader student body, while maintaining strong outcomes among students pursuing advanced coursework.

2. Across Disciplines: STEM Strength and Broad Academic Exploration

STEM: Building on a Strong Foundation

AP Calculus BC

More than one-third of GHA students sat for AP Calculus BC, with 54% earning a score of 5 and an overall 88% scoring 3 or higher.

The results reflect students’ strong preparation in mathematical reasoning and their willingness to take on one of the most rigorous courses in the AP mathematics sequence.

AP Computer Science Principles

In AP Computer Science Principles, 80% of test takers earned a 5.

Beyond learning programming concepts, students developed computational thinking, algorithmic reasoning, and problem-solving skills—foundational competencies for an increasingly digital world.

AP Chemistry

AP Chemistry students achieved a 57% score-5 rate and a 93% rate of scores of 3 or higher.

Three G10 students took on AP Chemistry for the first time this year, and all three earned passing scores. Two earned 5s and one earned a 4, demonstrating strong academic readiness beyond their grade level.

Humanities and the Arts: Expanding Academic Breadth

AP Environmental Science

AP Environmental Science achieved a remarkable 100% score-5 rate among GHA test takers.

For these students, environmental science extended beyond the textbook. Their understanding of ecosystems, systems thinking, and sustainability was applied through research and competition, including participation in iGEM, where the team ultimately earned a Gold Medal at the global competition.

The experience demonstrates how academic knowledge can become a foundation for authentic research and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

AP 2-D Art and Design

GHA’s first year offering AP Art and Design began with an outstanding result: all six students earned a score of 5 in AP 2-D Art and Design.

Students transformed observations from everyday life into original visual work, demonstrating both creative thinking and sustained artistic development.

Looking ahead, GHA will introduce AP 3-D Art and Design next year, expanding opportunities for students to explore different forms of artistic expression.

AP English Language and Composition

AP English Language and Composition is widely regarded as a demanding course for students studying English as an additional language.

GHA students achieved a 100% passing rate.

Beyond the score itself, the course emphasizes close reading, independent analysis, evidence-based argument, and precise written communication—skills that are essential to success in college-level academic work.

For GHA, these abilities are among the most meaningful outcomes of the program.

3. Students Who Continue to Challenge Themselves

Strong AP results are never simply numbers.

Behind every score is a student who has made individual choices about challenge, curiosity, and growth.

G10 Philo: Setting His Own “Limit Problem”

After earning a 4 on AP U.S. History last year, Philo became interested in challenging himself with a more demanding academic schedule.

This year, he took on AP Microeconomics, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP Seminar, and AP Physics 1 simultaneously, achieving strong results across his AP examinations.

Outside the classroom, he continued to pursue his interest in robotics through VEX Robotics. After competing successfully at the national level last year, he set his sights on the global championship this year.

For Philo, each new challenge represents an opportunity to move beyond the boundaries he previously set for himself.

G11 Vincent: No Need to Choose Between STEM and the Humanities

After earning three scores of 5 in AP examinations last year, Vincent chose not to remain in his comfort zone.

His coursework this year spanned AP Macroeconomics, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Environmental Science, combining quantitative, scientific, and social-science disciplines.

He earned 5s in every subject except Biology, in which he earned a 4.

For Vincent, the goal was never simply to collect perfect scores. It was to explore how far he could go across different academic fields—and to demonstrate that intellectual curiosity does not have to fit into a single category.

G12 Toby: Continuing to Learn After College Admission

For many students, receiving a college admission offer can feel like the natural conclusion of the high school journey.

For Toby, it was not.

After being admitted to Cornell University, Toby still chose to sit for his AP examinations and completed them with the same discipline he had demonstrated throughout high school.

He was no longer taking the exams to strengthen a college application.

He was doing it because he believed the learning itself was worth completing.

For Toby, this was his way of putting a meaningful final chapter to his high school experience—and a reflection of a mindset that extends beyond any single application cycle:

Learning does not end when admission is secured.

4. Looking Ahead: Expanding the AP Curriculum

GHA continues to expand its AP curriculum to provide students with broader and more forward-looking academic opportunities.

For the 2026–27 academic year, GHA will introduce two new AP courses in alignment with the College Board’s expanding curriculum:

1. AP Cybersecurity
2. AP Business and Personal Finance

These new offerings will further expand GHA’s academic pathways in technology, business, and financial literacy, giving students additional opportunities to explore emerging fields and develop knowledge relevant to an increasingly interconnected world.

From advanced mathematics and the sciences to economics, computer science, environmental studies, English, and the arts, GHA’s expanding AP curriculum reflects a broader commitment:

to give students the challenge, choice, and support they need to pursue meaningful academic growth.