Each May, AP exams are administered at high schools throughout
the country. Exams are given in more than 30
subjects—from art history to physics.
Why Bother?
First things first—many, not all, colleges will award you
advanced placement, or college credit, if you score well on the
AP exam(s). Wondering exactly what this means? It means
that, if you took the AP Calculus exam and scored high, then you
wouldn't have to take the calculus requirement during freshman
year. But that's not all. Because high scores demonstrate mastery
of college-level material, admissions officers often attach a lot
of weight to AP coursework and exams. AP work could just give you
the added edge over students with similar GPAs and admission test
scores. The College Board now offers an online has a website
where you can search
specific institutions’ policies on AP credit and
placement.
But the exams are just the last step in a long process. It is
strongly recommended that you take your high school's AP course
if you plan to take the exam. Courses are typically taken in your
junior and/or senior year. Your teacher or guidance counselor
should have this information. Ask your teacher or guidance
counselor for more information on AP courses at your school.