We recommend that students take between 10-12 Advanced Placement (AP) classes by the time they submit their college applications. Doing so not only increases the competitiveness of their college applications, but also helps ensure students’ success once they are enrolled at a university. Here are the top 5 reasons why!
They Make Applications Stand Out
Colleges and universities look for well-rounded, curiously minded students. Taking AP classes in multiple subjects, and scoring 5s on the exams, demonstrates to an admissions committee that a student has a wide range of academic abilities and interests. Scoring high on an AP exam is also a good way for students to show off a specialized skill set or advanced subject knowledge base, such as physics, computer science, or a foreign language, that can set them apart from the crowd. It’s important to remember that students aren’t required to take the AP class at a regular high school before taking the AP exam, although, in most cases, it is recommended.
They Provide a Uniform Metric
While most high schools claim to offer advanced or college-level classes to make their school appealing to parents, not only does the difficulty of these classes vary widely, but schools often designate a class as advanced, college-level or AP despite its diluted content. This, combined with the grade inflation ubiquitous at many high schools, prevents admissions committees from being able to compare students in a uniform way, except through standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT, AP exams, and Olympiad exams.
They Show Mastery of Advanced Subject Knowledge
Although most students take the SAT or ACT to meet admissions requirements, these tests don’t contain any topics from advanced math and the hard sciences, like calculus, chemistry, biology, etc. Admissions committees like to make sure that students will be able to withstand the intellectual rigor of their university and thrive academically. AP exams help students establish their knowledge of these subjects and provide evidence to admissions committees that they are ready for the demanding university-level work. For example, students who wish to be accepted at a top-level engineering school should demonstrate that they’ve already mastered calculus, and maybe even vector calculus.
They Provide a Valuable Foundation
College classes, especially at top-ranked universities, go at a much faster pace and are more in-depth than those at the high school level or at other universities. There is generally less time for students to assimilate information, finish assignments, and ace exams. AP classes provide students with the fundamentals required for this more rigorous workload, making it easier for them to succeed academically at a time when many are getting used to being on their own. An initial, step-by-step exposure to the material while in high school allows students to develop a deeper-level mastery once in college, making them smart forever!
They Can Save Time and Money
At most US colleges, AP exam scores of 4 or 5 are accepted as college credits, allowing students to bypass many of the first two years’ general education requirements. This could save both time and money as students would then be able to jump directly into upper-level classes or the classes needed for their major, potentially finishing an undergraduate degree in 3 years or a combined undergraduate and master’s in 4 years. For students who want to double major, particularly in the hard sciences, these credits could ensure it is possible to graduate on time.