Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement (AP) is a cooperative educational endeavor created by the American College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations. The AP curriculum for each of the various subjects is created for the College Board by a panel of experts and college-level educators in that field of study. For a high school course to have the designation, the course must be audited by the College Board to ascertain that it satisfies the AP curriculum. If the course is approved, the school may use the AP designation and the course will be publicly listed on the AP Course Ledger.

The Value of AP

• Post-secondary institutions throughout the nation and internationally grant credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of qualifying AP exam scores. For more information visit the College Board.
• AP course experience favorably impacts 85% of admission decisions of selective colleges and universities.
• AP coursework increases scholarship opportunities and improves the chances of college admission.
• The cost of the AP exam is less than most college textbooks.
• Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a college degree on schedule in 4 years. For more information visit the College Board research center.

The AP Student Experience in ACS

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are accelerated in rigor and pace. AP allows students to complete college level studies while in high school. Students participating in Advanced Placement are required to participate in study sessions that may or may not be conducted outside of the regular school day. Students are required to take the National AP Exam as part of the course’s curriculum. There is a testing fee involved. It is highly recommended that student’s consult with the college of choice, as college credit may be earned by scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on the exam. Careful attention should be given when selecting an AP course or courses as students will not be able to drop an AP course. Consult the grading scale to view the weight given to the rigor of the AP program. All students registering for AP courses should complete the AP Student Agreement and return with their registration form. It is recommended that students take no more than two AP courses per term. To qualify, students must meet all prerequisites. If you are interested in AP, please see counselor.

AP Courses Offered:

• Calculus
• English
• Chemistry
• European History
• United States History
• Psychology
• Physics

About AP Scores

The AP score shows how well a student performed on the AP Exam. It's also a measure of the achievement in the college-level AP course. This score will be used by colleges and universities to determine if they will grant credit for what the student has already learned, or allow a student to skip the equivalent course once they get to college (this is known as advanced placement). 

Your score is a weighted combination of your scores on the multiple-choice section and on the free-response section. The final score is reported on a 5-point scale as follows:

• 5 = extremely well qualified
• 4 = well qualified
• 3 = qualified
• 2 = possibly qualified
• 1 = no recommendation