HICKORY — Hickory City Schools students sat for 398 Advanced Placement exams in the 2025–26 school year. Nearly 75 percent of those exams earned a score of 3 or higher — the mark colleges typically treat as credit-worthy.
The district’s strongest showings were in six courses where Hickory students beat both the North Carolina average and the global average for scores of 3 or higher:
- AP Precalculus: 98.31%
- AP Seminar: 96.43%
- AP Biology: 91.67%
- AP Calculus BC: 90%
- AP English Literature and Composition: 86.96%
- AP Statistics: 84.62%
AP Precalculus stood out even among those highs. Nearly every Hickory student who took that exam cleared a 3, against 86.2% statewide and 82.4% worldwide. AP Seminar followed close behind at 96.43%, ahead of North Carolina’s 89.9% and the global 85.9%.
In each of those six courses, Hickory’s mean exam score also topped the state and world averages — not just the share of qualifying scores.
Hickory High School carries the district’s AP course load. Students enrolled at Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High School can take AP classes at Hickory High, which widens access to the same exams across the district.
“These results reflect the hard work of our students and the teachers who challenge, encourage, and support them throughout the year,” said Cyrus Henson, principal of Hickory High School. “We are incredibly proud of our students for embracing rigorous, college-level coursework and demonstrating what they can achieve. Their success is a reflection of the commitment to academic excellence throughout Hickory City Schools.”
Earlier coverage: Six Hickory schools met academic growth in 2025-26 state results. Related: State Board plans new school report card as grades improve · North Carolina public schools can claim new federal scholarship money.
A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam is the College Board’s standard threshold for college credit or placement at many universities. The district’s 398 exams and nearly three-in-four qualifying rate put that bar in reach for a large share of Hickory’s AP takers this year.
