Advanced Placement (AP) Classes

Most high schools offer AP courses for their students. AP courses are generally year-long classes offered in a specific content area, from History to Studio Art (a full list of courses available can be found at https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse.) AP courses are designed to offer college-level rigor, and students who take them can sometimes receive credit towards their college degree before they even graduate high school! Sometimes these courses are only available to juniors and seniors. Check with your guidance counselor to see what courses are offered at your school and what eligibility requirements you need to meet to enroll.

In May of each year, most AP students take their national AP exam in their specific subject. The exam is scored on a scale from 1-5. There is a fee to take the exam, but schools are often provided with fee waivers for low-income students. Ask your guidance counselor about if you qualify for a fee waiver. Students who earn a score of 3, 4, or 5 on their exams may be eligible for credit towards their college degree, depending on the college they attend. For example, a student who gets a score of 4 on the AP European History Exam might be excused from taking a history course at their college. Not all schools will accept AP credit, and some will only accept credit from certain courses, so make sure you check on the school website to see what their policies regarding APs are.

If your school doesn’t offer APs, you may be able to find a class online offered through your state’s Department of Education or through a local college or university. Ask your guidance counselor for more information!

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International Baccalaureate (IB) Classes

Select schools around the country (and the world) offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. This program is open to students ages 16-19 and offers rigorous instruction which is well recognized among selective colleges and universities. Most schools are not able to offer IB for their students, and you must be enrolled in an IB school to participate in the program.

To find out if your school, or schools in your area offer IB, check out www.ibo.org/schools.

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