Advanced Placement (AP) is a program run by the College Board in the U.S. (which also administers the SAT). The objective is to allow students to take courses in high school that will enable them to earn college credit or to qualify them for advanced classes when they start college. Having taken AP courses will also have a positive impact on the chances of gaining admission. Because of the many benefits to students, the popularity of AP course is growing rapidly and almost 3 million students take the AP examination in the 35 courses in 22 subjects for which it is offered.
The Advantages Of AP
- AP will enable students to improve their chances for admission to undergraduate courses not just in the U.S. but also in Canada, the U.K, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and other countries.
- Getting a high AP score such as a 5, will show those supervising college admissions that the student is more advanced in that subject than most other applicants.
- AP is a way for a student to show his or her great interest in a subject or subjects. That is a factor will carry a lot of weight when admissions are decided as it will indicate that the students’ interest in the subject will not fade away during the years in college, leading to lower performance levels and scores.
- AP shows that students have given thought to their future and know what they want to do in life. For example, a student wanting to be an engineer who has taken AP Physics and AP Calculus will show that he or she knows what they want to do in life and have already started preparing for it.
- Taking AP courses enables students to communicate better and sharpens their critical thinking which will be reflected in other academic areas also.
- High AP scores help students to qualify for scholarships. The College Board says that about a third of colleges and universities look for good AP results when awarding scholarships and subsidies.
- Because most colleges and universities grant credit and/or accelerated placement for those with good AP scores, it is often possible to complete graduation is a shorter period of time as the number of semesters may be reduced. Besides saving on college fees, it will enable students to progress to the next stage of their learning or careers ahead of others.
Ensuring AP Success
AP courses mean that students have studied at higher levels than are required for high school graduation. The process is not easy, but the rewards more than justify the efforts that need to be put in. Studying for AP without expert help and guidance is almost impossible. Finding the right learning resource is essential to success. Online tutoring from an organization that includes AP coaching among its areas of specialization is the best option because it can give students access to the best teachers, with experience specialization in AP syllabi and procedures. The personalized attention and the ability to study at their own time, which traditional coaching cannot offer, is what can make the difference between success and failure in AP.