What Are AP Classes? Answering Your Questions (2024)

For many high school students, Advanced Placement® (AP) classes symbolize academic success and provide a leg up in the competitive college admissions process. In 2022, more than 2.6 million students took at least one AP class, according to the College Board.

With so many learners enrolling in these rigorous classes, you may feel pressure to join to keep up with your peers. Yet, these college-level courses aren’t for everyone, and a poor grade could do more harm than good. So how do you know whether AP classes are worth it?

This guide will help you understand AP classes, their benefits and drawbacks, how to enroll, and how to earn college credit from AP exams. Let’s dive in.

What Are AP Classes?

AP classes are college-level courses that students take while in high school. The College Board, the same company that administers the SAT® and PSAT®, created the AP program to allow high-achieving high school students a chance to get ahead on their college education.

Today, the AP program offers a total of 38 classes, though most high schools offer only a handful of AP courses. AP coursework is generally considered more challenging than honors classes, and each AP class corresponds with an exam to test how well you’ve grasped the course material.

Do AP Classes Give College Credit?

Taking an AP class doesn’t guarantee that you’ll earn college credit. You have to pass the class’ corresponding AP exam, usually with a score of at least 3 (on a scale of 1 to 5), to qualify for college credit at most institutions.

Many colleges recognize that a passing score on an AP exam means you’ve mastered the course material, which can earn you credits toward a college degree. Colleges may also grant advanced placement, meaning you can skip introductory courses and start with more advanced material.

Are AP Classes Graded Differently?

Many high schools weight grades for AP classes to account for the courses’ difficulty level, often grading on a 5.0 scale rather than the typical 4.0 scale. Where an A in a typical high school class is worth a 4.0, an A in an AP class might be weighted as a 5.0. As such, performing well in an AP class can boost your overall GPA, potentially pushing it over a 4.0.

That said, each high school determines how to weight grades for its AP courses, as does each college when assessing applicants’ transcripts. Even if your high school does not weight AP course grades, your prospective college might.

What AP Classes Are Available?

AP classes cover the following broad disciplines:

• Arts
• English
• History and social sciences
• Math and computer science
• Sciences
• World languages and cultures

Courses within each discipline cover various subjects. For instance, AP science courses include biology, chemistry, environmental science, physics 1: algebra-based, physics 2: algebra-based, physics C: electricity and magnetism, and physics C: mechanics.

The College Board also offers an AP Capstone® diploma program, a two-year program covering AP seminar and AP research. Capstone diploma courses teach students valuable skills for mastering any subject, including critical thinking, research, public speaking and collaborative group work.

Some classes have recommended prerequisites and alternate requirements. Check with your school before deciding which classes to take.

How Do I Sign Up for AP Classes?

You can sign up for AP classes through your school. If your school doesn’t offer the AP course you want to take, or if you are homeschooled, you may be able to take the course at another local school or through an online or distance learning provider.

While the College Board recommends taking an accredited AP course before the AP exam, it’s not required. You can study for the exam on your own. Compared to the 2.66 million students who took AP courses in 2022, 4.76 million took AP exams.

How Do AP Exams Work?

At the end of each AP course, students take a corresponding subject-specific exam. AP tests are standardized, like the SAT, so students across the country are tested on the same information. Some courses don’t have an end-of-year exam but instead require students to submit a portfolio for grading.

Exams are given once yearly at high schools and exam centers. They take around two to three hours to complete. The first section usually contains multiple-choice questions, and the second allows free responses. College professors and AP teachers score the second section, along with other tasks completed during the course.

AP exam scores range from 1 to 5. A 5 is considered an A or A+; 4 an A-, B+ or B; 3 a B-, C+ or C; and anything below a 3 not passing. According to the College Board, 60% of the exams taken in 2022 were scored as a 3 or higher.

If you’re unhappy with your score, you can retake an AP exam the following year. Colleges can access both scores unless you cancel one or request to withhold it.

Are AP Classes Worth It?

Tackling college-level classes before setting foot on a university campus demonstrates to college admission officers that you have the academic capability to succeed. It also shows you’re not afraid to challenge yourself, and your grade in the class may boost your GPA, even if you don’t pass the exam.

College Board research shows that students who take AP courses are better prepared for college and more likely to graduate on time than students who don’t take AP courses. The college-level coursework also allows you to study a subject more in-depth than you would in a traditional high school class. This can help you determine whether you’d like to pursue a major or a career in that subject.

Pros and Cons of AP Classes

Before deciding to take an AP course, consider the pros and cons. While loading your course schedule with AP classes may seem like a great idea, it’s not the right choice for everyone, especially students who don’t have the bandwidth for such rigorous coursework.

Pros

• AP courses allow you to dive deep into subjects that interest you, which can help you decide on a college major.
• You’ll learn essential time management, organization and study skills needed for college and beyond.
• Depending on your AP exam score, you could earn college credit or place out of introductory classes, saving you time and money.
• A strong grade in an AP class can give your GPA a boost.

Cons

• Extra tests and homework could lead to less sleep, added stress and an overloaded schedule.
• A poor grade in an AP class could hurt you more in the college admissions process than if you hadn’t taken the class.
• You may not receive college credit if you don’t pass your AP exams.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About AP Classes