General AP Information

AP Coordinator - Dr. C. Edwards

What is the Advanced Placement (AP) Program?

The Advanced Placement Program (AP) enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. The program consists of college-level courses developed by the AP Program that high schools can choose to offer and corresponding exams that are administered once a year.

 

What are AP courses?

AP courses are modeled on a comparable introductory college-level courses. Each course culminates in a standardized college-level assessment or AP Exam. AP Exams are given in May each year. An AP course will be more challenging and more demanding than a regular high school course. These courses often require more time, more effort, and a heightened workload. A student should realize that taking an AP course is a serious commitment. Students should give careful thought to which and how many AP courses to take in one year. 

 

Why take an AP course?

There are many benefits to taking AP courses. Students learn essential time management and study skills needed for college and career success. They also dig deeper into subjects that interest them and learn to tap their creativity and their problem-solving skills to address course challenges. Students who take AP courses send a signal to colleges that they are serious about their education and that they are willing to challenge themselves with rigorous coursework. Most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. This can mean fulfilling graduation requirements early by being able to skip introductory courses or required general-education courses.

 

What colleges say about AP?

85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student's AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions. Research shows that students who receive a score of 3 or higher on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP peers. Data also shows that students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a college degree on time-which means they avoid paying for, for example, a fifth year of tuition.
 
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