Advanced Placement Program facts for kids
The Advanced Placement Program, or AP, is a special program for high school students in Canada and the United States. It offers advanced classes that are like college courses. These classes are harder than most regular high school subjects. They help students get ready for college.
History of AP
The AP program started after World War II. A group of schools and universities worked together to create it. They wanted high school students to be able to study college-level topics. They also wanted students to take special tests to earn college credit.
The first ideas for the program came from Kenyon College in Ohio. It was first called the "Kenyon Plan." In 1952, a report suggested that high school seniors could take college-level classes. It also said they could take exams to get college credit.
The College Board has run the AP program since 1955. The College Board is a non-profit group in New York City. It creates rules for teaching AP courses. It also helps teachers and universities with the program. Students pay fees to take AP Exams, which helps fund these activities.
In 2006, more than one million students took over two million AP exams. Many high schools offer AP courses. However, any student can take an AP exam. This means home-schooled students can also take them. Students from schools without AP classes can take them too.
In 2011, each exam cost $87. But the cost can be lower for students who cannot afford it. Poor students can get a discount from the College Board. Their school might also give them a rebate. Some states offer even more discounts. A small part of the fee goes to the school. This helps pay for giving the tests.
In 2008, the College Board announced some changes. Four AP courses were stopped after the 2008–2009 school year. These were French Literature, Latin Literature, Computer Science AB, and Italian Language and Culture. They were stopped because of money issues.
How Hard Are AP Classes?
AP coursework is designed to be very challenging. It is made for high school students who want to push themselves. Most AP courses prepare students well for the AP exams. Students take these exams at the end of the school year.
If students do well on AP exams, they can skip some college classes. This means they might not have to take basic courses in college. This can save them time and money.
Taking AP classes can also help a student's GPA. GPA stands for Grade Point Average. It is a way to measure how well a student is doing in school. For example, an A in a regular class might be worth 4.0 GPA points. But an A in an AP class could be worth 5.0 GPA points. This can make a student's overall grade much better.
AP courses are not required to get into college. However, many students who apply to very selective colleges take multiple AP courses. Colleges like Stanford University and MIT often see AP classes on applications. Students take them for a few reasons:
- To make their GPA higher.
- To get a feel for how hard college classes are.
Scoring AP Exams
AP tests are scored on a scale from 1 to 5. Here is what each score means:
- 5 - Very well-qualified (This is the highest score!)
- 4 - Well-qualified
- 3 - Qualified
- 2 - Maybe qualified
- 1 - No recommendation
Grading the AP exam takes some time. A computer grades the multiple-choice part of the test. Teachers from different schools score the essay parts. These teachers do not teach at the student's own school.
Students usually find out their scores in the middle of July.
Some students who score well on their AP exams can skip college classes. If a student gets a 4 or 5, many universities will give them college credit. Some colleges will even accept a score of 3 for credit.
Images for kids
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AP Exam Taken by Subject 2019
See also
- International Baccalaureate, a competitor to the AP Program
In Spanish: Ubicación Avanzada para niños
