3 Benefits of Taking AP Courses

Advanced Placement, or AP, courses may sound scary and challenging, and you may shy away from taking these classes. But, in reality, there are many benefits of enrolling in AP classes while you’re still in high school, so give AP courses a chance!

Get Used to College Type Classes

First and foremost, AP courses are classes offered to high school students that teach college-level material and embark on a more in-depth curriculum than regular high school courses do. AP classes are primarily available to provide students with challenging classes that are more intensive than regular courses. AP’s are an excellent way for students to become comfortable with the level of rigor of college courses without the pressure and atmosphere of an actual college. By taking AP classes in high school, you will be successfully preparing yourself for college academics and this experience will help ease your transition from high school to a college freshman.

Increase Your GPA

AP courses, if you do well in them, can boost your GPA up a few points! Be sure to take AP classes in topics that you are interested in. If you take classes that interest you, chances are that you will do much better in the class. AP courses also appeal to universities during the college application process. Colleges love to see that you have taken courses that challenge you academically. Keep in mind though: while AP courses can definitely raise your GPA, you should be committed to putting in as much effort as possible and doing your best in the class. Less than stellar grades won’t help your GPA at all, even if it’s in an AP class.

Earn College Credit

Possibly the best part of AP courses is that you can actually receive college credit without even attending college yet! At the end of every year, there is an AP exam on each course administered by the College Board. These exams are graded on a 1-5 scale, and you can earn college credit for that course if you receive a score of 4 or 5 on the exam. It is possible to skip a semester or even a year of college because you have earned enough credits from AP classes during high school, saving on thousands of tuition dollars! If there was ever a reason to take AP courses, that’s definitely it! Overall, while AP courses are definitely rigorous and challenging, the payoff is definitely worth it. These college-level courses give a glimpse into college academic life and may give you an edge in college applications. You can raise your GPA and even earn college credit! AP courses have many advantages, so be sure to take some courses that you are interested in and can put all your effort into!