AP Program
Visit AP Central for information on 2012-13 AP courses, which are now operational.
Find out more about AP Biology, AP Latin, and AP Spanish Literature and Culture.
Visit Advances in AP for information on AP course revisions going into effect in 2013 and beyond.
Connecting students to college success
In today's information-based economy, a college education is a necessity, not a luxury. However, a study from the U.S. Department of Education found that of the students who entered college in 1995:
- Only one-half (53 percent) had attained a bachelor's degree after six years.
- About one-fourth (23 percent) had not attained any degree and were no longer enrolled after six years.
Students who take longer to graduate from a public college or university typically pay up to $19,000 for each additional year. Students attending private institutions might expect to incur $26,197 for each additional year.1
As schools send the next generation of students off to college, they need to ask themselves—is the end goal of college admission enough? What can be done to provide your students with the tools they need to succeed in college?
AP can help
AP is a rigorous academic program built on the commitment, passion, and hard work of students and educators from both secondary schools and higher education. Since 1955, the AP Program has enabled millions of students to take college-level courses and exams, and to earn college credit or placement while still in high school.
A 2008 study found that AP students had better four-year graduation rates than those who did not take AP. For example, graduation rates for AP English Literature students were 62 percent higher than graduation rates for those who took other English courses in high school.2
Taking AP also increases eligibility for scholarships and makes candidates more attractive to colleges:
- 31 percent of colleges and universities consider a student's AP experience when making decisions about which students will receive scholarships.3
- 85 percent of selective colleges and universities report that a student's AP experience favorably impacts admissions decisions.4
Learn more about the AP Program by following these links:
- How to start an AP Course: Discover the 7 steps to start an AP course at your school. Find estimated course costs and links to useful information and resources.
- The Nuts and Bolts of Offering AP Courses and Exams: Key steps in establishing your school's AP program
- Year 0: Planning and Preparing to Offer AP: What to think about before the first year
- Building Your AP Program: Assess your school's strengths and weaknesses, consider which courses to offer, and learn how to train AP teachers and identify AP students
- Achieving Equity: Dispelling misconceptions about which students should take AP
1-Costs include tuition, fees, and books only, and do not include room, board, and other living expenses. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted). The College Board, "Trends in College Pricing," 2008.
2-Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, "College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences." The College Board, 2008. To isolate the role of AP, researchers compared "matched" groups of students, meaning the students had similar SAT® rank and family incomes, but different experiences with English course work (i.e., they either took the AP course and exam or they took other English courses).
3-Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research, Inc. March 2007.
4-Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research, Inc. March 2007. For the purpose of this study, selective institutions were defined as those where less than 70 percent of applicants were admitted, the mean SAT score was 1025 or higher, and mean ACT score was 22 or higher.