Why Take APs?

High school students often find themselves asking the questions, “Why is it important to take AP classes? Do colleges care whether I take them? Is it worth the extra work? How many should I take?” The fact is, AP classes are a lot of extra work, and it’s important to understand all the factors before making these decisions. So let’s break it down and discuss some of the ways AP courses can help:

Get a Taste of College

AP courses will challenge you and help you develop the confidence and scholastic skills you will need to succeed in college. These courses expose you to a new way of learning, one that will improve your writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Not only will you flourish academically, but you will acquire the study habits and time management skills that will prove to be crucial in tackling college-level courses down the road.

Set Yourself Apart

Do colleges take notice of APs? Absolutely. With colleges being more selective than ever (I know, we’re not happy about it either), AP courses will give you a lead in the admissions process. Doing well on an AP exam is a widely recognized sign of achievement. It reflects your dedication to hard work and your readiness to take on college-level coursework. Enrolling in AP courses can also perk up your college application by boosting your grade point average. More than 70% of AP schools give extra weight for AP courses in GPA calculations, with most giving somewhere between .76 and 1.0 point additional weight.* In many schools, a B in an AP course equals an A in a regular course (at least according to your GPA).

Get a Head Start

Qualifying AP exam grades can earn you college credit, advanced placement or both in more than 90% of four-year colleges in the Unites States and in more than 60 other countries.* AP credits can thus afford you the time and flexibility to design a more personalized college curriculum. You could move more quickly into higher-level courses in your field of interest, pursue a double major, and even graduate early. Click here to learn more about AP credit policies of the colleges that interest you. (Note: The most selective colleges usually require a score of 4 or 5 to grant course credit.) As a high school senior, you may shrug at this—but when you’re a college freshman and don’t have to take that core math requirement, thanks to your AP, you will be smiling.

Cut Costs

Not only can AP courses save you time, they can save you money. Recent studies have shown that students who enroll in AP courses are much more likely to graduate in four years (or less) than those who do not. Those who take longer than four years to graduate can expect to pay up to $18,000 for each additional year at a public university and an estimated average of $27,197 for each additional year at a private university.** That’s a lot of cash. On top of that, AP courses and exams can further mitigate today’s heavy cost of college by making you more eligible for academic scholarships and awards.

The moral of the story is the adage you’ve heard a thousand times before: Hard work now will pay off later. Taking APs in high school can give you a huge advantage in the college playing field. Nonetheless, when deciding which courses to enroll in, keep in mind the heavy workload associated with APs (so it mite be a good idea to find a knowledgeable private SAT tutor). Try to avoid taking on too many AP courses at once; it is much more favorable to do well on a few AP exams than to perform poorly on several. There is no magic number of APs to take as the college admissions process is complex, and there is usually no single factor (e.g. AP credits, SAT scores, extracurricular activities) that will make or break you.

Talk to your teachers or school counselor about the AP courses and exams available at your school, or read more about APs online.

*www.collegeboard.com

**Costs include tuition, fees, and books only, and do not include room, board, and other living expenses. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted). The College Board, ”Trends in College Pricing,” 2008.