A(dvanced) P(lacement) Classes

Laura
Dec 8, 2015
3 min read

AP classes- a huge part of high school for some. You may have heard of them before, if not, well that is why I'm here, kiddies.

AP stands for Advanced Placement and these are classes whose curriculums are created by the CollegeBoard (the same people who make your SpringBoard books and the SAT). A lot of info awaits you but do not feel overwhelmed, bullet points are here to save the day!

These are college-level classes you take during an entire school year
At the end of the year, during the first and second week of May, you take a monster 3-4 hour exam, half of which is multiple choice and the other half is free-response.
AP exams are scored on a scale of 1-5, a 3 or higher is passing (but a 5 is really exceptional!)
If you earn a high enough score, you are eligible to receive college credit for this class.**(More on this later).

Mater offers LOTS of AP classes, below is the list of the AP's available this year. The grade they're typically taken in is in parenthesis :

Arts

AP Art History
AP Studio Art

English

AP English Language and Composition (11th grade)
AP English Literature and Composition (12th grade)

History and Social Science

AP European History (10th grade)
AP Human Geography
AP Macroeconomics (12th grade)
AP Psychology
AP U.S. Government and Politics (12th grade)
AP U.S. History (11th grade)
AP World History (9th grade)

Math and Computer Science

AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP Computer Science A

Sciences

AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP Environmental Science
AP Physics

World Languages and Cultures

AP French Language
AP Italian Language
AP Spanish Language
AP Spanish Literature

There is a lot of responsibility and hard work that comes with taking an AP Classes. This is something I definitely didn't fully understand as I enterred AP World History, my first AP Class, my freshman year. It is something you should consider when deciding whether or not to become an AP student, or how many AP classes you want to take on per year.

AP exams in May are definitely extremely difficult and painful to take, but, like with anything, what you put in to these classes is what you get out of them. In May of my freshman year, I met a senior who had taken dozens of AP classes but had failed each of her exams. This terrified me beyond words, but I have realized throughout the years that although these exams are very difficult, they are nothing to be afraid of- if you put in the hours and dedication, you definitely have a shot at passing, why wouldn't you?

**Now, when it comes to AP classes and exams giving college credit, there is a catch. Years ago, this statement was true. Now, not so much. Whether or not you receive college credit for your AP exam scores depends on a lot of factors. For one, Ivy League schools and top tier schools are increasingly more reluctant to accept these credits, they want you to start from scratch and spend four years with them, not finish as fast as possible. If you earn any credit, then it'll probably be from 4's and 5's. Although 3's are passing scores, colleges will more than likely not award any credit for them. The new trend is that, instead of credit for a class, your AP scores will place you out of an intro level class. For example, if you earned a glorious 5 on your AP Psychology exam, you will place out of Psychology 101 your Freshman year, and instead will be able to take a higher level Psychology class- not a bad gig at all, folks.

When it comes to AP classes, your attitude should not be this....