The cost of college continues to rise each year, making it increasingly difficult for many high school students to imagine pursuing higher education. But there's good news: by taking and succeeding in an AP course, you have the opportunity to save on college expenses and potentially even earn college credit.
More than 90 percent of colleges and universities across the country offer college credit, advanced placement, or both, for qualifying AP Exam scores. This means that by earning a qualifying score on an AP exam, you can potentially earn college credit and save thousands of dollars on tuition, fees, and textbooks. Suddenly, the dream of attending college becomes much more feasible.
But the benefits of earning college credit through AP courses go beyond just cost savings. If you know what you want to major in at college, taking an AP course related to that major and earning a qualifying score on the AP exam can help you gain advanced placement out of introductory courses. This means that you can potentially skip over crowded and repetitive required courses, and move directly into upper-level classes where you can focus on the work that interests you most.
Even if you take an AP exam unrelated to your major, or if you're not yet sure what you want to major in, AP courses can often help you place out of your college's general education requirements. This can free up additional time on your class schedule to pursue a second major or minor, take exciting electives, or explore new interests in more depth.
In short, taking AP courses can offer a valuable opportunity to save on college expenses, gain advanced placement, and pursue your academic interests with greater freedom and flexibility. If you're interested in earning college credit through AP courses, talk to your guidance counselor or AP teacher to learn more about your options and what's available at your school.
