What is Advanced Placement?

Advanced Placement is a program of college-level courses and exams that gives high school students the opportunity to receive advanced placement and/or credit in college. The content of these college-level courses is determined by the College Board.

Why Take an AP Class?

AP examinations offer students the following benefits:

• The opportunity to sharpen academic skills, allowing them to enter college with the confidence that they can succeed
• Exemption by the college or university from introductory courses and permission to take higher-level courses, enabling students to move ahead in areas of interest
• An opportunity to demonstrate to colleges the ability to successfully pursue rigorous coursework
• Academic credit that can give them a head start in college
• Tuition savings – a year or more of credit may be granted for a sufficient number of qualifying AP grades
• Time to explore undergraduate subject areas that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to study, and time to pursue internships or to study abroad
• The opportunity and satisfaction of meeting a challenge.
• Eligibility for collegiate honors and other special programs open to students who have received AP recognition

How Do AP Exams Work?

Every examination receives an overall grade on a five-point scale:

Scoring 3, 4 or 5 on an exam is considered an "honor grade." Colleges typically place greater emphasis on AP exam results that have earned honor grades. In addition, the College Board has an AP Scholar recognition program that honors those students who meet defined standards on AP exams.