Students at a south Forsyth private school fared well on Advanced Placement exams this past school year.

According to reports from Pinecrest Academy, 88 percent of the 82 students who took AP exams last year passed the tests, compared to a pass rate of 55 percent for total students across Georgia and 60 percent throughout the nation.

AP exam pass rates have continued to improve with each graduating class at the Catholic school, the report states.

Pinecrest’s first class in 2007 had an AP pass rate of 65 percent.

The next year, that number grew to 72 percent, while in 2009 it rose to 86 percent. In 2010, the percentage was 85 percent.

But every year, the percentages remained well above state and national passing rates, according to the report.

In a statement, school spokeswoman Vivian Heard noted the number “becomes even more meaningful when one considers that at Pinecrest all AP students take the exams.”

“There is no opt-out option available as in other schools,” she said.

Students who score well on their AP exams are honored through several levels of recognition.

Students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams are named AP Scholars. The maximum score on any AP test is 5.

Last year Pinecrest had 19 AP Scholars.

Of those, five students were named AP Scholars with Honors. This designation recognizes students who received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

Pinecrest student Margaret M. Cassandra was named an AP Scholar with Distinction, a designation for students who receive an average of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of the exams.

In addition, two students, Sean A. Klooster and Rachel Witt, received perfect scores on all the exams they took.