Taking Advanced Placement classes can help you challenge yourself, get ahead and earn college credit while still in high school. Selecting the right AP courses can also boost your exam success and strengthen your college outlook.
“I advise my students to take advantage of the best available and most challenging courses available to them at their high school,” says Alecia Mahato, IvyWise master college admissions counselor.
For some students that may be AP courses, International Baccalaureate classes or dual enrollment courses, but what matters most is that students take advantage of rigorous academic opportunities to prepare for academic challenges in college, she says.
These tips can help you choose the right AP classes:
— Research AP policies.
— Investigate similar courses.
— Choose AP classes that sharpen your existing skills.
— Understand the AP process.
Research AP Policies
Check AP credit policies at each college you’re planning to apply to, as requirements and credit limits vary among schools. Some colleges award credit for scores of 3 or higher, while others accept only 4s or 5s — and some may give no credit.
Colleges often cap how many AP credits can be applied toward your degree. For example, the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor accepts up to 30 credits from AP, IB or A-Level exams, according to the school’s website. The University of California system awards college credit for most AP exams with scores of 3 or higher, but this can vary by campus and subject.
Students can refer to the College Board’s online AP Credit Policy Search to research general AP requirements at prospective colleges and contact college admissions offices directly.
[Read: What to Do If Your High School Doesn’t Offer AP Courses.]
Investigate Similar Courses
Some AP courses are thematically related and complement each other. Examples include AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition; AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture; and AP U.S. History and AP U.S. Government and Politics.
Taking related AP courses can help you emphasize a certain strength or demonstrate expertise in a specific area. Taking courses aligned with your prospective major or subject area may be particularly helpful.
“Each student should work closely with their school to ensure they understand what is offered and which AP courses they are prepared to take on,” says Timothy Pratt, director of college advisory for Stratford Schools and Spring Education Group.
First, Pratt says, college admissions officers consider the highest level of coursework available at your high school. “They are then evaluating to what degree an applicant has taken advantage of the rigor available to them, and how well they have succeeded in the courses they have taken,” he says.
Doing well in AP-level courses, or the equivalent, shows college admissions officers “that you have challenged yourself and are ready for the rigor of college coursework.”
[READ: 3 Ways to Succeed in AP Courses.]
Mahato says when she works with students to develop their course schedules, “we consider their performance in every subject, the courses available to them, along with their teacher’s recommendation.”
For example, if a student has an A grade in Honors English 10 (also called English 10 Honors) and their teacher recommends enrolling in AP English Language, “then I would recommend that my student pursue AP English Language,” she says.
Choose AP Classes That Sharpen Your Existing Skills
Take AP classes that play to your strengths, experts say. Choosing subjects that you’re already good at can refine your skills and boost your chances of scoring a 4 or a 5 on the respective exams.
“AP classes are generally the most rigorous courses offered at a high school, so students need to consider whether they are prepared to take on this added challenge,” Pratt says.
So if you excel in math, consider AP Physics; if music is your passion, take AP Music Theory; if your Spanish is solid, aim for college credit with AP Spanish Language.
“In many cases, there are prerequisites at the school that serve as gateways to AP classes,” Pratt says. “Planning early and preparing carefully is paramount to succeeding in AP courses.”
Every school offers different curriculum, “so consulting with the school’s college counseling office or academic adviser is vital to making sure you are eligible for whatever AP courses are offered,” Pratt says.
Mahato notes that your school’s AP course availability and your own existing commitments “can also affect your ability to pursue rigorous courses” — you may discover some courses are offered only at certain times or that they conflict with your class schedule or extracurriculars.
“For example, AP Human Geography may be available to pursue in ninth grade while AP Biology may not be available,” Mahato says. “Additionally, some courses are run at the same time, so students will have to consider which course they should prioritize.”
[Read: What to Weigh Before Dropping an AP Class]
Understand the AP Process
Before choosing AP classes, make sure you understand the process, such as how many AP classes you should take and when.
“Generally, students might take one to two AP courses in freshman and sophomore year, and a more rigorous load of five to six AP courses per year in their junior and senior years,” Mahato says.
In addition to researching which AP classes are likely to receive credit at your prospective colleges, it’s important to learn which AP courses colleges expect you to pursue before applying.
“For example, some colleges with engineering schools require that students complete a calculus or a physics course before enrolling,” Mahato says. “Some universities expect students to take rigorous coursework across all core subject areas regardless of what they want to study in college.”
Good places to start are College Board’s AP Students Help, for answers to common questions, and Choosing Your AP Courses.
Since there is so much nuance in course registration and planning, Mahato advises students to work with their school or college counselor to create the best academic plan for all four years of high school.
It’s important to plan early, she says, so that students “can maximize their opportunities and best prepare themselves for college.”
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4 Tips to Choose the Right AP Classes originally appeared on usnews.com
