Why to take an AP course?

About AP Course

AP stands for advanced placement courses which offer college level courses to high school students in order for them to earn college credit and qualify for higher level subjects at the beginning of the college. The primary intent of the course is to give you a feel of intro-level college class in high school itself.

Reasons of choosing an AP course

Head-start on college applications – Since AP classes are as challenging as first-year college courses, a student gets mentally and intellectually prepared for college. Clearing an AP exam with a good score shows you are ready for the academic workload and it will put you ahead of the race.
Earning college credit – Not only the course boosts your application, but you can earn credits which means you would be graduating earlier as you have shown your proficiency in some of the subjects.
Builds a strong transcript – Your mark sheet shines brighter with AP grades and gives the university an impression of a strong and rigorous academic background.
GPA Booster – AP classes have a decent weightage in a student’s GPA. Scoring an A or even a B has more value than the regular A or B grades.
Financially beneficial – When a student possesses credits, and as a result can graduate early or add a second major, it would lead to cost-saving. Also, higher GPAs as a result of AP exams would add more chances of granting merit-based scholarships to the students.
Follow your passion – It’s also a way to illustrate your real academic inclinations. The subject you are passionate about will definitely keep you dedicated to the preparation and study of it. Studying AP will also bring you closer to your area of expertise.

Subjects in AP exam – To sum up a few subjects from the lot of 38 subjects:-

Research
Art & design
Biology
Calculus AB
Computer science
Human geography
Economics
Music theory
Psychology
Statistics
German language and culture
Spanish language and culture
World history: Modern

Test structure

The AP exam test structure is divided into two sections. The first part consists of multiple choice questions (MCQ’s) whereas the second part comprises free-response questions (subjective) in which you are free to respond as per the question in hand.

*The duration of the test is 2-3 hours.

AP score scale

Score	Remarks	College grade equivalent
5	Extremely well qualified	A+ or A
4	Very well qualified	A-, B+ or B
3	Qualified	B-, C+ or C
2	Possibly qualified	N/A
1	No recommendation	N/A

FAQ’s

Q. What is the cost of taking an AP exam?

A. The cost of appearing for an AP exam is USD 94 per exam.

Q. When is the examination date?

A. Tests are conducted in May at examination centers all over the world.

Q. How to prepare for an AP exam?

A. First of all, begin preparing with the material that you have gathered in your class and take up one subject daily. You may take help from a prep book and know the important questions and the test format and take help from an AP tutor if needed for more clarification.

Q. How many APs can a student take?

A. AP exam is held once a year, just in case a student wants to take another attempt then, it can only be taken the next year.

Q. When is the ideal time to start the preparation when a student considers taking more than one AP?

A. If a student plans to take more than one AP exam then, a preparation of almost 3-4 months is required to take another attempt.