Katie Jenkins, Senior
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
As we enter the first week of May, students across America are preparing to sit in a room for hours at a time, taking AP exams. After a year of late-night studying, tests, practice tests, and more tests, it all comes down to this one day.
Why do so many students choose to take AP courses? Many do so on the correct belief AP classes will boost their transcript’s appearance when the time comes for college applications. Taking AP courses and keeping grades consistent with past Honors or College Prep course grades show that you are capable of handling fast paced course loads, but are APs really that important?
Last year, during a panel presentation by colleges at MHS, the representatives all agreed that AP classes, while a plus to your application, are not really that necessary, so students should not stress about taking too many. Even so, a good score on your exam could be helpful in getting a few credits out of the way before even starting college, and at a lower cost. However, the Progressive Policy Institute found that 86% of the top 153 US colleges and universities limit the application of AP credit. These institutions can be selective for a variety of reasons and in many different ways, depending on the institution. Some public colleges and universities accept AP credit if the student scores a 3 or above on the final exam; that is, depending on the course. Generally, schools take credit for exams that score a 4 or above on general education requirements.
While AP courses certainly aren’t the most important thing on your college application, they do still help, as long as you continue to perform well. Aside from applying to schools, AP courses are also a great opportunity to take classes that may not be offered at lower levels, such as Environmental Science at MHS. During course enrollment, students tend to hear that they should, “only take AP courses they are genuinely interested in,” and though the statement may seem silly, it’s true. While schools may restrict when AP credit counts, a good score on an AP exam nonetheless gives students a good shot at checking off some course requirements, or at least elective requirements at a much lower cost.
Overall, the decision as to whether or not an AP class is worth it is up to the student, and it greatly varies depending on the class.