How the AP program can help your college admission process

The Advanced Placement (AP) program created by the College Board offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. The AP program can help high school students complete challenging college-level courses and earn college credit or placement. The AP program can help students increase their eligibility for scholarships and make their college applications stand out amidst a pool of hundreds of college applications submitted each year to four-year universities.

Role of the AP Program.

The AP Program is a mediator between participating institutions. Below are some examples of what the AP Program ensures:

• The AP Program selects competent teachers at the secondary and college level to develop college-level curricula.
• The AP Program oversees the examination process and scores examinations based on a set of competency standards.
• The program sends AP grade teports to the appropriate recipients, i.e. students, schools and designated colleges.
• The program organizes research, produces publications and online materials, and develops brand services and products to ensure a quality education.

The AP program was founded in 1955 as an educational collaboration between universities, colleges, and secondary schools. The program is a joint effort between motivated students and committed teachers who seek out superior platforms for academic excellence. It gives high school students the opportunity to take college level courses, get an introduction to university-level studies, and earn college credits while still in high school.

Currently, there are over 110,000 teachers who teach AP courses all over the world. These teachers increase the success and strength of the program by participating in professional developmental workshops and an annual AP reading.

Some Basic Facts about AP Exams:

• There is no age limit as to who can take the exam. College students are eligible to take AP exams as long as they register with the testing center who is authorized to proctor the exam.
• AP exams may be taken even if you have not taken any AP courses. The College Board is committed to making it possible for homeschooled students to take the exam.
• As of 2015, the average score for AP exams was 2.84. Almost 60% of all the exams taken acquired a total score of 3 or more. Learn more here
• You may take an AP exam each time it is offered. AP exams are offered once a year in May. Your score report sheet contains results or scores of all the AP exams you have taken, including any repeated exams. You can withhold a score (or cancel the score result totally) from a college.
• Colleges and universities award advanced placement based on your AP exam scores. This helps you avoid or skip preparatory and introductory courses, get access to high-level classes, and get through education qualifications and requirements. Credit and placement may be offered by colleges based on high AP scores.
• The AP Program offers 35 courses in 20 subject disciplines. Nearly 60% of high schools in the United States participate in this program. In 2005, a total of 2.1 million AP exams were conducted all around the world. A large number of parents, students and teachers have responded positively to the AP Program. The AP Program is highly ranked for educational excellence.

Updates and course revisions to AP Calculus and AP World History will take effect from the fall of 2016 to May 2017. If you would like to obtain a participation form for the AP Program, or to learn more about the program, please call AP Services at 877-274-6474 or 609-771-7300 outside the U.S. and Canada.