Skipping AP Credits? What You’re Missing

If you know college is in your future, it makes sense to do everything you can to prepare for it – even if it’s a couple years away. One way to do that is with AP credits. Here’s how taking AP courses your junior and senior years of high school can provide a boost when it comes to college.

You Can Earn College Credit

The most obvious reason to take AP courses is the possibility of earning college credits before you actually make it to college. You’ll get a jump-start on your classes, which can save you money, lighten your college course load and even help you finish a little sooner.

Getting college credit via AP courses isn’t just about checking off a requirement. It’s also about the chance to do more while you’re in college. If you take care of the basics now, you’ll have some room to tackle a wider variety of classes in your college career or jump right into the exciting topics that await in your chosen area of study.

A few things to keep in mind about AP courses and college credit:

• Check with your potential colleges to see whether they’ll accept AP credits and what their requirements are
• Most schools, including Nebraska Methodist College, will award college credit for AP test scores of three and above, while others require a higher score
• Check whether a college will give you credit or let you skip an introductory college course (or both) based on a satisfactory score

It Shows You’ll Go the Extra Mile

Having AP classes on your high school transcript will help you stand out when you apply to colleges. It shows you’re a high achiever with a serious plan for your pursuit of higher education, which is good news for college admissions departments. If you’re already thinking about your future, they know you’re more likely to apply yourself and be a great student in college.

It Makes the Transition to College Easier

For some people, the shift from high school to college can be rocky. The pace of learning is a lot different than it is in high school, with many students surprised by just how demanding college can be. If you take AP courses, you’ll get an idea of what college classes are like before being thrown in the deep end, and that can make the adjustment a lot easier. Just knowing you can handle it will give you confidence that you’ll be able to excel during the next step of your academic career.

Taking advantage of AP credits in high school if they’re available just makes sense. If you put in the extra effort, you’ll be able to start college ahead of the pack.

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