Advanced Placement, or AP, classes have traditionally offered high school students the opportunity to pursue a more rigorous education, as well as the opportunity to enhance their college applications and to earn course credit. The rise of online education, however, has provided students with new avenues for accomplishing these same goals.
Given that time is often a student’s most precious commodity, which path should he or she take — the AP class or the online course? If you are facing this dilemma, keep the following three considerations in mind.
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1. The availability of special topics: Well-funded high schools may offer a diverse array of AP classes, but other schools may have resources for few or no courses. Alternatively, a student may be interested in a more specialized topic.
Certain high schools, for instance, offer AP Computer Science A. But students who wish to do more advanced computer work in, say, robotics, would not have an AP option at their schools. Online courses, however, cover nearly every imaginable subject.
The goal with both AP and online classes is to demonstrate that a student has a strong interest in a particular area, and that he or she would be a valuable addition to a competitive college. Both options can also help advanced students remain engaged when the regular course offerings are too basic.
It is important to note that not all online classes will carry the same admissions weight as an AP course will. AP, after all, has a long track record of excellence, while online classes are still relatively new. If you are interested in pursuing online study, look for courses that are not available as an AP course at your school; have a verifiable metric for success, such as a grade or certificate of completion, at minimum; and come from a credible institution, such as a university or a major purveyor of online courses like Coursera.
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2. The likelihood of earning college credit: The AP exam is perhaps the most popular method of earning college credit while still in high school. Most elite colleges and universities that offer credit, however, require a score of 4 or 5 on the exam in order to receive credit. This stipulation naturally produces a high-stakes test.
If a student has significant test anxiety in a particular subject, or is simply unwilling to risk college credit on the results of one exam, it may be worthwhile to register for an online class instead. An actual class, after all, can take into account a wide range of activities: homework, exams, discussion participation and papers or projects.
One concern with this approach is the impact on transcript competitiveness. An online course may be an upgrade over a general high school class, but it may or may not be considered equivalent to an AP course. AP classes are conducted according to a well-known standard — online courses may be quite rigorous, but communicating that rigor to admissions personnel can be challenging.
Another concern is whether a class will be accepted for credit once a student is in college. Not all college-level courses are universally transferable. Speaking with the admissions departments at your potential schools can provide some guidance as to which classes at which colleges or organizations are most likely to be accepted.
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3. The role of demonstrated interest: If a student is fairly sure which college will be his or her top choice, it may be possible to take an online course offered by that school in a subject relevant to the student’s interests. Doing so can demonstrate that the student has researched the target college extensively, and will do well in his or her planned course of study.
It is also a way to show the admissions department that the student is serious about his or her application. Better still, there is no question whether the credits will transfer. The net effect is a potential admissions boost, as well as a head start on earning college credit.
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Choose Between AP, Online Classes originally appeared on usnews.com
