Advanced Placement (AP) is an educational preparatory program that offers advanced academic study in a specific list of subjects at schools in the USA, Canada, and the UK. This program is designed to prepare high school students for admission to higher education institutions.
As part of this program, graduating students can choose several disciplines closely related to their future specialization. These subjects are studied in greater depth (compared to other subjects) and correspond to the complexity levels of university-level courses. Each course in the curriculum lasts a full academic year.
Advanced Placement is a program run by the College Board (the creators of the SAT) that allows high school students to take specialized courses that can benefit them during the college admissions process and/or grant them the right to enter more advanced classes (compared to the standard introductory level).
In effect, AP courses are designed to provide the opportunity to complete introductory college coursework while the applicant is still in high school. Provided the AP exams are passed successfully, a student may be eligible to enter college directly into the second year.
AP classes were created in the mid-1950s as a response to the growing gap between high schools and the vocational/higher education system. A pilot program in 1952 initially included 11 subjects. However, AP did not officially launch until 1956, when the College Board took over management and named it the "College Board Advanced Placement Program."
Over the years, the AP program has expanded rapidly. Currently, approximately 2.8 million students take AP exams in 38 subjects annually. Official statistics show that high school students have become significantly more likely to enroll in AP classes and attend sessions throughout their school careers.
The Advanced Placement program includes 38 subjects. However, each school has the right to choose which disciplines from the general array will be included in its specific project. Traditionally, the list of AP subjects includes:
Art History and Fine Arts
Western European and American History
Political Science
Philosophy
Foreign Languages and Culture
Economics
Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
Computer Science
Generally, students in this program can devote 2 to 7 hours per week to each subject during a session. While the number of disciplines is at the student's discretion, guidelines suggest not exceeding 5 subjects, as this may negatively impact overall performance and educational quality.
1. Accelerated College Admission Participation in an AP project demonstrates a student's serious commitment to specialized second-level education. An AP class serves as evidence of stronger academic preparation compared to peers who do not participate. Scoring a 5 on an AP exam shows that the student is more advanced in the subject than 80–90% of current first-year college students.
2. Acquisition of Higher Education Skills Entering college after high school requires significant adaptation to new conditions, such as narrow specialization and lack of total supervision. The AP program helps students adapt to these conditions 1–2 years before enrollment. College Board statistics show that AP students tend to earn higher grades in college than students with similar profiles who did not take AP exams.
3. Demonstrating Interest to Admissions Committees Taking AP exams is an excellent way to show real academic interest.
Engineering: AP Calculus and AP Physics.
Political Science/Law: AP US History, AP US Government, AP Statistics, and AP Economics.
Pre-Med: AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and AP Calculus.
4. Reducing the Duration of Study Some colleges credit AP completion toward first (and sometimes second) year requirements. This allows students to graduate sooner, saving time and money. For example, Harvard allows students to apply for "Advanced Standing" with sufficient AP credits, and the University of Michigan also grants credit and advanced placement based on AP results.
Additional Educational Costs: There is a fee for each exam, which is standard for supplemental services.
Limited Geography: The program is primarily localized to the USA, Canada, and the UK.
No Guaranteed Admission: Applying for AP does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
Increased Workload: Studying university-level material alongside high school subjects requires excellent time management.
Long Registration Period: Students must often apply one year in advance to allow for resource monitoring and planning.
Registration: Usually handled through the student's high school.
Availability: If a school doesn't offer a specific subject, it may coordinate with another local institution.
Coordination: Once registered, a student is assigned an AP coordinator/consultant.
Format: Distance and remote learning options are available.
Cost: Each AP test costs 94 USD.
Financial Aid: Some schools offer subsidies, and the College Board provides a 32 USD fee reduction for eligible students.
Ultimately, despite the test fees, the potential for reduced college tuition and shorter study times provides significant financial and professional preferences.