What I Wish I Had Known About AP Courses

“They’ll give you college credit!”

“You’ll be able to get ahead and graduate earlier!”

“They look impressive to colleges!”

“You can use them to demonstrate exceptional ability in a particular academic discipline!”

“Take as many as possible!”

“You have to get a 5.”

“You can’t take the test without a class.”

Have you ever heard a teacher, parent, or friend say this to you or someone else regarding AP courses and AP tests? Allow me to share my perspective on the AP program.

“They’ll give you college credit!”

This is true for many schools! If you are conflicted about which AP tests you would like to take, try looking into colleges that you are interested in, and use their policy on AP credits to guide your decisions.

“You’ll be able to get ahead and graduate earlier!”

This is only true for certain schools; for example, many of my friends at University of California schools were able to begin their freshman year with “sophomore standing” because their high AP test scores enabled them to start off their college career with many, many credits. Sometimes, the same score is worth a different number of college credits for different tests.

But at Pomona, students can only use two AP test scores for credit. However, good scores on AP tests definitely help you 1) score well on placement tests, 2) skip some intro level classes, and 3) allow you to take more classes in the long run.

“Take as many as possible!”
“You have to get a 5.”
“You can’t take the test without a class.”

Many schools accept 3’s and 4’s, but every school has its unique AP policy, so again, it may be worth noting specific policies as you decide which AP tests/courses to take. And often, if your high school does not offer a specific AP course for which you would like to take a test, there are many online programs, such as Johns Hopkins CTY, that help you prepare for a certain AP test. However, you may have to contact a school nearby that allows you to take the AP test with students of that high school.

In retrospect, I took many AP tests just for the sake of trying to prove how academically impressive I was; honestly, I wish I had a better and more nuanced motivation for taking so many. I think that it truly took away from other, possibly more beneficial and rewarding experiences I could have immersed myself in.