Frequently Asked Questions About General AP® Reading Information

• Submit the application online (with course syllabus and resume).

• Application is reviewed.

• Approved applicants will receive an offer letter via email for electronic signature.

• Employment documentation (I-9, etc.) must be completed by the applicant.

• The applicant's name is added to the pool of qualified Readers in the subject.

• If you are selected to attend the Reading, you will be contacted in January or February. Or through May as slots become available.

• Please also see the AP Reader Application Process.

There is no official cutoff to submit an application. Applying earlier in the school year is recommended. Please note that there is no guarantee that a Reader who is hired into the Reading pool will be invited to the Reading in a current year. Readers who have been hired into the pool do not need to reapply the following year.

The application review and approval process can take up to 4 weeks to complete. After this time, approved Readers will receive an offer letter via email. Application status inquiries should be sent via email to apreader@ets.org.

Submitting an application does not automatically constitute your employment as a Reader. Once your application is approved, you sign the offer letter, and when your employment documentation is completed, we will add your name to the pool of qualified Readers in your subject. If you are selected to attend the Reading, you will receive an invitation via email starting January through May.

• January — First round of invitations sent via email

• February — Second round of invitations (if necessary), Confirmation Notification and Housing Enrollment to invited Readers

• March to May — Subsequent rounds of invitations (if necessary) as well as Confirmation Notification and Housing Enrollment

Readers, whether onsite or at home, are compensated at an hourly rate of $25.61 for training and scoring. If a Reader works more or fewer than 40 hours before the end of the Reading week, the same hourly and overtime (if applicable) rates will apply and their compensation will be calculated accordingly.

In calculating wages, ETS complies with all federal, state, and local wage and hour laws and regulations. This includes minimum-wage rules, break rules and premium overtime pay requirements for hours worked in excess of 40 in a 7-day work week, or daily overtime pay requirements, where applicable. Expenses, lodging and meals are covered separately for onsite Readers. 

All Readers and Leaders who participate in the AP Reading will receive Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits based on number of hours worked during the Pre-Reading Preparation, Pre-Reading and Reading. You must also demonstrate consistent and accurate application of a standardized scoring rubric. You will receive a personalized Certificate of Recognition in July, following the conclusion of the Reading event.

For every 10 hours worked, Readers and Leaders will receive 1 CEU. The maximum number of CEUs a Reader or Leader can receive is 16. CEUs will not be issued for any time worked under 10 hours.

All Readers receive the same, consistent, required training for each question before they begin scoring. Readers can repeat any portion of training as needed throughout the Reading.

During the learning process, Readers:

• become familiar with the exam task

• learn the question and scoring guidelines

• complete self-paced training modules

• review rubrics and exemplar benchmark items

• practice scoring with annotated feedback including rationale from the subject's scoring leadership

• score pre-scored student responses, known as a calibration set, to ensure they are consistently applying the rubric to student responses

• receive individualized coaching from their Scoring Leader based on reviews of practice and calibration results, comparing Reader scores to the correct scores

Invitations to participate in the AP Reading are for a specific year only. Several factors influence invitations and can vary from year to year, including changes in exam volumes, past performance of Readers, and a desire to expose as many qualified educators as possible to the benefits of the Reading.

Readers who do not participate in an AP Reading event for 6 consecutive years will be removed from the active list of approved Readers. Readers will be notified via email if their status is changed to inactive. Readers who are removed from the active list will need to reapply if interested in participating in future AP Readings.

The Chief Reader for a given subject makes the final determination as to who is invited to the Reading in a given year.

You can update your Reader profile by visiting the ETS Raters and Scoring Professionals webpage. All Readers are encouraged to review and update their Reader profile on an annual basis. You will receive important information from us throughout the year via email and text message, so it is important that your profile is up to date.