Every year, the College Board brings together educators, policymakers, and business leaders for its annual Forum, and 2025 was no different. This year’s event, held in New York, focused on the “new 3 Rs of education”: Relevance, Reach, and Readiness. The forum presented exciting announcements that will transform the way students prepare for college and careers in the coming years. Two key highlights included the introduction of new career-oriented Advanced Placement (AP) courses and updates about the digital SAT exam.
The College Board’s mission is to expand educational opportunities and ensure students are ready for their futures. In that spirit, Forum 2025 showcased groundbreaking initiatives aimed at connecting coursework to real-world skills. One of the standout announcements was the launch of two new AP Career Kickstart courses: AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity. These courses are designed to teach high school students practical, job-relevant skills while also offering them college credits and credentials recognized by employers. They will officially launch nationwide in fall 2026.
The inclusion of career-focused AP courses represents a shift toward preparing students for a broader range of post-high school pathways. Rather than focusing only on traditional college readiness, these courses help students access careers directly after high school or college, or through apprenticeships and technical training programs. The College Board emphasized that aligning coursework with students’ interests and demonstrating connections to the real world helps engage learners and improve outcomes.
Besides new AP offerings, Forum 2025 highlighted major technological advancements in the SAT exam. The SAT has completed its transition to a fully digital format, providing students with a simpler, more flexible, and modern testing experience. The digital SAT adapts to each student’s ability level, making the exam more personalized and efficient. This technology also enables students to see real-time progress and manage test timing better. With SAT participation reaching over 2 million for the Class of 2025, the College Board continues to innovate ways to make college admissions testing more accessible and relevant.
An important theme during the forum was the need for better coordination across education and career sectors. Speakers from education, business, and policy called for a “full through-line” approach meaning students should experience seamless transitions from high school to college and then into the workforce. Lydia Logan, Vice President for Global Education and Workforce Development at IBM, stressed that bridging college to career is now as important as bridging high school to college.
Forum 2025 also included discussions on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. Educators explored how generative AI tools could enhance learning at both K-12 and college levels, supporting personalized education and new teaching methods. The College Board is actively considering ways to integrate AI responsibly to increase student engagement and help educators better meet individual needs.
Another major focus of the forum was equity and access in education. The College Board’s CEO, David Coleman, highlighted the urgent need to provide opportunities for all students, especially those from historically underserved communities. The new AP Career Kickstart courses and digital SAT are part of broader efforts to close opportunity gaps and expand reach to more diverse student populations.
the College Board Forum 2025 showcased a bold vision for the future of education. With new career-focused AP courses launching in 2026 and the digitization of the SAT, students will benefit from more relevant, flexible, and powerful tools to prepare for college and careers. The emphasis on real-world skills, technology, AI, and equity demonstrates a commitment to helping every student succeed in a rapidly changing world.
These changes reflect a broader shift nationwide towards making education more inclusive, practical, and aligned with workforce demands. As the College Board continues to innovate, educators, students, and families can expect more resources and pathways that make education both meaningful and accessible for everyone.