The AP Exams at a Glance
Each May, AP exams are administered at high schools throughout the country in more than 30 different subjects from art history to physics. Ninety percent of colleges will award you either advanced placement or college credit if you score well on the AP exams. For example, if you took the AP Calculus exam and scored high, then you wouldn't have to take the calculus requirement during freshman year.
But that's not all. Because high scores demonstrate mastery of college-level material, admissions officers often attach a lot of weight to AP coursework and exams. AP work could just give you the added edge over students with similar GPAs and admission test scores.
However, the exams are just the last step in a long process. It's strongly recommended that you take your high school's AP course if you plan to take the exam. Courses are typically taken in your junior and/or senior year. You should contact your teachers or guidance counselor for more information on AP courses in your school.
