AP courses let you start college-level work during high school. Not only can you impress colleges with your academic prowess, but you’ll get early preparation for college level courses. The curricula for AP courses are similar to what you can expect in college; advanced critical thinking, problem solving, and effective writing skills. Different high schools offer a variety of AP courses so check to see which ones are available to you.
Strong AP scores can earn you college credits. Scores for AP tests range from 1-5; some colleges award credit to students with a score of 3 or higher, others require a 4 or a 5, while others won’t give any college credit at all. There are many factors at play here — which college you matriculate to, what your college major is, and what your particular score was for each subject.
More college credit leads to greater flexibility. For most colleges, scores of 3 or higher indicate that you are prepared to take on college level work and the more college credits you are awarded, the more freedom you will have to explore other courses. Also, by not having to take the lower-level courses, you can move into upper-level courses sooner and complete your major quicker. Having options to graduate early and save money OR be able to experiment more widely with intriguing academic options can be quite liberating, especially after so many years in high school of being locked into a rigid schedule.
Make sure you are taking ( or not taking) the appropriate AP classes. While there are multiple AP courses offered in high school, it’s important to hand-pick the classes that make sense for you. Don’t ever take an AP class in a subject you do not like. That’s a recipe for disaster! Also, don’t overload yourself with too many AP classes if you are not academically prepared. Too many students succumb to peer pressure enrolling in classes just because their friends are taking them. Remember, your academic path is unique, just like you are. So choose wisely before you enroll in AP classes.
Call us at (818) 207-0263 for further advice on choosing AP classes that make sense for you.
