Why Should You Take AP Exams?

Many students have a hard time deciding if AP courses are right for them. AP courses are generally more challenging than their high school counterparts. Will the benefits outweigh the extra work?

Quite a Few Bonuses

AP courses are designed as college-level courses. When admissions officers see AP courses on your transcript, it indicates that you can handle the challenges of college-level coursework. Secondly, since many schools weigh your AP course grades to reflect the extra difficulty, a 4.0 in an AP course could become a 4.3 on your transcript. That's a pretty nice boost to your overall GPA.

In addition, many colleges offer some kind of credit for a good score on an AP exam. This could mean either placing out of an introductory course or even obtaining course credit. And if you take enough AP exams, some colleges may award you sufficient course credit to qualify for sophomore standing. Not only will you graduate early, you'll save a considerable amount of tuition money.

Which Ones Should You Take?

The simple answer is: Take the ones on which you think you'll perform the best. Remember, these courses are considerably more challenging than your typical high school course. If you don't do as well in an AP course as you would in your regular class, it could bring down your GPA. If the colleges in which you're interested do not award credit for strong AP scores, you may not want to risk it.

On the other hand, if you are particularly strong in a subject, you may want to take the AP course even if your preferred schools won't award credit. A good grade, combined with the difficulty multiplier, can have positive effects on your GPA.

Who Takes What?

In 2006, 1,339,282 students took 2,312,611 AP exams (an average of 1.73 exams per student). Of those exams, 59.6% scored a grade of 3 or above—often the cut-off for college credit at many institutions.

*2006 exam cycle

Look Before You Leap

Not all colleges accept all AP exams. Furthermore, different schools can have different score expectations for the same exam and different standards for the awarding of credit or advanced placement. Before you sign up for an AP course, check with the colleges to which you plan to apply. Inquire about their standards and credit/placement policies regarding the AP exams.
The College Board now offers an online has a website where you can search specific institutions' policies on AP credit and placement.