Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
What is an AP Test?
Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are taken each May by students at participating American, Canadian, and international educational institutions. The tests are the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement courses. All AP exams (except AP Studio Art) combine multiple-choice questions with a free- response section in either essay or problem-solving format.
5 StraighterLine courses are approved by the College Board as Advanced Placement Courses:
| College Board AP Course Title | StraighterLine Course | AP Macroeconomics |
|---|---|
| AP Microeconomics | |
| AP English Language and Composition | |
| AP Calculus AB | |
| AP Psychology |
StraighterLine Online AP courses are right for you if:
- You didn’t get into an AP course in time to be ready for the next College Board AP test in May.
- You can’t get into an AP class next next year because your grades aren’t high enough.
- You’re going back to school and would like to save as much money as possible on your required courses.
How AP Courses and Tests Work
- AP tests are given once a year in May. Generally, you have to register for an AP course in the Fall prior to the Spring examination. But what if you can’t wait another year? With StraighterLine, you can start your AP course online any time – and prepare yourself for the next May exam – or take an Excelsior exam.
- StraighterLine AP online classes are among the least expensive AP classes you’ll find anywhere outside of high school. So if you need to take an AP class, you’ll save more if you take them with StraighterLine.
- When you register for an AP exam, you’ll choose the college(s) you’d like your test results sent to. You will also receive your AP score report by mail as well as a list of the colleges to which your scores were sent. You can request to have your scores sent to additional colleges at a later date by contacting AP Score Reporting Services. There is a fee associated with this, and other score related, services.
- In general, a score of 3 or more will help you obtain some type of college credit at many institutions. However, since each school will have its own take on scores eligible for credit transfer, you’ll need to look at each school’s policy individually.
- On average, college students take 15 credits per semester. All five StraighterLine AP courses are required at most colleges, so that’s 15 credits, equivalent to an entire semester that you can skip if you place out with the AP tests.
Who Can Take AP Courses?
Anyone. Seriously. If your school doesn’t offer AP courses, or you are home-schooled, or are just experiencing scheduling conflicts within your high school, you can still take an AP course and sit for an AP exam. Depending on the college you’re planning to attend, it may be better to look at a or exams as an alternative to AP.
Remember there’s a difference between taking the AP course and taking an AP exam. Just because you’ve taken an AP course does not mean you will be eligible for college credit. It is your actual AP exam scores that determine your credit eligibility. That being said, if you choose not to take an AP course through your high school or are home-schooled you could possibly learn the required material through independent study.
