Students in high school have the chance to take college-level classes and tests in a variety of areas, including science, math, history, and foreign languages, through the Advanced Placement (AP) program. Students can demonstrate their knowledge by taking AP examinations and could receive advanced placement, college credit, or both. Let's take a closer look at what they are, why you should take them, how to prepare for them, and more.
Benefits of Advanced Placement
Earn College Credit and Placement - Your AP score could earn you college credits before you even set foot on campus. In fact, most AP students who enroll in four-year colleges start school with some credit.
Save Money and Time - Earning credit or placement can open up time on your schedule or even let you graduate early.
Stand Out in Front of Colleges - "AP" on your high school transcript shows colleges you're motivated to succeed, and taking the exam demonstrates your commitment to tackle and complete college-level work.
Keep Your Options Open - Earning college credit with an AP can give you the flexibility to change majors, pursue a second degree, study abroad, or seek internships.
Develop College Skills - Time management, critical thinking, and scholarly writing—AP courses and exams help you hone the skills you'll need in college and your career.
Discover your Passion - Studying a subject in depth could give you new insights and even put you on the path to a career.
Boost your GPA - Taking an AP course, and exam can boost your GPA. Check with your school for more information.
What are Advanced Placements Exams?
The College Board, which also manages the SAT, administers the standardized assessments known as AP Exams. These tests are given at the conclusion of an AP course and are intended to assess the knowledge and abilities acquired. Scores for AP exams range from 1 to 5, with 5 representing the best possible result. Students who achieve a score of 3 or above on an AP exam are frequently eligible for advanced placement or college credit at numerous schools and universities.
AP Exams are standardized exams designed to measure how well you've mastered the content and skills of a specific AP course. Most AP courses have an end-of-year exam, but a few courses have different ways to assess what you've learned—for example, in AP Art and Design, students submit a portfolio of work for scoring.
Advanced Placement Exam Timing and Structure
Each exam has unique requirements; however, almost all exams have the following things in common.
Most exams are 2–3 hours long.
The first part of the exam usually consists of multiple-choice questions.
You will choose 1 of 4–5 answer choices for each question.
Your total exam score on the multiple-choice section is based only on the number of questions answered correctly. You won't receive or lose points for incorrect answers or unanswered questions.
The second part of the exam usually consists of free-response questions that require you to generate your own responses. Depending on the exam, your responses could be an essay, a solution to a problem, or a spoken response.
2023 Advanced Placement Exam Eligibility
Students must be enrolled in or affiliated with a secondary school (high school) to take AP Exams. Students in any of the categories below are eligible to test:
Students testing at the secondary school where they're enrolled.
Students enrolled at a secondary school but testing at another authorized school/test center.
Secondary school-level students who are homeschooled, participate in independent study or attend a virtual school.
Younger students who are not yet enrolled in secondary school (i.e., below ninth grade) but are prepared to take an AP Exam.
Prospective exam takers who do not meet the above requirements and have a legitimate need for AP testing must request approval via email from College Board at aptestsecurity@collegeboard.org before registering with a test center.
Choosing your AP Courses
There are 38 AP courses in disciplines such as the arts, English, history and social science, math and computer science, the sciences, and world languages and culture. You should choose an AP course based on what subjects you're passionate about and what classes you do well in. Some things to keep in mind before you opt for an AP are:
Ap is for all students
Students in high school who take AP classes have the chance to take college-level courses and maybe receive college credits. Although AP courses are offered to all students, it's vital to remember that they are difficult and demand a lot of effort and planning. You don't have to be the best student in your class to enroll in an AP course, but you should be prepared for the degree of difficulty and workload these courses entail. To be sure you have the prerequisites and background knowledge needed to succeed, carefully study the course requirements before enrolling in an AP course.
Check which courses earn college credits
Earning college credits is one advantage of enrolling in an AP course. For qualified AP exam results, many schools and universities give credit or advanced placement, which can help you save time and money on your college career. Use the official AP Credit Policy Search tool on the College Board website to find out which AP courses could count toward your college credits. You can look up which colleges accept specific AP exam scores and the required score to gain credit by searching by institution or by course. You can use this information to help you choose which AP courses to enroll in.
Explore all Ap courses by discipline
There is an AP course to suit every student's interests and abilities among the 38 different courses offered across numerous fields. By accessing the official AP Course Index, which offers thorough descriptions of each course, including course aims, topics covered, and advised prerequisites, you can explore all of the available AP courses. There is an AP course that can help you broaden your knowledge and get ready for college-level work, whether you're interested in STEM disciplines like calculus or physics, social sciences like psychology or economics, or humanities courses like English literature or art history. You can choose the AP courses that best suit your academic interests and objectives by looking through the full list of options.
The 38 Advanced Placement Courses
AP Capstone Diploma Program
About the AP Capstone Diploma Program AP Research AP Seminar
Arts
English
History and Social Sciences
Sciences
AP World Language and Cultures
How to pick an AP Course
See what's available at your school
The AP Program consists of 38 courses, but each high school chooses which courses to offer. Ask your school counselor which courses your school offers. Talk to your classmates and seniors about the courses they took and what they valued about the courses.
If you've taken a PSAT-related test or an SAT in the past, access your online score reports to view what courses you have the potential to succeed and excel in that are offered at your school.
Explore more about each course
Once you know which courses are offered at your school, explore each course to learn what topics are covered. Each AP course has a dedicated page on the official website that tells you the course's details and what to expect on the AP exam.
The more you know about each course, the easier it is for you to decide which course suits you best.
Decide what you want to pursue
Once you know what's offered at your school and are familiar with each course, think about college and career plans and how earning college credit in certain courses may benefit you.
By earning credit, you may be eligible to skip college introductory courses. This helps you jump more quickly into advanced topics and save money on college tuition for courses you've already mastered in high school.
Talk to your counselor about enrolling next school year
Now that you have decided which course to enroll in, talk to your school counselor about how to enroll. Most high schools start enrollment in the winter or spring of the upcoming school year.
Advanced Placement Scores
AP Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. However, many U.S. colleges grant credit and/or advanced placement (that means they let you skip the equivalent course once you get to college) for scores of 3 and above.
This table shows each AP score's recommendation for how qualified you are to receive college credit and placement if you earn that score. It also shows the equivalent college course grade for each score.
AP Exam Score | Recommendation | College Course Grade Equivalent |
5 | Extremely Well Qualified | A+ or A |
4 | Very Well Qualified | A-, B+ or B |
3 | Qualified | B-, C+, or C |
2 | Possibly Qualified | - |
1 | No Recommendation | - |
If you are considering taking an AP exam,
it's important to know how to register. Our blog "How to register for an AP Exam" can provide you with the information you need to successfully sign up for the exam. The process for registration can vary depending on your school, so it's essential to have a clear understanding of the steps you need to take. By reading our blog, you can learn about the various registration options available, including registering through your school or as an independent student.
Sources
"Discover Ap." Advanced Placement® (AP) – The College Board. Web. 20 Apr. 2023.
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