Are you taking a course for credit and deciding whether or not to take the AP exams? Here is what you should know about AP exams and why taking them would be beneficial.
AP Exam Guidelines
- Students do not have to take an AP course in order to take the exam
- If two exams are occurring on the same day, you may contact the College Board to request a late-testing period (subject to late fees)
- Students cannot take an AP exam more than one time in the same year, but will be allowed to take it the following year. Both scores will be reported unless you request otherwise.
Save Time and Money on College Tuition
When it comes to both time and money, who wouldn’t want to save as much as possible? If a student passes an AP exam, they will receive college credit for the exam that they pass, which can save big bucks. Most colleges and universities will accept a 3 (qualified) as a passing score, however some higher-level prestige institutions will only accept 4 (well-qualified) or 5 (extremely-qualified) on the AP exams, so it is best to check the policies for the schools that you are planning on applying to. Strong AP scores will allow students to skip entry-level prerequisite courses to concentrate more on their major and elective courses to round out their course of study.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Since college applications is a very competitive process, students will need to do everything they can to make theirs shine. This includes adding sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities into their schedules. However, by freeing up your schedule for some AP classes and being able to pass the AP exams will be a great indication to colleges and universities that the student is prepared and ready for college-level courses. Good grades and academic course rigor is what a lot of colleges and universities will be looking for when evaluating college applications for admission.
AP courses are great for boosting your GPA and strengthening your course of study. The AP courses you choose to take should align with your schedule and interests. For example, if you are interested in computer science, the AP course you should be looking to take is AP Computer Science A. If you are concerned about being able to handle the workload of an AP course, we can help! Our team at LCP will do our best to help you with the course, while preparing for the AP exams! Check out our course offerings here!