More than 2.8 million students take Advanced Placement® Exams every year spanning 38 differentcourses. Students can sign up for AP® classes for the 2020-21 school year now. Why should you encourage your child to take an AP course? The main reasons are the college admissions advantage and the opportunity to save time and money once enrolled in college.
Completing AP courses and exams distinguishes students in the college application process. College admission officers like students who show initiative to learn and take challenging courses.
Students who are successful in AP can get college credit at over 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities.Educators and policymakers across the country have expanded access to AP and worked on credit policies to ensure that students who earn an AP score of 3 or higher receive college credit for their work. As of 2019, 31 states have adopted or implemented statewide or system-wide AP credit policies, up from 14 states just a few years ago. Now, more than 75% of AP students live in states with an AP credit policy.
Research shows AP students earn higher college GPAs and have higher graduation rates, compared to their peers who don’t take AP. They typically graduate in four years, saving fifth-year college costs.
AP Vice President Terry Redican talks about the value of taking AP courses in high school and how to get extra help to get ready for AP Exams.
Terry Redican is vice president of AP Program Delivery. He manages the Advanced Placement Program annual cycle, delivering opportunity to nearly 3 million students across 22,600 high schools worldwide. Each year, Terry and his team oversee 5,000,000 exam administrations and their supporting processes, from start to finish. He’s also the executive sponsor for the AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) course—nearly 100,000 students took the AP CSP Exam in 2019, more than doubling participation since the course launched during the 2016-17 school year.
