Ap Course Benefits

A to P: Advanced Placement Course and Their Beneficiality At the end of every year of high school, students get a lengthy list of courses to pick for the next year. Among the list are numerous AP courses that students ponder over. The common question asked by these students are, is that AP class worth taking? Some don’t think twice to take it and others bravely choose their AP course of choice. There are AP courses offered for more than 30 subjects and at more than a hundred schools. (Edwards). AP courses have been around since the 1950s, and trying an AP course has been encouraged by teachers, counselors, and college admission officers all around the world. Now what are these AP courses, exactly? AP stands for advanced placement, and they

In 2007 a study was conducted comparing student’s GPA in college with student’s GPA who took the AP course. According to the graph, students who scored a 3 on the AP exam had a GPA equivalent to those taking the course in college. For the students who received a 5 had a GPA much higher than those taking the course in college. (Collegeboard). In order for a student to receive an excellent GPA as well as a passing grade on the AP exam proves extensive studying. Extensive studying, for majority of students, means an understanding of the topic will develope. This is because AP students spend hours studying and understanding texts way beyond their grade level. When analyzing harder text, students break down the subject, allowing them to know what they are learning rather than sheer memorization. It is different from the simple class where students rely on memorizing the study guide to pass the test and then forgetting the information the next second; AP exams do not allow that for a passing grade. Further studies have shown that students are more likely to major in their AP subject. For instance, 16.2% of students who took Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, and Physical Science in college majored in those fields whereas 29.1% of students who took the AP version majored in those fields. (Collegeboard). It is evident that AP classes guide students to find their subject and field of interest. It reduces the rate of undecided majors and gives those students an advantage to excel in the field they want to major in early