Palm DesertHigh School

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GENERAL INFORMATION 2025-26

Are you ready for a unique learning experience that will help you succeed in college? Each year, students around the world who want to learn and achieve at the highest level become AP students. Through AP's college-level courses and exams, you can earn college credit and advanced placement, stand out in the admissions process and learn from some of the most skilled, dedicated and inspiring teachers in the world.

All students enrolled in AP courses must create a CollegeBoard account. Your teacher will help you register for your class(es) with CollegeBoard, and connect using specific join codes. This is required because students will be using the CollegeBoard dashboard and other resources to support your academic performance in each AP course. Students not enrolled in an AP course at PDHS are also eligible to take an AP test, but also must create a CollegeBoard account. It is the expectation of the Desert Sands Unified School District that every student enrolled in an Advanced Placement course will take the Advanced Placement exam for that course.

FEE INFORMATION

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 is the deadline to pay for the May 2026 AP Exams.

2026 AP Exam Fee (including Capstone AP Seminar and AP Research) = $99.00 per exam (UPDATED INFO)

Payments: All payments and refunds are being handled by a third party company called Achievement Point Test Service (APTS). Please visit http://aptsusa.com/palmdesert or call 855-663-8348 for more information. No payments will be accepted on PDHS campus.

Please note: This year invoices will be emailed to the student's email address linked to their College Board MyAp account beginning October 2, 2025. Payments must be submitted by October 22, 2025 using a credit card, check or money order. There will be a 3.1% processing fee charge for all exams purchased with credit or debit card. No cash transactions are available. Partial and split payments may also be arranged through APTS.

Fee Reduction: Reduced Exam Fee is $5.00 per exam. During DSUSD Online Registration, Income Verification was collected. For students who qualify, the reduced fee will be reflected on the Invoice they receive from APTS.

AP PROGRAM

AP Courses offered at PDHS in 2025-26

**Microeconomics will have a January enrollment and payment window because it is a second semester class at PDHS. The payment window will be from February 28 through March 2, 2026.  Late fees are not applicable if paid within payment window. 

AP CAPSTONE DIPLOMA PROGRAM

Palm Desert High School began offering the AP Capstone Diploma Program in fall 2016. AP Capstone™ is a diploma program from the College Board that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. AP Capstone is built on the foundation of two AP courses-- AP Seminar and AP Research-- and is designed to complement and enhance the in-depth discipline-specific study experienced in other AP courses. In AP Seminar, students investigate real-world issues from multiple perspectives, gathering and analyzing information from various sources in order to develop credible and valid evidence-based arguments. In AP Research, students cultivate the skills and discipline necessary to conduct independent research in order to produce and defend a scholarly academic paper.

Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing, will receive the AP Capstone Diploma.

Students and parents/guardians interested in the Capstone program, should contact AP Capstone Coordinator, Fernando Villagomez (760-862-4300 or [email protected]).

Exam Dates

MAY 4-15, 2026

AP Exam Schedule

Exam Fee

2026 AP Exam Fee = $99.00 per exam 

Fee Reductions: Reduced Exam Fee is $5.00 per exam. During DSUSD Online Registration, Income Verification was collected. For students who qualify, the reduced fee will be reflected on the Invoice they receive from APTS.

You may also visit AP Central - AP Exam Fee Reductions for more information.

PDHS staff may be contacted via phone or email for specific questions regarding fee reduction:

Jennifer Rose at [email protected] or 760 862 4300 X 46138

Late Testing with Alternate Exams: For more information about late testing, visit AP Central - Late Testing Policies.

Unused/Canceled Exam Fee: $40 per exam after November 14, 2025.

Late Exam Order: Exam fee plus $40 per exam. Please visit http://aptsusa.com/palmdesert to request a late order invoice. All payments for late exams must be submitted by February 26, 2025.

AP Microeconomics exam:

Students enrolled in the Second Semester course beginning January 15, 2026, will have the opportunity to pay for their exam with no late fee until February 26, 2026.

Refund Policy: Full refunds are given prior to the deadline of October 22, 2025. Please visit http://aptsusa.com/palmdesert for instructions to request a refund. To be eligible for the partial refund, cancellation requests must be submitted before 11:59pm PST on March 2, 2026. (Applicable credit card or debit card fees are non-refundable).

Questions? Contact AP Coordinator, Fernando Villagomez at (760) 862-4300 or [email protected] or our College and Career Specialist April Rubio at [email protected]